Iraq: Yazidi Minority Calls for Help Against Al Qaeda "Kurdish" Terrorists Talebani and Barzani
Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
February 27, 2010
In the Fall 2008, I dedicated two articles to the unbearable persecution carried out against the Yazidis, calling for the formation an independent Yazidi state to avert a genocide performed against them. Quite unfortunately, in the span of the last 15 months, the situation in the land of Yazidis worsened dramatically. The links to my articles are here:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/79908
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/83259
In this article, I republish part of a dramatic call expressed by Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi, Yazidi Intellectual and Coordinator of Yezidi Community in Europe. I will complete the republication of Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi´s call in a forthcoming article, and I will further expand on the subject afterwards.
Mirza Donnayi: The Future Prospects for Yezidis
The Situation of the Yezidi Minority - A Short Report
By Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi
Former Iraqi President´s Advisor for Minority Affairs
Coordinator of Yezidi Community in Europe
http://www.ahrata.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82:mirza-donnayi-the-future-prospects-for-yezidis&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50
2.2. The Future Prospects for Yezidis in the New Iraq:
The new era after the collapse of the Saddam´s regime, have a significant impact on the religious minorities. The future perspectives of Yezidis and another minorities in Iraq is depending on the new Iraqi system, whether an Islamic law or a secular constitution will rule the country. The religious minorities such as Yezidis, Christians, Jews, Kakai and Mandaeans are strongly depending on peace and process of human right situation in the country. As we know, the processing of democracy and human rights in Iraq still faces a big danger. For the performance of democracy in Iraq is not sufficient that only a majority governs, but first of all the rights of the minorities must be secured and a new tyranny against them be prevented. In particular, a uniform social conception of a public political Islamism is implemented in Iraq.
The rights of religious minorities and not-fundamentalist Muslims are in danger. Religious institutions and Islamic Movements play a larger role than the instance human right organizations or civilian-social institutions. Not only the Islamic parties regard their ideology, as the correct one, but for the most Iraqi parties it is difficult after 35 years Baathistic Dictatorship to back-put ideology in favour of a pragmatic democratic co-operation and to put the goal "Democracy to learn".
These problems are intensified by the activities of international terror organizations in Iraq, which try, to intensify intercultural and – religious misunderstandings among different Iraqis and to rush the population into a civil war. Small minorities as Yezidi would be completely pulled under such situation. Also democratic Iraqi parties, including the Kurdish parties, gave no cause for the optimism so far for Yezidi. There is no clear political recognition of Yezidi since the Iraqi opposition congress in London (2002). The Yezidi and their political and social rights are further in crucial situation. If the new Iraq is going to establish a really democratic state, so must be the rights of religious and social minorities considered and saved.
2.3. Terror Attacks against Yezidi in Iraq:
The attacks against Yezidi were starting form radical Islamic groups (like Al Qaeda and other Wahabistic groups in Mosul). These groups published "Fatwa"s several times against Yezidis.
They allowed and demanded to kill Yezidi people, because according to their views (Yazidis are "devil worshiper"). The fanatic Arabs in Mosul used these Fatwa´s against every Yezidi who has a contact with Kurdish parties. Yezidis from Sinjar have no access to Mosul. They are isolated in their villages, although they need to travel to the big cities. But the terrorists are on the way. In the last two years we have recorded the killing of several hundreds Yezidi civilian
in the city Mosul. The background for all these incidents was because they were Yezidi. Many radical "Mullas" und "Imams" in the Arab cities are trying to create an anti-Yezidi movement.
2.4. An Attack against Shaikhan:
Hundreds of Kurdish radical-Muslims attacked Shaikhan, the Yezidi city, on February 15, where the Yezidi Prince and their leaders live. This happened with the help and support of some radical Kurdish Muslim police officers in the city.
The mass of terrorists destroyed and burned the Yezidi temple (Mend), cultural centres, cars and shops. They shot aimlessly on the houses and citizens and demanded the Yezidi people to leave their area and to immigrate.
They called for the holy war (Jihad) against Yezidi. The radical Muslims beheaded on the next day a Yezidi woman, a mother of four children. The poor Yezidi in Shaikhan and surrounding villages are locked up in their houses. This was from the legal view an attempt of genocide (loud Article 6, and article 25 paragraphs 3F of the international penal law).
2.5. Pursuit and Murder of the Yezidi since 7th April 2007:
The radical terror groups used a sad event (murder of a woman because of the so-called "honour killing") to intensify an anti-Yezidi movement among Muslims in Iraq. The fact was that some bodies stoned on 7 April 2007 their young daughter in the presence of many people, police because of "honour injury". This criminal act was condemned by all Yezidi personalities, religious leaders and communities in- & outside of Iraq.
The criminality was against peaceful philosophy of Yezidi religion, which forbids the killing generally and forbids the "stoning" particularly. The most of Analyser think that this criminality was planed by an actor outside of Yezidi society because it was the first time that somebody has been stoned in the Yezidi society.
Nevertheless some political actors promoted a false propaganda, that the girl was converted to Islam. Therefore a terror group under the name "Iraqi Islamic state" distributed a Fatwa against Yezidi, which calls for the murder of Yezidi everywhere and anywhere.
