They won't forget the pain and betrayal

JINHA

SHENGAL - As 3 August 2016 marks the 2nd anniversary of the Shengal Massacre, we have witnessed the resistance of Êzidî women step by step. They give their word to take revenge of abducted and killed Êzidî women by ISIS.

A scream rose from Shengal on the night of August 3, 2014. This scream was the scream of Êzidîs who lived in Shengal. Whole world witnessed that Êzidî women, children, youth and elderly people were brutally killed by enemy of human ISIS gangs. When gangs occupied Mosul on June 11, people in Shengal, 126 kilometers away from Mosul, had begun to take up arms by realizing the danger. The Ministry of Peshmerga, which was responsible of protecting the area, announced that all people had to give all the weapons that kept at homes to them and whoever took weapons and ammunition at their home would be punished. They told that no one should leave their lands and they promised that they would protect people.

They didn't keep their promise

They promised the people to protect them; however, everything worked different. ISIS had begun to attack two Êzidî villages named Girk Zerik and Siba Şex Xıdır on August 3. At the same time, Peshmerga forces had begun to withdraw without shooting a bullet to ISIS. People in Zorava village of Shengal asked from peshmerga forces that, "If you leave, give us your weapons, we'll fight." Peshmerga soldiers killed three Êzidî people just for asking their weapons. Following peshmerga forces left Shengal, Êzidî people begun to leave Shengal to Shengal Mountains. Many people have written about Êzidî people and many people have commented about this issue; however, nobody did anything to ask the account of this massacre. When you begin to talk about the edict day, you understand many things are still untold.

New images and documents also reveal about the edict day. A video shot by a mobile phone on August 3, shows us that peshmerga closed the through road and they didn't allow people to flee from ISIS gangs. Closing the road caused thousands of Êzidî women were abducted thousands of people were brutally killed by ISIS.

HPG-YJA-STAR helped people

People's Defence Forces (HPG) Free Women's Troops (YJA-STAR) forces had realized the danger Êzidî people had faced and wanted to help them; however, The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP or PDK) blocked their roads. 12 HPG fighters managed to pass Shengal region. Four of them were arrested by the KDP forces. Other eight fighters went to Shengal Mountains to warn the people and protect them against a possible edict. In the edict day, these eight fighters prevented ISIS gangs to go Shengal Mountains by fighting against gangs. The same day, the People's Protection Units (YPG) launched an operation and opened a corridor for Êzidî people. They saved Êzidî people from a massacre. Thousands of Êzidî people went to Rojava by passing this corridor.

We won't forget the pain and betrayal

The asphalt road, which is wrapped around Shengal Mountains like a black snake, has witnessed a lot of pain. The dresses and objects, which threw away on roads by escapists, tell the massacre. The actors and their helpers of August 3 aren't still being tried yet. Now, the peshmerga forces are walking freely in the liberated Shengal seems like nothing happened. There is one checkpoint of peshmerga's asayishes (Public Security) in every hundred meters in order to control Êzidî people. The KDP forces have imposed economic embargo on people after suffering a lot of pain. Êzidî people are subjected to the KDP's pressure and embargo. Êzidis people will never forget this pain even if thousands of years pass. They will never forget this pain and betrayal…

'I will protect Shengal'

Êzidî women see how self-defense is important to save women abducted by ISIS and get killed people's revenge. They vow to get killed people's revenge. Beritan Şengal had witnessed the inhuman practices of ISIS on August 3, 2014. And Beritan, who had vowed to get killed people's revenge, decided to raise her awareness. Berivan had said, "I had trainings but they aren't enough. I have to get more training to raise the awareness of Êzidî women. We need self-defense. I will protect Shengal by taking a women's troop." Berivan passed away during a bombardment carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

Berivan Arin is one of the women, who have become immortalized by joining Êzidî women's self-defense forces after ISIS attack. Berivan witnessed that Êzidî women were abducted and sold as slave. She said, "My anger is so big that I want to be an answer to all women. As Êzidî women, we need to organize before bread and water. We have to fight against the corruption and the education is the only way to fight. Time is the time to protect ourselves. The priority for Êzidî women is our land and culture.

Êzidî Women's Assembly founded on Shengal Mountains

Êzidî women founded Êzidî Women's Assembly on Shengal Mountains last year on July 1 by holding its first conference with participation of 180 delegates. The Êzidî Women's Assembly organized its first meeting on August 10, 2015. Besê Xıdır Murat called on whole world in behalf of the assembly. She said, "Organizing is the only life guarantee for women. The edicts we faced show us this reality. We can protect ourselves by organizing. We'll organize each other in order to get killed, abducted women's revenge. We'll empower our committees and communes."

Women will observe a minute's silence

Shengal Êzidî Women's Assembly called on all women in the world on July 14, 2016 to recognize August 3 as "August 3 must be recognized as International Action Day against Feminicide and Genocide." World's women will observe a minute's silence on August 3 at 11 a.m.

(mg/gd)