Baba Sheikh urges unified efforts to discover fate of missing Yezidis on genocide anniversary

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Baba Sheikh, the Spiritual Leader of the Yezidis, called on the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the international community to intensify efforts to discover the fate of the missing victims of the Yezidi genocide.

Marking the tenth anniversary of the genocide on Saturday, August 3, 2024, he emphasized the resilience and unbreakable spirit of the Yezidi people.

"On August 3, 2014, the Sinjar region witnessed one of the most heinous human crimes in modern history, when the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) invaded this region, committing acts of genocide against the Yezidis."

"On August 3, 2014, the Sinjar region witnessed one of the most heinous human crimes in modern history, when the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) invaded this region, committing acts of genocide against the Yezidis," Baba Sheikh stated. He described the atrocity as a deliberate attempt to erase Yezidi culture and history.

"The Yezidis, with their steadfastness and strong will, have proven to the entire world that they are a people whose will cannot be erased or broken."

"On this sad anniversary, we all stand together to remember those painful events that claimed the lives of thousands of innocent women, children, and men, who were subjected to murder, kidnapping, torture, and slavery in the modern era," he added. Despite these horrors, Baba Sheikh highlighted the Yezidis' unwavering determination, asserting, "the Yezidis, with their steadfastness and strong will, have proven to the entire world that they are a people whose will cannot be erased or broken."

Expressing deep sorrow and solidarity with the families of the martyrs, victims, missing persons, and survivors, Baba Sheikh renewed calls for comprehensive support from the federal government, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the international community, and various organizations.

He stressed the necessity of health and psychological care, as well as the provision of a decent living and reconstruction for the affected communities.

"Revealing the fate of the missing and searching for them represents an essential step towards achieving justice and restoring dignity to all who suffered from these crimes."

Baba Sheikh urged the formation of a specialized court to try the accused and bring perpetrators to justice, emphasizing the importance of documenting these crimes to prevent their recurrence.

He also called for serious efforts from Baghdad, Erbil, and the international community to uncover the fate of the missing Yezidis and to return them to their families safely.

"Revealing the fate of the missing and searching for them represents an essential step towards achieving justice and restoring dignity to all who suffered from these crimes," he stated.

Baba Sheikh expressed gratitude for the support provided by the Kurdistan Regional Government, the international community, civil society organizations, and others over the past decade. He highlighted the importance of continuing these efforts to ensure the dignified return of displaced Yezidis, rebuilding their communities, and promoting peace and stability in the Shingal region.

In closing, Baba Sheikh affirmed, “The memory of the Yezidi genocide will remain alive in our hearts and minds, and will remain an incentive for all of us to work towards building a better future, one of justice, equality, and peace.”