Ezidi Director General rejects Ban Ki-Moon's accusation

On Monday, the Director General of Yezidis (Ezidis) in the Kurdistan Region sent a harsh message to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and rejected his statement about Ezidis paying ransom to the Islamic State (IS).

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – On Monday, the Director General of Yezidis (Ezidis) in the Kurdistan Region sent a harsh message to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and rejected his statement about Ezidis paying ransom to the Islamic State (IS).

In August 2014, IS invaded the Ezidi city of Sinjar (Shingal) killing, displacing and enslaving people. 

On Monday, the Director General of Ezidis in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Khairi Bozani sent an open letter to Ban Ki-Moon regarding his statement on Ezidis in New York.

“In your recent talk during an open session on sexual violence in conflict zones at the UN Security Council in New York, you have mentioned that ‘the Ezidi community in Iraq has paid [IS] some [USD] $45 million as a ransom to release girls and women abducted by the militant group in 2014’,” read Bozani’s statement.

He referred to Ki-Moon’s statement as “too vague and uncertain.” He also stated that Ezidi officials and community members have called on Ki-Moon repeatedly, pleading with him to save them from IS shootings, beheadings, and kidnappings.

“After all these crimes were committed against Ezidis and their calls for help [remained unanswered], we would like to ask you, have you done anything for them other than expressing your concern about the fate of the minority?” Bozani questioned.

The Director General pointed to the number of enslaved Ezidis captured by the insurgent group, which is over 6,000.

“Nevertheless, you dealt with the situation as [though] nothing [had] happened, and you did not care about the [feelings] of these women,” Bozani stated.

He also expressed the Ezidis’ concern about Ki-Moon’s statement turning the victims into offenders.

Bozani believes Ki-Moon wrongfully implied that Ezidis have become a source of income for extremists. He says the UN failed to take concrete steps to help Ezidis and continues to ignore their plight and helplessness.

“It is inappropriate to accuse the Ezidi community with such [a] serious accusation. It is really surprising…to hear this declaration from the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Bozani said.

The Ezidi Director General also urged Ki-Moon to clarify “the accusation” regarding the process of the alleged ransoms.

 

Reporting by Mewan Dolamari
Editing by Ava Homa and Karzan Sulaivany