ISTANBUL - Stating that the 74th Massacre against Ezidis continued with the attacks of Turkey, Sociologist Azad Barış said: "We want to live freely with our faith, religion, culture, language and music."

 

It has been 9 years since ISIS committed the genocide against the Ezidi homeland of Shengal in 2014. Having captured the Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014, ISIS headed for Shengal on August 3, 2014. After the withdrawal of KDP forces, Ezidis were left defenseless. As a result of the ISIS attacks, the 74th Massacre was given to the Ezidis. Thousands of Ezidis were either massacred or on their way to emigration. Kidnapped women and children were sold in slave markets.

 

The Ezidis, who managed to take shelter in Shengal Mountain, managed to escape after 12 HPG members reached Shengal. After ISIS was repelled by HPGs, the passage of Ezidis to Northern and Eastern Syria was ensured with the humanitarian corridors opened by Yekineyên Parastinên Sivîl (YPG) forces.

 

The Ezidis were targeted again with the Shengal Agreement signed between the Iraqi government and the KDP-led Federated Kurdistan Regional government under the pressure of the United States and Turkey after the 74th Ferman. After the agreement, in addition to the air strikes of Turkey, the Iraqi Army's attacks on Shengal began; however, the Ezidis did not leave their lands despite all kinds of attacks.

 

Ezidi sociologist Azad Barış evaluated the attacks that are in their 9th year and the developments that followed.

 

'EZİDİS WERE KILLED BECAUSE THEY ARE KURDISH'

 

Stating that he lives the culture and belief of the Yazidis as Kurdi, and makes his prayers and cries in Kurdish, Barış said: "Kurdishness is the cause of the massacre of the Ezidis. Ezidis preserve all Kurdish values in their beliefs and culture, Barış described every massacre against Ezidis as an attack on preserved values. In this geography, which is defined as the cradle of peoples, the blood of the Ezidis has mixed with the soil 73 times. And it's because of their beliefs. The Ezidis are Kurdish. That's why they are attacked. The reason why Ezidis have been attacked throughout history is not just because they are Ezidis, but because they are Kurdish Ezidis.”

 

WHY ARE WOMEN TARGETS?

 

Stating that Mesopotamia, which is defined as the garden of the peoples, has never been a garden for the Ezidis, Barış said: " The Yazidis have always wanted to be exterminated in these lands throughout history . The women who are the carriers of the language, culture and belief values of the Êzidî society are murdered and sold as slaves in the markets to erase the social memory. These attacks still continue today."

 

THE PLANS OF NATION STATES 

 

Stating that the nation states are behind ISIS, Barış said: The Shengal Massacre was planned, like all the massacres that took place. This structure was created to activate a project planned by nation states. And their targets were undoubtedly peoples and beliefs. One of these few beliefs was the Ezidis, and there is the motto of 'A new life is possible', which the Kurds invoke especially in Rojava and the Middle East. In fact, they did it to prevent this process, which the Kurds achieved or spread to the world, and to destroy that center of values even before it was formed. This is why Ezidis were also targeted. This is an organized thing. The aim is to change the demographic structure."

 

'THE MASSACRE WANTS TO BE COMPLETED'

 

Drawing attention to Turkey's airstrikes against Ezidis and the entire region, Barış said: "Turkey bombed a hospital in Shengal in 2021 and civilians lost their lives. Turkey will be prosecuted for these attacks. Turkey is trying to finish what ISIS couldn't do with planes and bombs. This hostility should be stopped. This massacre is the continuation of the genocide. Türkiye should turn from the wrong and should not engage in this enmity."

 

MA / Rukiye Adıgüzel