After the Shengal Agreement signed between the Iraqi Central Government and the KDP on October 9, more than 8 thousand military units were dispatched to the Shengal region. There is a growing reaction from Êzidî community regarding the agreement. Xelef Ehmed, Board Member of the Shengal Democratic Autonomous Council, stated that they do not recognize the agreement.

 

Stating that they do not support the agreement as the Êzidî community, Ehmed said, “The decision made ignoring the will of the Êzidî community means that the people are not recognized. People of all religions, races and beliefs live in Shengal. After the KDP left, a common life was created here. We haven't had any problems so far. But unfortunately we are facing a great danger now. My call to all national forces from here is to persuade the Iraqi government to withdraw from this decision. Thousands of Iraqi soldiers are stationed around Shengal. As the Êzidî community, we are not against the protection of Iraq's borders. However, we do not accept a decision made without recognizing the Êzidî community and their will. The whole world  knows that there are dozens of non governmental organizations in Shengal. Iraqi soldiers and the KDP peshmerga were here before the massacre, but they did not protect the Êzidî community and let them down ”.

 

'THEY WANT TO DO EXACTLY WHAT ISIS HAD DONE'

 

Reminding that thousands of Êzidî women were captured and massacred by ISIS, Ehmed said, “Most of the elderly were brutally murdered and buried in mass graves. This happened before the eyes of the whole world. With the Shengal Agreement, the wounds of the Shengal people bled again. We do not need such an agreement, but we need a decision to rebuild Shengal. We need a decision to improve the living conditions of people living in tents in difficult conditions for years. Our people are being threatened for a long time with the possible attack of Turkey against Shengal. Shengal has been let down by KDP over and over again. They want to do what ISIS done but they want to do it by legislating it. Êzidî community does not accept this.We saved Shengal from ISIS with our self-determination and resistance. We don't need Iraqi soldiers to protect us."

 

Saying that they would welcome Iraq and KDP themselves if they didn't know that they have bad intentions, Ehmed said: "Unfortunately, we know that their intention is bad. We know that. We did not accept anything illegal. We are resisting and we have been protecting ourselves for the last 6 years. We have served our people under very poor conditions. If the government does not recognize us, we won't recognize the government. The people have a will and we do not accept any decisions made despite us. If they were here for our safety they would have listened to our demands. Our demand is the reconstruction of Shengal. We want the mass graves to be exhumed. We want our women and children to be rescued from ISIS. We demand our rights as the citizens of this country."

 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut