HÊVÎDAR ŞENGALÎ

Shengal (Sinjar)- The Yazidi Free Women's Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Azadiya Jinên Êzîdî-TAJÊ) held a conference in Sulaymaniyah on August 12 with the participation of women from different beliefs and groups. NuJINHA spoke to Zozan Simo and Sazgar Soran, who participated in the conference. Both women demanded the women held captive by ISIS be rescued and freedom for the Yazidi community to live in their homeland with their own identity and culture.

“I am happy to be able to participate in such a conference. Dozens of fermans (edict or genocide) have been committed against the Yazidi community until now. In the genocide committed by ISIS against the Yazidi community in 2014, Yazidis were forcibly displaced from their own homeland; they had to leave their home and homeland in order to flee from the brutality of ISIS. No nation has been subjected to such a genocide except the Yazidi community. I hope this conference will pave the way for the Yazidi community to live in their homeland with their own identity and culture,” said Sazgar Soran from the Gorran Movement.

Struggle for freedom of each woman

In the interview with our agency, Sazgar Soran mentioned the common suffer of women in four parts of Kurdistan. “In four parts of Kurdistan, women suffer from gender-based violence and terror. Women of Shengal experienced a painful drama. Thousands were abducted by ISIS and sold in slave markets. Their suffering is also our suffering. I call on all women to struggle for the freedom of every woman. I hope all women in the hands of ISIS will be free soon.”

‘As Yazidi women, we want to be free’

Zozan Simo, a Yazidi woman participating in the conference, said, “As a community, we are a part of Iraq. Our rights must be guaranteed by our constitution. We want to have a good life and be independent. However, our people are sent to other countries. The girls and women rescued from ISIS are taken to European countries. We wished these girls and women had participated in the conference to make their voices heard all around the world. Women are the most affected by the current situation. Now, we should rise up and make efforts for our community. As Yazidi women, we want to be free. All Yazidis should join hands to demand our rights.”