Sema
Statement
On the Anniversary of the Gerazir Bombings and the Genocide of Kocho Village
On the 18th anniversary of the genocide committed against the people of Gerazir Subdistrict (Gerazir, Siba Sheikh Khidr, and Azir village) and the 11th anniversary of the genocide against the people of Kocho village; and on the occasion of the return of the remains of 22 victims of the Ezidi genocide in Sinjar to their families after eleven years of waiting—
We recall that horrific genocide committed by the ISIS terrorist organization, making the month of August a cursed month in the memory of the Ezidis, a source of grief and a reminder of the repeated genocides against our people.
We affirm that all this pain and sorrow still live within us, as the genocide continues, and our people are still enduring tragedy in displacement camps, their hearts burning every moment for their abducted women and men whose fate remains unknown to this day.
We also stress the importance of uniting and coordinating all governmental and international efforts to open all remaining mass graves and recover the remains at once, rather than having the tragedy repeat itself and grief overshadow us with every new batch of coffins arriving in Sinjar.
It is imperative that the federal government exert every possible effort to implement the Ezidi Survivors Law in reality, in order to provide justice for survivors and the families of victims, and to hold ISIS terrorists—those whose hands are stained with the blood of innocents—accountable. It is also essential to work seriously towards restoring stability and security and providing basic services in Sinjar.
We emphasize that our community has shown remarkable patience and endured countless hardships. It is time for justice to take its course. We also stress the urgent need to intensify efforts to ensure the dignified and honorable return of our displaced people to their homes.
Prince Hazim Tahsin Saeed
Prince of the Ezidis in Iraq and the World
Head of the Supreme Ezidi Spiritual Council
14 August 2025