The Consequences of these anti-Yezidi movements were:
1. 22. April 2007: (24) Yezidi workers in the city of Mosul were killed by a group of gunmen. This terror attack was happened with the help of the general police office in the city. The Police headquarters ordered all inspections (Check Points) to move from the area of the scene. One of the Victims was 10 years old. Five of them were from one family. This terror attack left (123) Orphans & Widows. One week later, two Yezidi workers were killed again in Mosul near the check point of Mosul-Shaikhan because of their Yezidi identity.
2. 23. April 2007: An anti-Yezidi movement was intensifying at the University of Mosul. 820 Yezidi students left their faculties. They have no chance more to return back to study under current conditions. Also all Yezidi families left Mosul. They left their houses and furniture.
3. Since 24. April 2007: This anti-Yezidi wave became stronger in Kurdistan. Many Yezidi workers left their jobs in Duhok, Erbil and Suleimaniya and returned back home, where they have no jobs. Yezidi workers in Hotels and restaurants were attacked in these cities from fanatic Muslims. Yezidi Students were attacked from groups Muslim in Erbil last weeks.
4. Since January 2007: The terror groups don´t allow transporting of food ration from Mosul to Sinjar. They say, Yezidis are unbeliever, so they have to die. The most of Yezidi families in Sinjar didn´t become their food ration since four months. Nobody wants to help.
5. At least: According to the media reports; more than 50 Yezidi persons were killed since 7 April in different areas of province Mosul, only because of their identity.
2.6. Massacre against Yezidi in Sinjar on 8th August 2007. Four suicide truck bombers struck nearly simultaneously killing more than 400 people and wounding 800 people in both yezidi villages Tel Ezeir and Sipa Shiekh Khidri (Kahtaniya & Jazeera) in Northern of Iraq. The most of the victims were women and children. The explosions destroyed 400 houses completely. More the 1km² areas of the town (Kahtaniya) were extremely damaged.
More than 70 corpses are still now under the destroyed houses in the. Some families are completely extinguished. Hundreds of survivors have no home; they have no water and no food. The Islamic terror organizations operated in the last 3 years many terror attacks against Yezidi, only because they are not Muslim. Many civilians were killed, beheaded or stoned.
The members of Yezidi minority are isolated in their region without support and in a very bad and miserable situation. The reasons of this Massacre.
This terror attack was the biggest attack in Iraq since 2003. More than 1 km² were destroyed. The following statistic was documented after our visit to Sinjar in October 2007:
1. Number of victims: 311
2. Number of missed people: 70
3. Number of wounded people 800
4. Number of orphans who lost their parents: 33
5. Number of orphans who lost their fathers or mothers: 195
6. Number of completely damaged houses (90-100% damage) 375
7. Number of damaged houses (50-89% damage): 500
8. Number of damaged houses ( till 50 % damage): 650
9. Number of destroyed shops and offices: 90
2.7. Yezidi and the Hope of Change. We hope with the assistant of all progressive and democratic countries in Europe, especially democratic groups and parties, in guaranteeing our legal rights and ensuring that the followers of all minorities should no longer be subjected to discrimination especially by religious extremist Muslims. This success is an important indicator for the fulfillment of the democratization in Iraq.
Yezidis demand that their religion should have equal rights like other religious groups of the country.
Furthermore, the Yezidian regions such as Sinjar, Sheikhan, Bashiqa and Bahzani
should be administrated by Yezidis themselves.
Yezidis appeal that they should be granted an independent post (Ministry) in the future Iraq government which should become a ritual like the Christian and Turkmenian, as well as five members in the Iraqi National Assembly.
They hope that Muslims and others who have a negative image about our religion to understand our peaceful religion.
Yezidi Community in Europe
Head Organisation of the Yezidi Associations in EU Countries, and the attached charitable foundation (Yezidi Unterstützungsverein e. V.) support people in need.
Address:
YUV e. V.
Bonhoefferstr. 7, D-30457 Hannover
Tel. 0049-15110625620
Email: ezidi.lobby@gmail.com
Registration no. by Tax office: 16/200/83083
Registration number: 120240 at the district court Hildesheim, Germany
Bank account number : 900 329 130 / Bank code (BLZ) : 250 501 80
Bank Name: Sparkasse Hannover
IBAN: DE67 250501800 900329130
BIC: SPKHDE2H
Note 1
Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi can be contacted here:
Phone: 0049-15110625620
Email: dinnayi@gmail.com
Note 2
The variants Yazidis and Yezidis reflect merely a different vocalization of the name in Western languages; in this regard, I personally agree with the choice made by the Wikipedia, but both forms are valid.
Note 3
In my book The Six Stars of the Orient (Athens, 1994 / book review available here: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/43904), and more specifically on its third chapter which was focused on Amida / Diyarbakir, I dedicated several pages on the Yazidis (equally present in Turkey), their religion, their Holy Book (Mas-haf-e Ras) and their philosophical doctrine. As the whole book is available for online reading (jpeg docs), I add here the links to the pages about the Yazidis (in Modern Greek):
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2608455770105406430uhTpjE
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2771570400105406430uleFWA
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2891396640105406430CaOxtM
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2704653010105406430SziSNG
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2977460390105406430YQeudp
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2454849310105406430ZoxXbQ
Note
Picture: Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi
(From the Yazidi portal www.afrata.com as per above link)
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