Our Statements

The Murderers of Merwan Bedel Will Be Brought to Justice

The genocidal, colonialist Turkish state has committed yet another massacre. It attacked the co-chair of the Executive Council of the Sinjar Self-Administration with an armed drone. While Merwan Bedel was murdered in this attack, his children narrowly escaped death. Those responsible for this massacre will definitely be held accountable by humanity. Moreover, there is no question that Merwan Bedel’s longing for a Free Êzidxan will become reality.

Merwan Bedel was one of the leaders of the Ezidi people.He fought shoulder to shoulder with the guerrillas against the genocidal onslaught of the Islamic State (IS) and was instrumental in organizing the Ezidis on Sinjar Mountain. Full of gratitude and respect, we remember this great resistance fighter and express our condolences to the entire Ezidi people. We would like to reiterate that our Freedom Movement we will always stand by the side of the Ezidi people.

The Turkish state has carried out this attack. But the intelligence necessary for it was provided by people organized by the Parastin [intelligence service of the Kurdistan Democratic Party – KDP] in Sinjar. The MIT [Turkish intelligence service] and thus the Turkish state receive their information from these same individuals. Through statements by senior KDP officials and through messages disseminated by KDP-affiliated media, all Ezidis fighting for Sinjar`s autonomy are made targets, thus normalizing and legitimizing such attacks. Not only the Ezidis themselves, but all Kurds are clearly aware of this. The KDP must stop inciting the Turkish state to attack areas outside its control.

All of the Ezidi leaders who have been murdered in Sinjar in the recent past had previously actively resisted against IS and had played a leading role in driving IS out of Sinjar. In this sense, Merwan Bedel, Sait Hesen and Zerdeşt Şengalî are the commanders of the Ezidi people. They are the companions of Derweşê Avdê. And they are Şehits [fallen] of the resistance against IS. The Turkish state is now taking revenge on these resistance fighters. And the KDP is legitimizing these very attacks with its policy, stance and statements. In doing so, it makes itself complicit in these revenge attacks.

The first major genocide of the 21st century was committed against the Ezidis in Sinjar. Thousands of Ezidi women and young girls are still in the hands of IS. All states that have military and political influence in the Middle East, in addition to Iraq and the KDP, are responsible for putting Sinjar in this situation. The Turkish state – an ally of IS – is also complicit in this genocide. In the foreseeable future, all the details about the Turkish state’s collaboration with IS will come to light. Many states possess the relevant information that proves this cooperation. Once the IS, which committed the genocide, is brought before an international court, the entire truth will come to light.

With its attacks, the Turkish state wants to complete the genocidal attacks of IS. The KDP seems to assume that in the event of Sinjar’s subjugation, the fact will be forgotten that it was the KDP that did not resist against IS and thus exposed the Ezidis to genocide. There is no other way to explain why it is justifying the attacks of the Turkish state. In our opinion, the KDP is committing its historically most serious mistake through its behavior towards the Ezidis. The KDP would actually be able to make up for its mistake of August 3, 2014, if the Ezidis were to achieve autonomy and the KDP were to recognize this.

The Ezidis in Sinjar who provide the intelligence for these massacres will be remembered only in terms of their treachery and all their bad deeds. Historically, these kinds of people have always been considered as people who sell their whole people for a single plate of soup. In Kurdistan, these people have always been called `tırşıkçi` [troublemakers, saboteurs, collaborators]. Today’s `tırşıkçi` commit these acts with the sole aim of capturing a small material reward. It is imperative for the Ezidis to exclude these types of people from their society, thus making it impossible for them to live in their community. These people are broken personalities who do not deserve to continue living on the sacred earth of the Ezidis.

The Ezidis must never forget personalities such as Mam Zeki, Mam Beşir, Sait Hesen, Zerdeşt Şengali, and Merwan Bedel. They must express their attachment to them by standing up for the struggle and aspirations of all these personalities. When one Merwan falls, dozens, hundreds of Merwans must take his place. Freedom cannot be achieved easily. To prevent renewed massacres, a free and autonomous Êzidxan is needed. Once a free and autonomous Êzidxan is achieved, the massacres will come to an end. Then the Ezidis, one of the oldest religious communities in human history, will enrich the culture and identity of the Middle East with its many beautiful values.

The only appropriate way to commemorate the people murdered, kidnapped and turned into Şehits by IS is for the Ezidis to live freely and autonomously. This is exactly the aspiration of all Ezidis today. What Ezidis can seriously oppose this goal? Whoever does not stand up for a free and autonomous Êzidixan is either under massive pressure or is pursuing primitive self-interests.

As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we call on all Ezidis to fight even harder in the future for the aspirations of Merwan Bedel and all Şehits of Êzidxan, that is, for the building of a free and autonomous Êzidxan.As long as the Ezidis are committed to a free and autonomous Êzidxan, no power in this world can prevent them from achieving their goal.

Co-Presidency

KCK Executive Council