EMÎRA ZOZAN

Shengal (Sinjar)- An Italian delegation consisting of 10 members of the Associazione "Verso il Kurdistan” paid a series of visits in Shengal. Visiting hospitals and health centers in Xanesor, Serdest, Borik, Tilizêr and Shengal city center, the delegation members also had a meeting with the Yazidi Free Women's Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Azadiya Jinên Êzîdî-TAJÊ). At the meeting, they received information about the situation, struggle, goals and activities of Yazidi women. The delegation members also had meetings with the institutions of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and received information about the situation in the region.

In an interview with NuJINHA, TAJÊ member Suham Şengalî spoke about the meeting, saying, “The goal of the Italian delegation was to provide support for health services in Shengal. They had visited Shengal before. When they were here, the Turkish state carried out attacks on Shengal and the main agenda of our meeting was these attacks. They saw how the people struggled against all kinds of attacks and they condemned these attacks. They also visited the bazaar and the Sikêniyê Hospital, which were destroyed by ISIS and the Turkish state.”

‘We ask them to grow their support’

“We gave information about the situation of Yazidi women before and after the genocide. We also gave them information about the Yazidi women abducted by ISIS in 2014,” Suham Şengalî said, “When international delegations visit us, we give information about the situation in Shengal, the struggle of Yazidis and the attacks against Yazidi women. In addition, we ask them to grow their support for Shengal.”

‘The AANES must be recognized’

“We want to form our own system; however, we face many obstacles,” said Suham Şengalî. “We give information about the system of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria because this system allows the Yazidis to govern themselves. The AANES must be officially recognized all around the world.”

‘The attacks are not reflected in the international community’

Lucia Giusti, a member of the Associazione "Verso il Kurdistan”, also talked about their visit to Shengal. “After two years, we came here again. What we have witnessed shows what has changed in Shengal. We have seen that the Turkish state has intensified its drone attacks on Shengal. Despite these attacks, the Iraqi government remains silent. The European countries do not know anything about these attacks because the attacks are not reflected in the international community,” she told NuJINHA.

‘We ask Italy to officially recognize the genocide’

Another member of the delegation, Mirca Garuti said, “Our first visit to Shengal was in 2021. During our visit, we saw how the Yazidi community is a hospitable community. They are united against all kinds of attacks. During our visit in 2021, Shengal was subjected to airstrikes every day and our government warned us to return to Italy. We came here after two years because we have not completed our work here. We want to listen to the women of Shengal and ask Italy to officially recognize the genocide committed by ISIS against the Yazidi community.”