Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Batman Deputy and Foreign Affairs Commission Co-Spokesperson Feleknas Uca submitted a law proposal to the Turkish parliament to recognize the 2014 Yazidi massacre in Shengal (Sinjar) as a “genocide”.
“The Yazidis were subjected to massacres 74 times throughout their history because of their faith. This has not changed in the 21st century, and the Yazidis, who have retained their belief and culture to this day, were subjected to a massacre for the 74th time in Shengal and Shexan in 2014, since they did not have the means for defence in the face of ISIS’ devastating war. The Yazidis who were displaced by ISIS have been left to death, deprived of material means to maintain their lives. Thousands of Yazidis were killed, thousands of women and children were kidnapped, hundreds of children, sick and elderly people lost their lives due to hunger and thirst, warm or cold weather,” the law proposal by Uca said.
MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES RECOGNIZED THE GENOCIDE
“In 2015, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that ISIS had committed a planned ‘genocide’ against the Yazidis. Furthermore, a report released by the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2016 stated that ISIS had committed genocide against the Yazidis. In a similar vein, in 2016, the European Parliament decided to recognize the Yazidi genocide. In the same year, the US administration also announced its recognition of the ISIS ‘genocide’ against the Yazidis and other minorities. In October 2017, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) called on European states to officially recognize the ISIS genocide against the Yazidis, the Christians and non-Sunni Muslims in Iraq and Syria. Countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have officially recognized the Yazidi genocide. Efforts for the recognition of this massacre continue in other countries as well.
In a UN report, genocide against the Yazidis is defined according to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to which Syria and Iraq are parties. As one of the countries that contain some parts of the sacred lands of the ancient Yazidi community, Turkey should take responsibility to prevent the destruction of the Yazidi faith and culture through massacres and genocides.”
PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY
In the meantime, HDP deputies Nuran İmir, Şevin Coşkun and Pero Dündar submitted a motion for a parliamentary inquiry to determine the problems of Yazidis who came to Turkey, to seek judicial remedy and compensation for the return of their rights, to protect their identity and belief, and to ensure their return to their historical land.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION TO VICE PRESIDENT OKTAY
On the other hand, HDP Ağrı Deputy Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir submitted a parliamentary question to Vice President Fuat Oktay. In the justification of her parliamentary question, Taşdemir said that “there are reports based on the statements of Yazidi women who were rescued from ISIS that ISIS carries out one part of woman trafficking in Turkey.”
‘DOES TURKEY HAVE A PLAN TO PREVENT ISIS’S WOMAN TRAFFICKING?’
Taşdemir asked Oktay the following: “Many countries in Europe and the world have decided to recognize the massacre carried out by ISIS against the Yazidi people as a ‘genocide’. Why does Turkey not recognize this mass slaughter as a genocide? Is it true that ISIS is carrying out one part of its woman trafficking in Turkey? Is there an investigation into the allegations supported by Yazidi women’s accounts? If so, how many investigations are concluded or in progress? Does the government have an action plan to prevent the trafficking of Christian, Jewish and Yazidi women and children? If so, what is it? How many women and children have been rescued in Turkey so far? Are psychological support and services provided to the Yazidi women and children rescued from ISIS in Turkey? Concerning the claim that ISIS is carrying out a part of its trafficking of women and children in Turkey, do you have a program to combat ISIS mentality and trafficking? If so, have you contacted the women’s organizations mentioned above? Why is Shengal, the Yazidi homeland, being bombed by Turkey during its military operations carried out outside its borders? Why is the demographic structure of the regions where the Yazidis forced to migrate from Shengal live changed? Do you have any plan other than military operations and the Arab Belt for the peoples who migrated from Syria and Iraq to return to their lands and liberated areas? If so, what is it? Will you share it with the public?”