In memory of the victims of the genocide of August 3, 2014, the Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement (TAJÊ) held a memorial ceremony in the village of Qinê on the southern edge of Mount Shengal. The ceremony took place at one of the many mass graves where the remains of people massacred during the genocide and feminicide perpetrated by ISIS lie.
Riham Hasan, co-chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Council of Şengal (MXDŞ), opened the memorial event with an emotional speech: “Shengal is littered with mass graves. Every place in this region has witnessed the massacres committed by ISIS. On behalf of the many women who were murdered, we commemorate all our dead today. Remembering them strengthens our resistance.”
“We will not bow down”
It is believed that the Yazidi community has been the victim of at least 74 major waves of mass slaughter since the twelfth century, culminating in the ISIS attack on Shengal in 2014. Referring to this history of violence, Hasan emphasized the resilience of the Yazidis: “We will not bow to the will to destroy us. Our response to the attacks against our community is determination: we will live freely on our land. Our identity, our culture, and our faith belong in Shengal and they will remain here.”
Criticism of Iraq and the United Nations
Hasan sharply criticized the Iraqi state and the international community. Although 14 countries have recognized the genocide against the Yazidis, Iraq continues to refuse to do so. Work on investigating the mass graves is also progressing slowly.
“Iraq may not recognize the genocide, but Shengal itself is a witness. That cannot be denied,” said Hasan. She accused the United Nations of ignoring the region and failing to fulfill its responsibility to protect.
Mass grave in Qinê: 72 people killed
In August 2014, the village of Qinê became a refuge for hundreds of people fleeing ISIS from other parts of Shengal. The attackers tracked down the people, captured them, and killed at least 72 of them, including many women and children. The remains were later discovered in a mass grave and transferred to the forensic institute in Baghdad for identification. Work to clarify the identities is still ongoing.
Source: ANF News
