Journalist Çelkî, voice of the Yazidis

  • actual
  • 10:13 27 November 2022
  • |
img
NEWS CENTER - After the ISIS attacks, Xidir Bişar Çelkî, who started journalism to make the voice of the Yazidis heard to the world, said, "Despite the obstacles, we continue to be the voice and breath of this society."
 
Yazidis faced the 74th Massacre when ISIS attacked Shengal on August 3, 2014. Thousands of Yazidis were killed in ISIS attacks, thousands were taken prisoner, and tens of thousands of them died on their way to emigration. When the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) forces fled when the attacks started, a group of HPG members came to the aid of the Yazidis. The Yazidis, who were saved thanks to the humanitarian corridor opened, established by the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) and the Women's Resistance Units (YJŞ). YBŞ and YJŞ, together with a group of HPG members, fought against ISIS and liberated Shengal on November 13, 2015.
 
The Yazidis, who suffered greatly from the ISIS attacks, faced new attacks in the following period. Yazidis, whose gains were targeted with the "Shengal Agreement" signed between Baghdad and Hewlêr under pressure from the USA and Turkey, are frequently targeted with Turkey's Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones).
 
Witnessing the ISIS attacks, Xidir Bişar Çelkî started journalism to let the world know what the Yazidis went through after the liberation of Shengal. Çelkî continues his professional activities at the Êzidî agency Zêwe, which was opened almost a year ago and stands out with its news about Êzidîs.
 
WHAT YAZIDIS HAVE GINE THROUGH
 
Referring to the ISIS attacks he witnessed, journalist Çelki stated that the Êzidîs resisted very strongly against ISIS. Expressing that he witnessed the resistance of the people, Çelkî described what happened at that time as follows: “At that time, a great savagery was perpetrated against the Yazidis. The forces that said, "We will not leave the Yazidis alone, we will defend them," left the Yazidis to their fate.  But the Yazidis resisted. In the villages of Sibayê and Girzerîka, Yazidis resisted. Clashes between ISIS and Yazidi youth in these villages continued for up to 10 hours. They turned their backs on the Yazidis and left them face to face with massacre. Yazidis went through a massacre. Very painful things happened. Death, massacre, tears… Women were raped, houses were plundered. Before the Yazidis reached Shengal, they went through a great massacre in the villages of Koço and Hirdan. But the Yazidis were saved by the Yazidis. They liberated their land with their own hands. It was something very meaningful and important.”
 
'I BECOME A JOURNALIST AGAINST VIOLENCE'
 
Expressing that he started journalism to convey the pain the suffering and the resistance of the Yazidis to the world, Çelkî said, “There were very few journalists here at that time. Because all the roads for journalists to enter here were closed. The gates of Rojava and Bashure Kurdistan were closed. Journalism back then was much more difficult and demanding. I decided to become a journalist to let the world know about the resistance and suffering of the Yazidis and the brutality of ISIS. It was a very difficult job. I took this decision after Shengal was liberated. The Yazidis resisted. Showing and reflecting this resistance was my duty, like every other Yazidi youth. I try to do that with journalism."
 
'WE ARE THE VOICE OF THE YAZIDIS'
 
Emphasizing that he will continue to be the voice of Yazidis with his camera under all circumstances and conditions, Çelkî said, “Journalists are free here, up to a point. Opportunities are very limited. We act with the awareness of 'How can we serve this society'. Despite all the obstacles, we will continue to be the voice of this society.”
 
 
 

View More Articles

17/02/2023
17:09 Indictment against journalists from 149 news stories copied from MA agency
15:49 New application submitted by the families of Öcalan and other prisoners
15:31 Erdogan abolished the 'Disaster Risk Area' decision a year ago in Hatay
15:22 Cut column, illegal floors in many building
15:02 Needs of the prisoner held in a solitary cell are not met
09:15 TÖP Spokespersons: War on the public with the state of emergency
16/02/2023
15:18 HDP municipality distributes food to 3,000 earthquake victims a day
14:59 HDP launched the 'My Home is Your Home' campaign
14:55 Buldan calls for Erdoğan to resign
14:24 Statement from the Ministry: 282 children whose identities could not be determined.
13:40 Death tolls in earthquakes rose to 36,187
13:39 Attempt to attack journalists by gunmen in Hatay
13:15 State appointes a trustee, the gendarmes ask for help!
13:03 'State cannot escape responsibility by blaming contractors and targeting refugees'
12:37 Adıyaman through the lens of 'MA'
11:32 Lawyer Kazan: Postponing the election is the seizure of power by the government
09:53 15 people arrested due to destroyed buildings in Diyarbakır
15/02/2023
17:11 IHH turned the earthquake into rent: One container is 100 thousand liras
16:51 Owner of Diyar Galeria Business Center detained
16:44 İmralı report: 2022 has been a year of absolute lack of communication and lack of news
16:00 February 15 protests in Northern and Eastern Syria
15:53 Statement from the Ministry: 282 children whose identities could not be determined
15:43 Detention in Şemdinli and Yüksekova
15:38 Karabudak: The government wants to disrupt the demographic structure
14:27 State arrived to rubble after 4 days: People froze to death
13:26 Earthquake victims: We are crushed under the system, not the earthquake
13:01 'Kurds have the power to ensure freedom of Abdullah Öcalan'
12:08 Dağ, who was imprisoned for 34 years: Abdullah Öcalan kept socialism alive!
10:36 Report taken about the nurse who condemned the government
14/02/2023
17:01 Lawyers of Öcalan submits new application for a visit in İmralı
16:57 Statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office to 'examine the chemical'
16:40 Young volunteer in Pazarcık: People are desperate, hungry and thirsty
13:08 Earthquake victims, waited to be rescued for 4 days, froze to death.
12:40 Ezidis: Today is our turn for solidarity
11:45 TMMOB: The first 1 and a half days of the earthquake lost
11:03 17 people under the rubble at Yağmur Sitesi
10:39 Spanish team: Removing the rubble with a construction machine means death
13/02/2023
17:01 Earthquake message from imprisoned journalists
16:44 Soldiers who left people under rubble but saved the money box!
16:16 Earthquake victims live in the barn with their animals
15:56 Earthquake victims: We stay in a kitchen
15:43 Turkey and Syria blocked the solidarity of Rojavans
15:01 MA in Malatya villages: Tent is distributed with torpedoes
14:28 20 people stay in the tent divided into two: Children are ill
11:50 Earthquake victims leave the district
11:29 Journalists spoke what happened in Hatay, struck by the earthquake
10:12 ÇHD: Güreşçi, who tortured to death in custody, lost his life
12/02/2023
15:49 Police tortured volunteers and threw them outside the city
15:18 'My father lies on street, there is no a funeral transport vehicle'
15:01 The state that did not help also blocked those who did