Sema
Khalo Khalani
According to Dr. Mahmoud Mardini in a radio interview on the Krivan program on November 8, 2017, the Ottoman Archives span the period from 1299 to 1924, covering approximately 725 years of history. He said the archives contain around 500 million documents, manuscripts, and books, including 950 documents related to the Ezidis, some of which contain fatwas permitting the killing of Ezidis. He added that the documents also describe Ezidi tribes, their way of life, and make references to the Sacred Lalish Temple.
Mardini said he had obtained these documents, which are written in Ottoman Turkish and require accurate, certified translation. According to him, once translated into several languages, including Arabic, English, and German, and notarized, they can become internationally recognized official documents.
He also noted that the Ottoman Archives contain documents concerning the Armenians, arguing that many major countries have yet to officially recognize the Armenian genocide because of what he described as insufficient documentary evidence. Speaking as an employee of the Ottoman Archives, Mardini said that while many people cite 72 Firmans against the Ezidis, that figure refers only to the period between 1514 and 1917. He stated that the last Ottoman Firman was led by Ibrahim Pasha against Shingal (Sinjar), Sheikhan, Bashiqa, and Bahzani.
According to Mardini, the total number of campaigns of extermination against the Ezidi people is 360, not 72. He described these campaigns as acts of genocide carried out over the course of history.
Mardini is the author of the book Ezidism and the Memory of Tragedies – A Testimony for History, a 1,500-page volume in A4 format. He said the book examines Ezidi history, customs, and traditions with the aim of demonstrating to Turkish, Arab, and Persian readers that Ezidism is a monotheistic religion that predates the Abrahamic faiths. He added that the book is planned to be translated into several languages.
He also criticized a number of Arab historians and writers, including Abdul Razzaq al-Hasani and Abbas al-Azzawi, claiming that their writings misrepresented the Ezidis and contributed to the climate that enabled later atrocities.
Recalling a conversation with a foreign journalist about the 2014 Ezidi genocide, Mardini said he responded: “Leave aside this genocide and come with me to the caves of Mount Shingal, where the burned bones of Ezidi women and children still bear witness to earlier massacres.”
He further stated that the first fatwa calling for the extermination of the Ezidis was issued in 1560 by the Ottoman Grand Mufti Abu al-Suud Efendi.