MESOPOTAMIA NEWS : REMEMBER ! – Preparing to commemorate five years since ISIS began genocide of Yazidis
by Seth Frantzman 2. August 2019Today the five year anniversary of the dark days of August 2014 are almost upon us, the five year commemoration of the genocide of Yazidis in Iraq carried out by ISIS as the world watched and did not do enough to stop the mass murder. In Iraq and elsewhere Yazidis and others are preparing to commemorate the horror which is ongoing as family members search for loved ones, and as people still cannot return to Sinjar. Many hundreds of thousands are still in IDP camps and many Yazidis have gone abroad. Its almost August 3. Five years ago, the Yazidi genocide started. My fb friends stories are filled with pictures of their missing & killed loved ones. The pictures keep appearing, one after the other. We all know what happened, but yet we cannot even begin to imagine their grief. pic.twitter.com/DaN1CeZuTM — Brenda Stoter Boscolo (@BrendaStoter) August 1, 2019 This After ISIS period is one where the lessons of the genocide have not been learned and where there has been little investment in Sinjar or in Yazidis despite the large anti-ISIS coalition. Free Yezidi Foundation statement on 5-year commemoration of #ISIS #Daesh genocide against #Yezidi #Yazidi https://t.co/EYr8AeHG96 pic.twitter.com/B47JsPXBzN — FreeYezidiFoundation (@Free_Yezidi) August 1, 2019 Many reports are looking back The Yazidi woman has seen a lot: beating, rape, insult, killing, everything. And yet, she is still living in a camp,” Safil said. “They think the woman in the camp is free. No. This is moving from one prison to another.” https://t.co/biInKHcoJi — Murad Ismael (@murad_ismael) August 1, 2019 And “A #Turkish ISIS fighter, who had bought a #Yazidi woman & her children, he was holding them in his family home, beat the woman’s 7-yr-old daughter because she was crying because she was hungry. The wives and children of the ISIS fighter would also beat Yazidi children.” @UN_HRC pic.twitter.com/E066rou0X0 — Yazidi (@Ezidi2) August 1, 2019 And the urgent need for reconstruction Powerful statement by #Yazidi survivor Hala Safil today, with @Ammar_Alhakeem, @JeanineHennis and others underlining urgent need for reconstruction, security and justice. Canada supports #Yazidi #Yezidi @CanadainIraq @UNIraq pic.twitter.com/U0eKr4529c — Paul Gibbard (@PaulGibbardCda) August 1, 2019 And the UN UN’s Hennis-Plasschaert recalls Yazidi suffering, urges swift actions to restore stability to Sinjar to allow Yazidis to return home Video of the speech is available at https://t.co/arQEaeiijk pic.twitter.com/GnERaCAhxF — UNAMI (@UNIraq) August 1, 2019 And This weekend (August 3) marks the 5th year since the ISIS genocide on the Yazidi people of Northern Iraq. Last night we had the opportunity to dine in the home of one of these wonderful families. It was truly an honour to be their guests. #yazidi #humanrights pic.twitter.com/vBMWf1c9E5 — Brian Comeault (@BComeault) August 1, 2019 And the horrid memories On Aug. 3rd, 2014, ISIS terrorists invaded the #Sinjar area, the heartland of the #Yazidi people, in Iraq. They forcibly converted, beheaded or burned alive 1000s men & boys. Over 6,000 women & girls were kidnapped and used as sex slaves. Tens of Yazidi holy sites were destroyed pic.twitter.com/DojKJQyCHf — Adil .k.m (@Adil9497) August 1, 2019 |