Drawing attention to the sectarian and ethnic contradictions in addition to the political, military and economic crisis in Iraq, Martyr Mam Zeki Academies Command Member Kendal Çiya said: “This crisis and chaotic environment opens the door to attack by the occupying forces. For this, Iraq must end the crisis by solving its problems by democratic methods and by giving people their rights. If we cannot solve our problems, massacres such as Skeniyê, Sinûnê and Perex will continue.”

Martyr Mam Zeki Academies Command Member Kendal Çiya spoke to ANF on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the invasion and massacre carried out by the Islamic State targeting the Yazidi people on 3 August 2014.

Noting that all the Kurdish people, especially the Yazidis, have been going through a painful process for 8 years, Kendal Çiya said that the fascist Turkish state insisted on carrying out attacks.

Çiya said that there was a great war and resistance in Kurdistan and added that “the Kurdish people are no longer the same as before. Our people are conscious and organized. We know the true aims of other states that support the Turkish state. We are aware of which states are behind these massacres."

Çiya underlined that in 2014, Turkish state officials in Mosul Consulate were freed without blood and said: “The three top ISIS executives who have been killed so far were in the Turkish-occupied regions, in the areas under the control of the fascist Turkish state. This shows how deep the relationship [between ISIS and Turkey] is. Other states are also aware of this relationship. The fact that they turn a blind eye and remain silent means that they support the fascist Turkish state."

People of Shengal continue to build their organisations

Çiya said that there was also betrayal after the massacre and emphasized that this betrayal caused South Kurdistan to lose a big part of its territory. “After the massacre, our people no longer trust anyone. The forces that said they would protect our people before each massacre actually abandoned us. The KDP forces, who said that they would protect and defend our people from attacks by ISIS, did not fire a single bullet and brought our people face to face with massacre. For this, our people developed their own self-defense forces and self-organization with the support of the Kurdish Freedom Movement. In this context, the YBŞ-YJŞ established its forces and declared the Shengal Democratic Autonomous Administration.”

Çiya noted that the KDP developed dirty alliances by launching attacks to break up and disperse the self-organization of the people, and said: “However, our people are aware of these dirty politics and alliances. For this, they support their own self-defense forces.”

Çiya reminded that the KDP, Turkey and al-Kazimi administration made a dirty agreement with the encouragement of the UN and US representatives on 9 October 2020 and added: “9 October was a way to end what had begun with the 2014 massacre. The leaders of our people were targeted. Dozens of our comrades, such as Mam Zeki, Saîd Hesen Saîd, Dijwar Feqîr, Heval Zardeşt and Heval Azad were massacred. The Skeniyê massacre took place. There was no reaction from the al-Kazimi administration, and approval was given by remaining silent. With al-Kazimi's order, the Iraqi army attacked Shengal on 17 April. With this attack, the YBŞ, YJŞ and Êzidxan Asayish were to be disbanded and the Shengal Democratic Autonomous Administration to be liquidated. But the YBŞ, YJŞ and Asayiş forces repelled the attack together with our people. This attack by the Iraqi army was not supported by the Iraqi people. The Iraqi people and some factions protested against it.”

The people of Iraq needs unity

Çiya continued: “As Iraqi people, if we want to live with our own colour, language, culture and belief, in line with Leader Apo's philosophy and paradigm. We believe that the democratic life of the peoples is essential. For this, the Iraqi people need more unity and solidarity, especially in this process. So we become stronger.”

The current situation in Iraq is opening the doors to attacks

Drawing attention to the sectarian and ethnic contradictions in addition to the current political, military and economic crisis in Iraq, Çiya said: “This environment of crisis and chaos actually opens the door to attacks by the occupying forces. Iraq must end the crisis by solving its problems by democratic methods and by giving the people their rights. The Democratic Modernity paradigm is the most viable recipe for this. Not dealing with the problems would only deepen the situation and make it unsolvable. The Turkish state, as the Zakho massacre showed, is a murderous and occupying state. If we cannot solve our problems, massacres such as Skeniyê, Sinûnê and Perex will continue.”

The Turkish army should be removed from Iraq

Çiya added: “The Turkish invading army must be removed from Iraqi lands. As children of the Yazidi people, and as YBŞ and YJŞ forces, we will not remain indifferent to the massacres and we will hold those responsible accountable for them. Just as we held ISIS accountable, we will also hold the Turkish state and its collaborators accountable. This is our promise to our martyrs and our people.”