400,000 displaced Yazidis have fallen victim to lack of political will and failed return to Sinjar since the onset of the genocide perpetrated by Da’eshon August 3, 2014. Convoluted and chronic challenges are inhibiting the possibilities of a sustainable future for Yazidis and other minority communities in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

A makeshift camp inhabited by Yazidi families in Dohuk, Iraq. Over 200,000 Yazidis remain displaced in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

Yazidis demand action

During the Eighth Annual Commemoration of the Yazidi Genocide, Yazda with The Zovighian Partnership demanded urgent action in the presence of government officials, international diplomats, and aid agencies. 

“While we have always welcomed speeches and calls to action that have galvanized our many stakeholders to respond to the overwhelming emergencies facing Sinjar and its historic communities, today we can no longer have words. We need very urgent action,” exclaimed Haider Elias, Co-founder and President of Yazda Organization.

The memorial commenced with a blessing from Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh, followed by words from Yazidi genocide survivors and friends of the cause. Previous commemorations had featured two-day conferences with the patronages of the Iraqi President Dr. Barham Salih, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, several ministers and members of parliament, as well as Baghdad-based ambassadors and heads of missions of international agencies.

Yazidis want to rebuild their futures and achieve their dreams. “We are the sons of the light; we believe in humanity, and we will not stop until we achieve our cause,” said Khawla Ismail Khudaida, a Yazidi survivor and a member of the Yazda Yazidi Survivors Network. She added: We need your support and advocacy to recognize the Yazidi Genocide and to hold Da’esh accountable.”

The first Yazidi survivor-led short documentary was also premiered during the commemorative event. Commissioned, funded, and co-produced by The Zovighian Partnership, the ten-minute feature film highlights multiple Yazidi voices to acknowledge the persistent forms of genocide that continue to decimate the community.

“In honor of those who have perished and as a show of solidarity to an entire peace-loving people, this documentary is meant to serve as a public advocacy asset for all Yazidis,” announced Lynn Zovighian Co-founder and Managing Director of The Zovighian Partnership.

The region of Sinjar used to be home to more than 550,000 Yazidis. The city center is today still a ghost town since the occupation of Da’esh. Infrastructure remains heavily destroyed and plans for reconstruction have not been proposed, funded, nor initiated.

Yazidis feel the pain of failed promises

The full scale of the tragedies of genocide and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Da’esh against the Yazidi people and other minority groups in Iraq is still ongoing. Over 200,000 Yazidis remain in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. An estimated 160,000 Yazidis have left the country and the Middle East region. 2,760 Yazidi women and children captured by Da'esh are still unaccounted for. 

“No road maps or comprehensive plans have ever been developed to end the Yazidi Genocide and address the post-Da'esh genocide period,” explained Ahmed Khudida, Deputy Executive Director at Yazda Organization.

“Lengthy inaction has made all issues pertaining to the Yazidis very complicated and difficult to resolve. These issues could have been resolved on time with proper coordination and cooperation between the KRI, the Republic of Iraq, and the international community,” added Khudida. “The international community has failed to fulfill its obligations to protect the most vulnerable, particularly women and children.”

“Survivors are ready to see justice, they have been ready for eight years now, so what are we waiting for? A clear consequence of our inaction will be to silence all their voices and to only be ready for action once it is too late,” said Natia Navrouzov, Legal Advocacy Director at Yazda Organization. “That sends a dangerous message: that survivor voices and their suffering do not matter.”

For Arabic click here.

The Zovighian Partnership is a family-owned social investment platform, established by father and daughter in 2013. Deeply invested in R&D, we are committed to delivering ethical, inclusive, and innovative design, research, and prototypes.

The Zovighian Partnership Public Office is committed to delivering significant resources to bringing grounded methodology, sound governance, and rigorous strategic thinking to communities and cities in crisis. We hold ourselves accountable to giving voice to the diversity of views that are central to long-term and sustainable peace and socio-economic enablement.

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Yazda is a global community-led institution that protects and champions all religious and ethnic minority communities, including Assyrians, Chaldeans, Kakais, Shabak, Yazidis, and others in Iraq, Kurdistan Region, and Syria.

Founded in 2014 at the onset of the genocide perpetuated by Da’esh, also known as Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) against the Yazidis, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity against other minorities, Yazda leads advocacy and strategic projects in Dohuk, Sinjar, and the Nineveh Plains, as well as global diaspora hubs.

www.yazda.org