Signature Campaign for the Recognition of the Ezidi Genocide Launched

The Shingal Autonomous Administration in Iraq has announced the launch of a signature campaign to recognize the atrocities committed against the Ezidi people, particularly the events of August 3, 2014, as genocide. The campaign was unveiled on the 9th anniversary of the liberation of Shingal and aims to bring international recognition to the genocidal actions carried out against the Yazidis.

The campaign seeks to gain acknowledgment of the Iraqi government’s actions on August 3, 2014, when ISIS militants launched a brutal attack on the Ezidi cities and villages. This was the culmination of decades of marginalization and violent targeting of the Ezidis, and the campaign calls for the formal recognition of these events as genocide. It will run until the Çarşema Serê Nisanê (Ezidi New Year Holiday on 18th Aril 2025), and signatures will be collected both physically and electronically.

Cihan Celo, Co-Chair of the Shingal Democratic Autonomous Administration, made the official announcement of the campaign. In her statement, she called on the Iraqi state to recognize the Ezdi genocide and to fulfill its legal, humanitarian, and political responsibilities. She also urged the President, Parliament, Council of Ministers, and the Iraqi Federal Court to immediately convene and address the demands outlined by the Ezidis living in Iraq.

Ezidis were Disarmed and left to Die

In her statement, Celo emphasized that the Ezidis have lived on their ancestral land for over 6,000 years, maintaining their unique language, culture, and beliefs. However, due to their unique ethnoreligious identity, they have been subjected to multiple attacks and massacres, including the genocide by ISIS in 2014. Prior to the attack, Celo noted, the Iraqi government disarmed the Ezidi population, leaving them defenseless when ISIS struck. The Iraqi and Kurdish military forces who had voluntarily claimed responsibility to protecting Shingal fled, abandoning the Ezidis disarmed and defenceless.

As a result, many Ezidis were forced to flee their homes, while others were left vulnerable to ISIS’s violence. Thousands of women, children, and elderly people died from thirst, hunger, and exposure during the attack.

Celo further revealed the heartbreaking statistics of the aftermath of the attack. A total of 7,224 women and children were taken captive by ISIS, with 4,111 having been rescued. The fate of 3,113 others remains unknown. The sacred, cultural, and religious centers of the Ezidi people were destroyed, and homes were looted. The attacks also caused widespread physical and psychological trauma among the Ezidi people, with many suffering from mental health issues and a loss of hope for the future.

A Call for Justice and Recognition

Celo emphasized that the events of August 3, 2014, clearly meet the legal criteria for genocide as defined by international law, particularly the United Nations. She called on the Iraqi government to officially recognize the Ezidi genocide and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

She also urged the United Nations and the countries that have already recognized the Ezidi genocide to continue supporting the Ezidis, and for all countries of the world to follow suit. “We call on the Iraqi state, and all nations, to recognize the Ezidi genocide and to adhere to the principles of national and international law,” Celo said.

The Demands of the Ezidis

1. Recognition of the Ezid Genocide

The Iraqi government and international community should formally recognize the events of August 3, 2014, as genocide.

2. Prosecution of the Perpetrators

Those responsible for committing genocide against the Yazidi people should be held accountable and prosecuted.

3. Return of the Ezidi People to Their Homeland

The Ezidi population of Iraq should be allowed to return to their homes and ancestral lands, and measures should be taken to ensure their safety and security.

Through this campaign, the Ezidis aim to seek justice and raise awareness of their plight and to prevent such atrocities from occurring again in the future. The recognition of their suffering as genocide is a crucial step toward healing and securing the rights and dignity of the Ezidi people.