Amara Rojbin/JINHA

SHENGAL - Êzidî women receiving self-defense training on Mount Shengal say that they aim to be able to resist all attacks from now on.

70-year-old Maya is among those who have begun to take part in self-defense training on the mountain, where thousands of Êzidîs fled after Daesh attacked the city of Shengal on August 3, 2014.

“I came to trust myself,” said Maya. “I believe that with our own defense, the Êzidîs won’t allow a 74th decree.” Êzidîs refer to the Daesh attack, in which thousands of women and children were captured and men were massacred, as the 73rd decree—referring to the history of imperial decrees that aimed to exterminate them.

The women living in the camp on Mount Shengal have formed a women’s assembly and organized themselves into the TEVDA Women’s Formations. First, women organized literacy classes. For the last two month, TEVDA (supported by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK) has organized self-defense classes for women between the ages of 14 and 70.

Maya said that she and other Êzidîs have been living in harsh conditions on the mountain for months. “We didn’t even have a tree to sit in the shadow of,” she said. She says the PKK has helped support their struggle not to lose hope
“With our faith in the peacock, we believe we will succeed. We will take back Shengal,” she said, referring to the Êzidîs’ holy figure of the Peacock Angel.

Hewler Kobanê is a member of TEVDA. She says women here are prepared to leave their children behind and head to the front if necessary to defend Shengal.

“The role women need to take is different now,” said Hewler. “Now, women are the main force in society.”

Xezal Mehmet, mother of three, says that “from now on, the enemy will never put their hands on us again.”

(fk/cm)