Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council Co-Presidency issued a written statement on the Shengal Yazidi Coordination and KCK Executive Council Member Zeki Şengali who lost his life in an assassination by the Turkish state in Shengal on August 15 and pointed out the roles of the US, the Iraqi government and the KDP.

In the statement, KCK Executive Council Co-Presidency said: “Mâm Zeki of the Yazidis, our comrade and a cadre and militant of our freedom movement for 35 years, Comrade Zeki Şengalî (Ismail Ozden) has been murdered in an assassination by Turkish fighter jets against his vehicle, with help from certain local collaborators. We remember our martyred comrade who was a KCK Executive Council Member with gratitude and respect, and promise to make his longing for a Free Kurdistan and Free Êzidxan (Yazidi land) a reality.”

The statement the KCK Executive Council Co-Presidency issued is as follows:

“The attack against our esteemed comrade, Mam Zeki of the Yazidis, is a genocidal attack against Yazidis. It is a continuation of the Yazidi genocide of August 3 by ISIS. With this attack, the greatest accomplice of the 74th Firman of August 3, 2014 has revealed itself. It has been proven once again that the power and abetter behind the August 3 attack was the Turkish state.

THE ROLES OF THE US, IRAQ AND THE KDP

According to the information received from Shengal, there are claims that circles close to the KDP or Iraq were accomplices in this assassination. It is significant that the attack happened after Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Abadi’s visit to Ankara. Mâm Zeki Şengali had met with Iraqi officials countless times as a representative of the Yazidi people. This necessitates the Iraqi government to make a statement on this assassination and the attack against Shengal. Did the Iraqi government, who previously claimed they were against an attack against Shengal, make a deal and approve this attack? The public and the Yazidis are expecting a statement from Iraqi authorities. If the Iraqi government and the KDP have no ties to this massacre, they must announce that to the public and condemn this attack. Yazidis everywhere are up in arms. As they express their protest of the Turkish state, they expect an explanation from Iraqi government officials and the KDP.

SHENGAL AIRSPACE MUST BE CLOSED FOR TURKISH AIRCRAFTS

Turkish fighter jets have carried out strikes in Shengal before. Iraq, the US and KDP are responsible for the violation of Shengali airspace. They have been allowing the Turkish state aircrafts to attack Shengal. These air strikes are happening because these powers don’t object to them, or even approve them. Those who failed to prevent ISIS’ genocidal attacks have become accomplices in this attack, which was a genocidal attack indeed. If they no longer want to be associated with this genocidal massacre, they must close the Shengal’s airspace for Turkish aircrafts.

In the aftermath of the August 3 ISIS attack, the only option to protect the Yazidis from genocide is the autonomy of Êzidxan and the recognition of said autonomy by Iraq and all international powers. It has been clearly demonstrated with the August 3, 2014 onslaught that Yazidis can’t escape genocide otherwise.

GENOCIDAL ATTACK AGAINST YAZIDIS

The whole world knows that the forces that protected the Yazidis against ISIS’ genocidal attack were HPG-YJA Star and YPG/YPJ guerrillas. To deny that is immoral both socially and politically. Yazidis were saved from genocide in Shengal with the guerrilla defending them, and they have since built their autonomous life and wish to secure themselves against genocidal attacks. That is why they have on one hand started building institutions for autonomy and formed their self-defense forces YBŞ and YJŞ on the other. The guerrillas withdrew from Shengal with the statement that they would defend Shengal in case of another attack after the YBŞ/YJŞ were founded. The attack happened after the guerrillas withdrew, which has clearly exposed that the Turkish state wants to implement a genocide against the Yazidi people. They want to complete the Yazidi genocide they implemented in Bakure (Northern) Kurdistan in Shengal. Attacking the self-defense and autonomy of Yazidis is a direct genocidal attack.

MAM ZEKI’S LONGING WILL BE MADE A REALITY

Mâm Zeki turned towards Shengal immediately after ISIS attacked, and arrived in Shengal in a short time to lead the Yazidis in continuing their existence in the Shengal mountains and building their self-government. He worked day and night to organize Yazidis, make sure they can stay in Shengal and to create an autonomous Shengal. With these efforts, he won the hearts of the Yazidis and became their Mâm Zeki. The Yazidi people will never forget their Mâm Zeki, and will certainly make his longing, the autonomous Ezîdxan, a reality.

All Yazidis have risen up everywhere, with the awareness that this is a genocidal attack. Because an attack against the leader of a people is a genocidal attack. Comrade Zeki, with his 35 years of struggle and efforts, has become a leader for the Yazidis. In this sense, we are calling on all Yazidis and the Kurdish people to protest this attack, stand against the genocide against the Yazidis and to defend the autonomy of Êzîdxan. Mâm Zeki’s longing has become a goal for all Yazidis. We are calling on all Yazidis, wherever they may be in the world, to increase the struggle by coming together with the autonomous structure in Shengal, joining the YBŞ and YJŞ, stengthening self defense and standing against any and all attacks against Shengal to realize the autonomous Êzidxan, longed for Leader Apo and Mâm Zeki, and to make everybody accept it.

We stress once more that the Turkish state is bringing its own demise closer with the massacres and assassinations they commit. Our movement and our people will increase the struggle against this genocidal power and hold them to account for all the attacks.”