The Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar) is taking an important step to strengthen its self-defence system for an autonomous and free Shengal. The Asayîşa Êzîdxanê (Yazidi security forces), which was established under the name of Shengal Defence Force in July 2016 after the Yazidi genocide, is holding its first conference today.

A total of 300 people are attending the conference, including all components of Shengal, institutions and organizations under the Autonomous Administration, TAJÊ (Yazidi Women's Freedom Movement), Yazidi Youth Union, Families of Martyrs, guests and delegates.

The conference is being held in memory of the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) commanders Pîr Çeko, Agir Cefri and Asayîşa Êzîdxanê official Şerzad Şemo who were martyred in an attack organized by the invading Turkish state and its collaborator KDP at the beginning of March.

'WE WILL NEVER RENOUNCE THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM'

The opening speech of the conference, which started after a moment of silence in memory of the Kurdistan Freedom Martyrs, was delivered by Heso Ibrahim, Co-Chair of the Shengal Autonomous Executive Board. İbrahim said: “Since 2018, we have witnessed the martyrdom of many pioneering figures and heroes who sought to reinforce the Yazid faith. They sacrificed their lives for this cause. Even if we are forced to sacrifice our children, our property and our lives for this cause, we will never renounce the struggle for freedom.”

Addressing the importance of the month April, which marks the beginning of the new year for the Yazidi people, Ibrahim said: “We hope that this year will be a good, fruitful, hopeful and free year for all the Yazidi people. We have experienced many difficulties. The enemy wants to destroy our faith and will. Thanks to the martyrs, we have managed to keep this faith alive. A dirty policy is being pursued against our people and we will fight it to the end.”

OCTOBER 9 AGREEMENT

Ibrahim continued: “With the October 9 Agreement, they sought to subject us to a new genocide. We have been exposed to various methods such as special warfare and spying. So far, they have not been able to implement this agreement seeking a new genocide. This agreement was hampered thanks to the resistance of the autonomous administration’s institutions and all the components of Shengal. Today, they want to impose a new policy on Shengal and the Yazidis. They want to revive the October 9 Agreement once again through the Spiritual Assembly and Mir. We hope that those traitors will not be allowed to return to Shengal. We call on all Yazidis not to contribute to the enemy.”

YAZIDIS SHOULD LET THE TRAITORS PASS

Ibrahim concluded: “Now they want to present themselves as the liberators of Shengal and the Yazidi people by making propaganda movies. However, everyone knows that the peshmerga did not fire a single bullet to defend Shengal. Once again, they want to convert the Yazidis to Islam. However, our faith is very ancient. No one can destroy our faith by making movies and converting two Yazidi families to Islam. The Yazidis should let the traitors pass by standing shoulder to shoulder with each other. There are traitors in every nation, but those traitors should never be among us. There is no treachery in Yazidism.”

After the opening speech, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan's ideas concerning the Yazidi people and Shengal’s defence were read out.

The conference includes a cine-vision screening, reading of the reports, speeches and messages from the guests, updating Asayîşa Êzîdxanê’s regulations, decision making and planning.