Yazidi Women's Union calls for international recognition of Shengal massacre

The Yazidi Women's Union in Rojava issued a statement to the public on the occasion of the Shengal massacre anniversary, which falls on August 3 each year. The statement was delivered during an event held in front of the Martyr Judy Amanos School in the Ashrafiyeh neighborhood of Aleppo, with the attendance of members and representatives of political parties, civil institutions, councils, and communes.

The statement was read by Najah Mamo, an administrator in the Yazidi Women’s Union. It declared that “the Yazidi people were subjected to yet another ferman (massacre) that targeted their very existence, through a terrorist attack carried out by ISIS, which was the result of a planned conspiracy by regional powers, foremost among them, the Turkish occupation state, simply because the Yazidis symbolize the authenticity of the Kurdish people and Kurdistan.”

The statement noted that the Yazidis were able to organize themselves to confront these conspiracies and strip them of their effect, by building their democratic institutions, foremost among them the Shengal Protection Units, which fought terrorism and liberated the region from ISIS.

The statement also linked the massacres that took place in Shengal to the ongoing violations in Syria, particularly against minorities in the coastal areas and in Sweida, where blood continues to be shed at the hands of what the statement described as “jihadist factions.”

It further emphasized the continuation of the struggle and the adoption of the ideology and philosophy of Leader Abdullah Ocalan, in order to protect identity and existence in the face of genocidal campaigns, and to strive toward building a free and dignified life based on justice and democracy.

The Union also issued an appeal to the international community, primarily the UN Security Council, the United Nations, and organizations concerned with the protection of ethnic and religious minorities, to fulfill their humanitarian and moral responsibilities.

In conclusion, the statement held the United Nations accountable for its failure to officially recognize the massacre and to prosecute its perpetrators, describing this silence as an encouragement for mercenaries and the Turkish occupation state to continue their expansionist policies and commit further massacres against the peoples of the region.

A-H 

ANHA