The Co-Presidency of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council released a statement on the Turkish state’s latest genocidal attacks against the Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar) in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The statement published by KCK Co-Presidency Executive Council includes the following:

“The Turkish state has proven that it is an ally of the Islamic State (IS) through its renewed attacks on Sinjar. Its fighter jets bombed the car in which Seid Hesen was in, an Ezidi (Yazidi) leader who fought against the IS attacks at the forefront, thus putting an end to the genocidal attacks of the IS. In this attack, Seid Hesen, a leader of the Ezidi people, and the YBŞ fighter (Shengal Resistance Units) Îsa Xwededa fell as martyrs. We express our condolences to their families and the entire Ezidi people. At the same time, we firmly believe that they will make their common dream – a free and autonomous Êzidîxan – a reality. Just one day after this attack, a hospital in Sinjar was attacked. In the process, YBŞ fighters Hemîd Sadun (Qîran Sîba), Xidir Şeref (Pîr Xidir), Ramî El Salim (Ronî), and Meytem Xidir Xelef (Serhed Zemar) were martyred along with doctors or nurses Elî Reşo Xidir, Sedo Îlyas Reşo, Hecî Xidir, and Muhlise Sîdar. We also express our condolences to their families and the entire Ezidi people. At the same time, we wish the four wounded a speedy recovery.

The martyr Seid Hesen – a political and military leader of the Ezidi people – has always firmly believed in the ideas of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. He felt deeply attached to Rêber Apo because of the great value he places on the Ezidis. In order to educate and organize the Ezidis in accordance with Rêber Apo’s ideas, he played a leading role in the founding of TEVDA [Tevgera Azadî û Demokrasi a Ezdîya – Ezidi Movement for Freedom and Democracy]. From 2004 to 2014, he was its main leader and thus part of the effort to raise awareness of freedom and democracy among the Ezidis.

Martyr Seid Hesen proved that he was a true Ezidi leader through his stance against IS. He fought alongside the twelve guerrillas who stopped the IS genocidal attack on Sinjar through their resistance. Together with his family and tribe, he played a leading role in persuading the Ezidi people to stay in Sinjar. By resisting the genocidal attacks shoulder to shoulder with the guerrilla, he proved the will of the Ezidi people to survive and thus became a modern Derweş. Had not about 10,000 Ezidis held out on Mount Sinjar despite the cold at night and the burning heat during the day, despite the meager resources, the homeland of the Ezidis would have been left without its real owners. Then the Ezidis might never have been able to return to Sinjar. Therefore, the martyr Seid Hesen, who as a modern Derweş together with the guerrilla repelled the genocide of IS, will never be forgotten by the Ezidis.

He fought side by side with the great guerrilla commanders Dilşer, Agit and Nujin against IS. Relying on the martyr Seid Hesen, the guerrilla resisted against IS and defended Sinjar, the historical center of the Ezidis. This shows how close the martyr Seid Hesen was to the Ezidi people and all the Ezidis who fell as martyrs during the 72 `Ferman` [massacres or genocides]. He gave many of his family members as martyrs for the freedom struggle of Êzidîxan, especially his daughter Berivan Şengal. With this attitude, he clearly showed what is needed to build a free and autonomous Êzidîxan.

The martyr Seid Hesen – this modern Derweş – fought along with martyrs such as Dılşer, Agit and Nujin to drive IS out of Sinjar. At the same time, he founded the YBŞ, thereby enabling Êzidîxan`s self-defense. Seid Hesen thus plays a major role in ensuring that the Ezidis have their own self-defense forces today. He played a similarly leading role, along with martyr Mam Zeki Şengali, in establishing the People’s Council of Sinjar. He was part of the coordination of the founding congress of this People’s Council. Thus, he has earned an immortal place in Ezidi history as the founder of Sinjar’s self-defense forces and self-administration. The Ezidis will never forget the leading role and efforts of Seid Hesen. They will definitely lead all his efforts to a free Êzidîxan.

The fact that this attack took place while Iraqi Prime Minister Kazimi was expected to arrive proves that it was an attack planned in advance. Due to pressure from Turkey and threats from the KDP, an agreement had been signed between Iraq and the KDP on October 9, 2020. Turkey’s attacks are now intended to break the will of the Ezidis in order to be able to implement the aforementioned agreement and thus put Êzidîxan in the same state as it was before August 3, 2014, the 74th Ferman. After the first attack by the Turkish state, the Iraqi Prime Minister demanded the implementation of the Sinjar agreement agreed upon between Baghdad and Erbil. In addition, Turkish warplanes bombed a hospital in Sinjar. All this clearly shows that the self-administration and self-defense forces of the Ezidis ought to be crushed in order to create a Sinjar in which the Ezidis can be subjected to complete genocide. It is the duty of all Ezidi people, all their friends and all humanity concerned with morality and justice to resist these attacks. Without this resistance, it will be impossible to achieve freedom and self-administration for Êzidîxan. A certain price will have to be paid for this, but the resistance will definitely lead to an autonomous and self-governed Êzidîxan.

Undoubtedly, these attacks would not have been possible without certain people in Sinjar who are collaborating and committing treason. A network of treason has been established in Sinjar. Its members, just like IS, provide intelligence information to the Turkish state, which itself is an enemy of all the different faith groups and identities. The martyr Seid Hesen harbored great anger over the IS massacres and the kidnapping of thousands of Ezidi women by IS. He was also very angry about the existing collaboration and betrayal. Therefore, he was declared a target of attack as a leader of the Ezidi people. This fact again highlights what a great wound collaboration and betrayal are for the Kurdish people. In order to close this wound, a free Êzidîxan must be established.

These attacks, which coincided with Kazimi’s arrival, are not only an attack on Sinjar and the Ezidis. They are also attacks on Iraq and all the peoples of the country. Iraq must therefore take a clear stance. Sinjar is a part of Iraq. Not taking a stance against such an attack means exposing Sinjar to a second IS attack. Therefore, the Ezidis, together with all peoples and everybody concerned with morality and justice, expect Iraq to take a clear stance against Turkey.

The USA is also responsible for the recent attacks on Sinjar. Control of Iraq’s airspace is in the hands of the U.S., even though officially Iraq is responsible. Therefore, the U.S. is responsible for any loss of human life that results from air strikes on Sinjar. To be silent about the attack on this Ezidi people`s leader is tantamount to being silent about IS attacks. Because today Turkey is trying to finish what IS has started.

The recent attacks by the Turkish state have once again proven the need for Iraq and international institutions to recognize the autonomy and self-defense forces of the Ezidis. This is the only way to prevent such attacks in the future. Turkey has turned into a state of criminals and Islamist gangs. It carries out genocidal attacks against all different faith groups and peoples, especially against Ezidis and Kurds. These attacks must finally be stopped in order not to become complicit. All of humanity and numerous states have now officially recognized the Ezidi Genocide. Therefore, the autonomy and the right to self-defense of this people must now also be recognized. Only in this way can we as humanity fulfill our duty to take a stance against the murder of thousands of Ezidis, the abduction of thousands of women and the Ezidi Genocide.

With gratitude and respect we remember the martyr Seid Hesen – this leader of the Ezidi people – and all Ezidi martyrs. We promise the family of martyr Seid Hesen and the entire Ezidi people that we will continue to support them in all necessary ways.”