Survivor Stories: Farhad Ali – An Advocate for the Rights of the Ezidis

The IS’ attack on the Ezidis in 2014 devastated the Ezidi population in the region and affected all Ezidis around the world. Although the negative effects are still evident and many issues related to the security of the Ezidis in Iraq remain unresolved, some individuals have shown that the Ezidis and their strong spirits cannot be broken. One of these strong individuals is Farhad Ali, a Ezidi from Sinjar/Shingal.

Farhad has a degree in translation and interpretation and was one of many affected Ezidis who was forced to leave Singer due to IS. Farhad explains that he realised the importance of conveying the message of the Ezidi people and the suffering they have endured.

“That’s why I wanted to work in advocacy and working on conveying the Ezidi message to the world.”

When IS attacked the Ezidis and when many were forced to seek refugee in the Sinjar mountains, some effort were made to support and assist them. According to Farhad, the distribution of assistance was perhaps not optimal but it was at least something, considering that they had just survived a genocidal attack(s). However, due to the war between Ukraine-Russia and the situation in Palestine-Israel, the Ezidi genocide and all issues related to the Ezidis have been forgotten. Farhad explains that “Our people continue to suffer, and the effects of the genocide are still ongoing“, yet the suffering of the Ezidis has been overshadowed by other global issues that are of bigger political interest for the global powers.

Farhad Ali elaborated that over 10,000 Ezidis were killed, 6,000 (mostly women, young girls and children) have been kidnapped and over 500,000 are displaced and were forced to leave their homes.

“The Ezidis face numerous challenges—economic, political, social, educational, financial, and religious.”

The Future for the Ezidis?

For Farhad it is important to ensure the safety and well-being of the Ezidis, and of course to protect them from any future genocides and attacks. An important path to this goal is to hold the perpetrators from 2014 accountable. Justice must be served for the victims.

“Compensation, respect from the government, and the application of transitional justice are essential.”

When Farhad Ali is asked about his opinion and views on the recent attempts to recognise the Ezidis as an ethnic group (distinct from the kurds) in Iraq, Farhad explains that he believes that the Ezidis deserve to have their own ethnicity recognised. He respects the Kurdish people however, he believes that the Ezidis too have the right to have their rights and nationality recognised in the Iraqi parliament.

The overall situation in Iraq remains unstable and unsafe, particularly for the Ezidi people, who still face threats, including from Turkey. The presence of numerous political parties exacerbates the challenges for a community, still recovering from genocide.

Finally, Farhad is asked if he has some words he would like to share with the Ezidi people and especially the younger generation to which he responds:  

” I urge the younger generation to preserve the traditions and culture of the Ezidis. They must remember the sacrifices made by thousands to protect their families from ISIL. Education is crucial for minorities like us, as it is our means of showcasing our identity to the world.”

Those are the words of Farhad Ali, a survivor of the 2014 massacres in Sinjar. In the recent years we have come to know, for instance through Nadia’s Initiative, that many Ezidi survivors have managed to get an education, shared their stories and continue to make a strong part of the Ezidi people. Farhad and many other Ezidis from Sinjar showcase that they aren’t just victims but rather that they are survivors. They reflect the strong spirit of the Ezidi people and their courage.

In light of this, Ezidi Times cannot resist to cite, the somewhat modified, yet famous words of William Saroyan born to Armenian parents who survived the Armenian genocide of 1915:

“ I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered.  Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches.

Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.”

Try to destroy the Ezidis, and see how they will survive and create a new world for themselves. Because the Ezidis have existed more than 6700 years. No newborn terrorist organisation or sect can ever destroy them.