NÛJİYAN ÊZİDÎ

Shengal (Sinjar)- Nine years have passed since ISIS committed a genocide against the Yazidi community in Shengal. The attacks of ISIS on Shengal killed and displaced thousands. In an interview with NuJINHA, Elmas Nayif, Co-mayor of the Siba Sheikh Khidir Municipality, called on all displaced Yazidis to return to Shengal.

 ‘The KDP has carried out a special policy’

Pointing to the difficult living conditions faced by the Yazidis in IDPs camps in the Kurdistan Region, Elmas Nayif said, “The poor living conditions of the camps are unacceptable. Our people are subjected to all kinds of attacks in the camps. The KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) has carried out a special policy in the camps. It tells our people, ‘Shengal is not a safe place. It is subjected to airstrikes every day’ to prevent our people from returning to Shengal.”

‘Our people should return’

Elmas Nayif told us that they worked 24 hours to rebuild Shengal. “Many organizations and institutions make great efforts to rebuild Shengal. The Yazidi people now have their own defense forces. Our people should return to Shengal in order to rebuild our homeland together.”

‘Shengal belongs to the Yazidi people’

Addressing the Yazidi people, Elmas Nayıf said, “Shengal belongs to them and it will belong to them. Everyone has plans on Shengal but they forget that the people of Shengal can only make decisions on Shengal.” Speaking about the reconstruction efforts of the municipality, she said:

“We do our best for our people. As the municipality, we do our best to provide services to our people. We clean the houses when our people return to Shengal and we provide water and electricity to them. With the arrival of spring, we distribute trees to all villages to make Shengal beautiful and green. I wish a happy Newroz to all Yazidis and Kurdish people.”