Hate Speech Sparks Fears of Violence Against Ezidis in Iraq

Ten years ago, ISIS captured large areas of Iraq and Syria and launched a genocidal campaign against the Ezidis in northern Iraq. Their aim was to eradicate the entire Ezidi population in the region, though they failed to do so in Sinjar. On the other hand, the terrorist group’s goal was to convert as many Ezidis as possible to their extreme ideology.

Many Ezidis were taken captive, with thousands of Ezidi women and girls sold into sexual slavery, and numerous children indoctrinated with extremist views. Over 2,800 Ezidi women, men, and children still remain in captivity. More than 400,000 Ezidis fled their homes, with tens of thousands seeking refuge on Mount Sinjar, where they remained stranded and hungry for weeks.

As an ancient ethnic minority, the Ezidis have faced persecution for centuries due to their faith. The self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria viewed Ezidis as heretical devil worshippers.

Throughout history, the Ezidis have endured 74 genocides, driven by their beliefs, language, culture, land, and shrines. Over 70 holy sites were destroyed by ISIS in Sinjar and Bashiq-Bahzan. Despite the heinous crimes committed against the Ezidis, no thorough investigations or accountability measures have been implemented.

In 2014, Ezidi locals volunteered to fight against ISIS, but they were betrayed by over 15,000 forces, including Peshmerga and Iraqi military units, who had promised to protect them. These forces failed to defend Ezidi homes and shrines from destruction and looting. Shockingly, some neighbors even allied with ISIS, betraying the Ezidis whom they had lived alongside for generations.

Even after ten years of genocide, the Ezidis continue to face calamitous terrorisation. Last year, rumors spread about Ezidis attacking and burning the Al-Rahman Mosque in Sinjar, used as a pretext for launching further genocidal campaigns against them. The Ezidi population in Iraq is less than one million, while hate speech against them exceeds three million across Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan, largely driven by religious leaders.

On April 27, the Iraqi government resettled several Arab families in the Sinjar district, the Ezidi homeland. A Ezidi woman identified one of the returnees as a member of ISIS, the group responsible for enslaving her and perpetrating the 2014 genocide. Ezidis protested against the return of these refugees, leading to videos that falsely alleging that Ezidis were attacking and burning a mosque.

Iraq has yet to officially recognize the genocide and investigate those complicit in it. The Iraqi Parliament has even passed an amnesty law for ISIS members. Meanwhile, over 200 religious leaders continue to intimidate Ezidis living in harsh conditions in IDP camps in, even inciting violence against them.

Both the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have been passive, failing to take action against those who collaborated with ISIS or to protect the Yazidi people. We call on the international community to address this silence and take meaningful action to support and safeguard the Ezidis.

This article is written by Salman Ibrahim, a graduate of the Department of English Language at the University of Zakho. Salman is currently the Center Manager at the Inhalation of Hope Organization. Read Salman’s latest article about “The status of the Ezidis in Iraq”.