NEWS CENTER - Stating that they have been resisting for 3 years against the October 9 Agreement, which targets the status of Ezidis, Xwedêda Eliyas from the Shengal Democratic Autonomous Assembly said: "Those who cannot protect themselves cannot protect us. Everyone should respect this will."

 

On August 3, 2014, ISIS attacked Shengal, the homeland of the Ezidis, and committed a massive massacre. According to some sources, 5 thousand Ezidis were killed in the attacks, at least 6 thousand people, mostly children and women, were kidnapped and more than 400 thousand people fell on migration routes. The extent of the massacre, which the Ezidis describe as the "74th Massacre", was so large that the Peshmerga affiliated with the KDP and the military forces of the Iraqi government fled during the attacks.

 

A group of HPG members came to the rescue of the Ezidis who fell on their migration route during ISIS attacks. Tens of thousands of Ezidis, who managed to survive thanks to the corridor opened by the HPG, were able to pass to Northern and Eastern Syria and Mount Sinjar with the help of YPG/YPJ forces. While ISIS attacks continued, the survivors of the massacre founded the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) to avoid similar massacres. Later, she declared the establishment of Shengal Women's Unions (YJŞ) and Êzîdxan Public Order.

 

While the forces fighting against ISIS were growing day by day, Ezidis announced the Shengal Democratic Autonomous Assembly (MXDŞ) to the whole world on January 14, 2015. On November 14, 2015, the lands of Shengal were completely cleared of ISIS. While the Ezidis began the reconstruction process, MXDŞ declared autonomy in Shengal in August 2017. HPG withdrew its forces here on April 1, 2018.

 

SHENGAL AGREEMENT

 

Attacks on Shengal continued after ISIS. During this period, Turkey targeted commanders at the forefront of the fight against ISIS with frequent air strikes. Most recently, KDP and the Baghdad government signed the "Shingal Agreement" on October 9, 2020. Türkiye and the USA also announced their support for the agreement. The agreement included articles that a district governor would be appointed to Shengal and that security would be provided by the forces that left the city during the massacre.

 

Ezidis opposed the agreement, which was signed against their will. In the intervening period, especially the KDP showed intense effort and pressure to implement the agreement. However, the attacks and oppression met with the resistance of the Ezidis. As a result of the resistance of the Ezidis, the agreement was shelved.

 

3 YEARS OF RESISTANCE

 

Shengal Democratic Autonomous Assembly Executive Board Co-chairman Xwedêda Eliyas talked about the struggle against the October 9 Agreement, which targets the status of Ezidis.

 

Stating that the Ezidi community has been struggling against the October 9 Agreement for 3 years, Eliyas said: "Ezidis' will was not recognized when the agreement was signed. Eliyas and those who signed this agreement with Baghdad could not protect this society. They could not resist ISIS. They wanted to carry out a dirty policy with this agreement. But we are past that stage now. The Ezidi society is now a will. Since 2014, 550 Ezidi children have been martyred to protect these lands. We will not allow the enemy to enter our lands again."

 

CALL TO EZIDIS WHO HAD TO MIGRATE

 

Eliyas also called out to the Ezidis who had to migrate during ISIS attacks. Eliyas said: "Go back to Shengal, Bashur (Federated Kurdistan Region) is not a place for you. Today, we are being killed by the weapons of international forces that say we are a state of law. Today, all the weapons used by the Turkish state against us are NATO weapons. But the will of Shengal is protected from the tanks and artillery of the enemy. We have given 550 martyrs. How will we leave these lands and leave them?" 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut