Nilufer Kog: Şengal attack targets Yazidis

NEWS DESK

A member of the Yazidi community coordinator Zaki Shinkali was killed by an air attack carried out by the Turkish occupation army planes in Şengal on August 15, which caused discontent and resentment of the Kurdish people in general and the Yazidi people in particular, who confirmed that this attack was coordinated between the Turkish state and its clients.

To talk about the subject, our agency held an interview with the Co-chair of the Kurdistan National Congress, Nilufer Kog, she confirmed that Zaki Şengali has played a prominent role in organizing the Yazidis since 2014. He made great efforts to achieve self-management in Izidkhan, so he was particularly targeted by the occupiers.

 The following is the text of the interview:

What is the purpose of targeting Zaki Şengali? What does this attack mean for the Yazidi people in particular?

First we commemorate the martyr Zaki Şengali and all the martyrs of the revolution of Kurdistan, and I promise that we will continue our struggle in a manner worthy of the courage and valor of these martyrs.

Over the past four years, Zaki Şengali has sought to establish a democratic administration in Izidkhan and has actively fought for this goal. The Yazidis in the Middle East have always been at risk, and the Yazidis have so far suffered 73 massacres in Izidkhan and the Yazidis resisted these massacres. On August 3, 2014, they were subjected to a large massacre before the eyes of the world. The world powers remained silent about this massacre, but the PKK forces were able to rescue the Yazidis and managed to counter the massacre.

Zaki Şengali transferred his fighting experience within the PKK for 40 years to this part of Kurdistan as of August 3, 2014, and greatly contributed to enabling Yazidis to manage their own affairs and to promote defense and self-defense. In keeping with their specificity, the Yazidis, women, youth and other members of the Yazidi community were able to establish their councils and social decision-making centers in Şengal. These developments and gains influenced the position of the Yazidis people outside the country as well, and in turn began to strengthen their unity. The Yazidis' confidence in themselves was strengthened and they were able to consolidate the organization in various fields.

Zaki Şengali won the confidence of the Yazidis

Zaki Şengali’s effort and struggle to reach the Yazidi community cannot be forgotten to the extent that he can determine his own destiny. Şengali’s struggle contributed to the Yazidis' trust and attachment to them, and Şengali became a destination for all Yazidis. Zeki was able to unify the ancient and original history of the Yazidis with the fatherly spirit, and thus the Yazidis became known as the geographical spot in which they live in Izidkhan. The Yazidis realized that the only way to reduce the commission of massacres against them was to build and establish self-administration and self-determination. Zaki gave the Yazidi community courage and awareness on the one hand, and on the other, he continued his political and diplomatic struggle in Iraq and Başûr Kurdistan.

Can it be said that the Turkish state alone carried out this attack? Some circles point to the participation of other forces in this attack, such as Iraq and the government of Başûr Kurdistan and America, what is your opinion on that?

Isidakhan lies within the borders of the State of Iraq, and Iraq itself fell under American protection after the era of Saddam Hussein, so these two forces are responsible for everything happening in Şengal . In the current situation, Iraq suffers from a deep division between the axis of America - Iran and America Turkey, and since the May elections, the government has not been formed in Iraq so far, because of this conflict and division.

Iraqi politics is linked to the policies of foreign countries, and Iraq is currently seeking to benefit from the central conflict of America- Iran and America - Turkey.

America considers Mosul the legacy of parents and grandparents

On the other hand, Izidakhan lies within the borders of Mosul, where for hundreds of years the region has been suffering a power struggle known as Mosul. The Turkish state says that Mosul is the legacy of parents and grandparents since the Ottomans. Iran and the Arabs do not want to leave Mosul to the Turks. Iraq and the Turkish state have now agreed on the targeting of Zaki Şengali. In this way, they gained more time. Both sides knew Zaki’s avant-garde role, so they sought to target him with the aim of eliminating Yazidis and eliminating the self-management of Yazidis. The Iraqi army and Iraqi intelligence services are deployed along the area between Şengal, Başûr and Rojava. Iraqi officials in Şengal know Zaki Şengali well, and with the aim of taking full control of Şengal they have worked to eliminate the self-management that Zaki is leading. So they agreed with Turkey. Abadi visited Ankara two days ago, and this massacre was carried out immediately after the meeting. To date, Abadi has not condemned this attack and no statement has been issued in this regard. Therefore, the State of Iraq will remain accused of killing Zaki Şengali till a statement is clearly issued by Iraq.

The Kurdistan Regional Government also remained silent about this massacre, how can this situation be seen?

After the referendum there emerged a clear division in Başûr, and Turkey seeks to benefit from this division. The Turkish state has failed and sank in Syria, so it is seeking to find its outlet in Başûr and Iraq. Turkey says it has established 11 more military bases and 24 existing ones. Most of these bases are in the KDP control areas.

Turkey consistently shows that its relations are good with the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and calls on party officials to visit Ankara, but not only that, but seeks to take full control of the Başûr Kurdistan, including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and find a situation like 1992 and work on genocide. Kurds. Turkish Foreign Minister threatened the National Union and the Movement for Change, indicating its efforts to find an internal war between the Kurds.

Seeking to beat the Kurds against one another

Turkey not only controls the areas of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, but also seeks to extend its control over the whole of Başûr Kurdistan, because its policies to occupy Rojava and northern Syria have gone bankrupt. Recently, there have been major contradictions between America and Russia over Syria. After Putin and Trump met in Helsinki, there are efforts to limit Turkish policy of duplication, so Turkey has carried out its attack on Şengal to confirm its efforts to expand its occupation of the Kurdistan Bakur. It seems clear that the only party resisting the Turkish occupation is the PKK.

What are the reasons for this silence, and what are the consequences that can result from this silence?

The silence of the Başûr Kurdish parties over the martyrdom of Zaki Şengali stems from their narrow interests and also resulted from their failure. This silence does not belong to patriotism in any way. The authoritarian politics of the Kurdish marshland around Şengal failed for the second time since 2014. They are so close to their end. As the Turkish state expands its influence in Başûr, all those who say they will be marginalized, because the Turkish nation state has linked its existence to the elimination of the Kurdish people.

What is the way to thwart this attack and plan? What is the responsibility of civil society organizations to confront these attacks?

The political parties in Başûr Kurdistan, and the Kurdish people in Başûr must also deal with the massacre that targeted Zaki Şengali. Silence and weakness towards this attack will encourage the Turkish occupation state to continue its aggression and occupation of the Kurdistan plains, meaning that the silence will come to an end.

Şengal should be supported in the context of national efforts

Zaki Şengali’s death must has been a reason for strengthening national unity. Zaki Şengali participated in the name of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) for four months in 2013 in the meetings held for the National Congress in Hewler. Representatives of Kurdish parties must pressure their parties to hold the Kurdistan National Congress and achieve national unity.

Zaki Şengali was convinced that the occupiers were the ones who planted differences and bad relations among the Kurdish people, so he called on us all through his positions and lifestyle to do good things and to follow his purity and goodness. In my turn, I appeal to all, to respond to the forces of colonialism and occupiers who seek to occupy the Middle East, by adhering to this philosophy and establishing self-management in Izidkhan and achieving free Kurdistan.

J.O

ANHA