On August 3, 2014, the Shingal region witnessed one of the most atrocious crimes against humanity in modern history when the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) swept through the area, committing acts of genocide against the Yazidi people.
On this sorrowful anniversary, we all stand together, recalling those painful events that claimed the lives of thousands of innocent women, children, and men who were subjected to killing, kidnapping, torture, and modern-day slavery.
This crime aimed to eradicate the existence of the Yazidis and erase our rich culture and history. However, the Yazidis, with their resilience and strong will, have demonstrated to the world that they are a people who cannot be erased or broken.
On this anniversary, we express our deep sorrow and full solidarity with the families of the martyrs, victims, missing persons, and survivors of these tragedies. We renew our call for necessary support from the federal government, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the international community, and international and local organizations to provide the necessary assistance, whether in terms of healthcare, psychological support, or ensuring a decent livelihood and reconstruction.
We call on the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the international community to continue their efforts to achieve justice by forming a specialized court to prosecute the accused and bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. We also emphasize the need to continue documenting these crimes to ensure they are not repeated anywhere or at any time.
In this context, we urge Baghdad, Erbil, and the international community to work seriously on discovering the fate of the missing Yazidis and finding effective ways to return them safely to their families. Revealing the fate of the missing and searching for them is a fundamental step towards achieving justice and restoring dignity to all those who have suffered from these crimes.
We also appreciate the efforts made by the Kurdistan Regional Government, the international community, civil society organizations, and everyone who has contributed to providing support and assistance to the Yazidis over the past ten years. We stress the importance of enhancing these efforts and continuing to work on returning the displaced to their homes with dignity, rebuilding their communities, and promoting peace and stability in the Shingal region.
In conclusion, we affirm that the memory of the Yazidi genocide will remain alive in our hearts and minds and will continue to motivate us all to work toward building a better future characterized by justice, equality, and peace.
Mercy to the souls of the martyrs and the safe return of the missing to their families, as we work more towards achieving security and stability in our areas.
His Holiness Baba Sheikh
Sheikh Ali Sheikh Elias