A committee consisting of Êzidî women assembled due to the crisis emerged as a result of the agreement made between Iraqi government and Federated Kurdistan District administration, met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa El-Kazimi as part of their contacts with political parties and non-governmental organizations.

 

During the meeting held in Baghdad, Êzidî women conveyed their demands, which included the demands of the Shengal people. Among these demands were the acceptance of Shengal as the autonomous administration under the Federal Government and the acceptance of a new administration consisting of the Shengal peoples.

 

Riham Hesen, the Director of the Yazidi Women's Solidarity Foundation, who was in the delegation that met with Prime Minister El-Kazimi, spoke to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) about the meeting they held.

 

Hesen said that the non-governmental organizations in Shengal did not accept the agreement and rejected it through diplomacy and stated that they held a meeting among themselves before meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Kazimi.

 

Hesen stated that there was an intense debate on whether to meet with the Prime Minister first, and a consensus was reached, and that they determined 18 items to be conveyed as the demands of the Êzidî community.

 

Hesen said: "Then we went to Baghdad. Our delegation consisted of 26 people. Everyone of them represented a different community."

 

'WE TOLD THAT WE DID NOT ACCEPT THAT ALLIANCE'

 

Stating that their meeting with Prime Minister El-Kazimi was positive, Hesên said, “In our previous meetings with Baghdad, we could not get a clear answer on the issue. But we can say that our will was recognized and accepted in the last meeting. We shared our opinions and suggestions at the meeting. We told them as the Êzidî community, we did not accept that alliance. Why was such an agreement not made when Êzidî women were captured by ISIS? How can those who abandon the Êzidî people talk about protecting this society today? Our attitude on this matter was clear and we showed our attitude clearly."

 

'IRAQI GOVERNMENT OWES US AN APOLOGY'

 

Hesen added: “At the meeting, we emphasized that we do not accept the alliance and the Shengal agreement. We also told the government such an agreement would have been necessary if the people of Shengal were not able to govern themselves, but this is not the case and that the agreement will bring disaster. We told that the Irawi government is not fulfilling its duties to the people of Shengal for the last 6 years. What have they done? Did they try to rescue the Êzidî women from ISIS or rebuilt the houses that were destroyed? They did nothing. Iraqi Government owes the people of Shengal an apology and they did not say they were sorry. Those who betrayed Shengal wasn't even punished." 

 

Stating that the KDP returning to Shengal is going to lead to more massacres, Hesen said the agreement doesn't mean anything more than that.

 

'TURKEY WILL HAVE INVADED SHENGAL'

 

Hesen said: "The Êzidî community will not recognize this agreement until their will is recognized. Why does the KDP and Iraqi government want to return to Shengal this bad? Because Turkey have lost territory during the last conflict. Shengal is among those lands. Barzani family is in good terms with Turkey. Turkey wants to take control of Shengal using these relations. Everyone knows that if KDP takes control of Shengal, Turkey will be the one controlling Shengal. This is why Turkey backs this alliance."

 

'THIS IS NOT AN ALLIANCE BUT A BETRAYEL'

 

Stating that they will not recognize anyone that ignores their will, Hesen said: "If this agreement were compatible with democracy and the rule of law, it would have been evaluated and discussed in the Shengal courts. That's when the people of Shengal could recognize and respect this agreement. Because then there would be an agreement that could develop within the will of the Shengal people. But an agreement made without the will of the Êzidî community is not an alliance, but a betrayal."

 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut