This statement is written by Jaco Beerends, the General Consul of the Netherlands in Erbil to Sema TV
Soon we will mark an important day in the recent history of Iraq and of the Yezidi community. We will come together for the Commemoration of the Yezidi Genocide. It has been ten years since the Yezidi community was faced with unspeakable atrocities. It is an honor to be invited to be part of this commemoration.
Please let me to start by addressing the Yezidi community first. You are part of a strong and ancient community, with a rich cultural tradition and a strong basis in faith. I have visited Laleesh and I was impressed by the spirit and history of this extremely special place, that is dear to many.
The tenth commemoration serves as a signal of support to you. It is a tribute to the many Yezidi lives that were lost by the horrific violence committed by Daesh. The list of heinous crimes is long and grueling. People were abducted, persecuted, rounded up, separated, enslaved, abused, traded and killed. This experience has had, and continues to have, a severe impact on the Yezidi community, many of whom remain displaced and confronted with daily needs; both physical, mental, and psychosocial. And on top of that, there are those that have not returned yet. It is of vital importance to give attention to the experience of pain and trauma that was inflicted upon Yezidi men, women, and children.
We can never forget about the injustice that was committed and the trauma that is inflicted in the minds, hearts, and bodies of so many Yazidi community members. Today’s commemoration is one way of giving that experience a place. A place of conscience that has the power to inform our actions in the future and drive international efforts towards justice, reconciliation, and voluntary return.
And we still need a lot of action, a lot of work still has to be done. With great respect for what has been done by the authorities here, by international organizations, and by other governments such as my own, much more is needed.
At the same time, this commemoration serves as an acknowledgment to the survivors and their strength to face the memory of what was done to them. When speaking about the atrocities that were committed, we all too often divert our attention to the Daesh criminals and their hateful crimes. I want to take a moment to center on the survivors.
The past is an undeniable part of our identities, a part that we carry with us, that shapes the lens through which we see our everyday lives. In the case of the survivors, the weight of the recent past is heavier and more painful than many of us can begin to understand.
That experience deserves a rightful place in the writing of history and the search for justice. Past traumatic experience is, however, not the sole force through which we are defined. Yours is also a history of unique strength, immensely close community ties, a strong faith and ancient cultural practices to build on.
Dear all, the Netherlands has been and will remain a strong supporter of the Yazidi community. Last year, together with EU member states, we jointly drafted a Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU, on the challenging situation of the Yazidi community in Iraq. The statement calls on the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to proceed with the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement. Creating stable conditions in Sinjar seems incredibly difficult but is also paramount for the voluntary return of Yazidi and for a viable perspective on the future of the Yazidi people. We support finding other durable solutions for the many displaced Yazidi women and men who wish to rebuild a new home elsewhere. The situation of a generation that grows up in tented camps cannot be accepted. Furthermore, the Netherlands supports the implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law, calling for improved access to compensations for Yazidi survivors and survivors of Christian, Turkmen, and Shabak communities.
Lastly, the Netherlands is a long-term supporter of the rights and protection of the Yazidi community. One way of expressing that is by supporting the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh (UNITAD). Finding justice requires long-term investments, continuous engagement, and diligent evidence gathering in prosecuting those who committed crimes.
The Netherlands will stay committed to the Yazidi cause and the journey towards healing and justice. This will be a long journey, but one where the Yazidi community finds itself surrounded by international supporters, and by all of us.