New Bill Aims to Recognise the unique ethnic Identity of the Ezidis – Kurdish MPs are furious

A new draft law proposed by Ezidi representatives in the Iraqi parliament aims to recognize Ezidis as a distinct nationality, alongside Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen. The bill, introduced last week, seeks justice for the Ezidi people, which suffered severe atrocities under ISIS. The proposal has garnered significant support, with 182 lawmakers backing it.

The bill has been referred to the parliamentary legal committee and will be reviewed by the finance committee before undergoing readings and a vote. Yazidi activist Maiser Saeed emphasized that the bill seeks to grant Yazidis a unified political voice without negating their religious identity.

However, the proposal faces strong opposition, particularly from Kurdish MPs. Critics argue that recognizing Ezidis as a separate nationality could lead to division and is legally questionable. Kurdish politicians like Ibrahim Mirani and Ismail Al-Sanjari argue that Ezidi is a religion, not a nationality, and that Ezidi are an integral part of the Kurdish nation.

Ezidi activist Murad Ismael supports the bill, stressing the unique ethno-religious identity of Ezidi. He stresses that recoignizing the unique identity of the Ezidi does not affect the Kurdish political agendas.

Ezidi times question why the identity of the Ezidis and its recognition should be adjusted according to what Kurds find politically suitable with their interests. This in fact shows how the Kurds are aiming for a pan-Kurdism, in which they try to claim all minorities (bot ethnic and religious) in order to have bigger territorial claims against Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Armenia. This indeed shows how the Kurdish identity is artificially created and influenced by communism and nationalism.