On Thursday, thousands of Yazidis took to the streets in the city of Shengal (Sinjar) to commemorate the beginning of the ISIS genocide and demand recognition for the region. The large demonstration started in front of the building of the People's Council of Shengal, chanting slogans against the betrayal. This refers, among others, to the KDP, allied with Turkey, which disarmed the Yazidi population in the run-up to the genocide, made false promises of protection and then withdrew its thousands of heavily armed peshmerga right before the ISIS onslaught, leaving the people to face genocide.

Mîr Nayif: The rights of the Yazidi people must be recognized immediately

At the closing rally, the Yazidi representative Mîr Nayif took the floor first and said: "We will not forget the ISIS genocide of the Yazidi people, nor the sudden flight of the KDP forces nine years ago, which left our people defenceless. Because the KDP did not defend Shengal, ISIS was able to enter the region and massacre or abduct thousands of people. Although the genocidal attacks of ISIS against the Yazidi people came on the agenda of the international community, it reacted sluggishly. The rights of the Yazidi people must be recognised as soon as possible, and the necessary steps taken to achieve this."

Xwedêda Ilyas: further massacres can be prevented by a free and autonomous Shengal

Xwedêda Ilyas then took the floor on behalf of the Shengal Autonomous Administration and underlined that the liberation of Shengal was the result of the great efforts of the guerrilla fighters and the YPG/YPJ and that the people could only return to their homes because of these efforts. Xwedêda Ilyas said: "The return to Shengal is the most important response to the genocide. As the self-government of Shengal, we are aware that further massacres and persecutions could be prevented by a free and autonomous Shengal."

Kurtay Shengalî: Our people no longer rely on a foreign power

Speaking on behalf of the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ), Kurtay Shengalî said: "Our people no longer rely on a foreign power. They have come to the conclusion that no mass murder, no persecution can be prevented if they do not trust in their own power. Genocide and persecution can be prevented by strengthening the YBŞ/YJŞ and the Asayişa Êzdîxanê (local Yazidi security forces). The place where we are now was liberated by the blood of hundreds of martyrs. The guerrillas came from the mountains and liberated the region where we are now. This fact should never be forgotten. To forget the betrayal of the KDP would be the greatest betrayal this society could commit against itself. Today we send a message to our people saying that they have a force that can defend them at great sacrifice. That force is the YBŞ-YJŞ and Asayişa Êzdîxanê."

Naim Bedel: ISIS murdered us with Iraqi weapons

Naim Bedel from the Yazidi Women's Freedom Movement (TAJÊ) spoke at the end of the closing rally and recalled the betrayal by the KDP, saying: "It would be insufficient to say that only the KDP betrayed us. Because Iraq was also responsible for the defence of Shengal. The Iraqi forces fled even before the KDP forces and paved the way for ISIS, which slaughtered us with the weapons it had taken from the Iraqi army. ISIS murdered us with Iraqi weapons. Iraq has still not punished anyone for the crime of withdrawing from Shengal. Before the genocide, some officials of the Iraqi army fled and joined forces with ISIS. But today, they are again carrying out their old duties and responsibilities. As the Yazidi community, we demand the immediate prosecution of those who allowed the genocide to happen."