The ISIS genocide against the Yazidi population of the Shengal region in northern Iraq began on 3 August 2014, after South Kurdistan’s ruling party KDP withdrew its troops and left the population largely unprotected. Thousands were murdered and thousands of women and children were sold into slavery. Many have disappeared to this day. Only a few dozen guerrilla fighters made it possible for well over 100,000 Yazidis to escape into the mountains, from where they were able to flee to Rojava via a corridor opened up by the YPG and YPJ (People’s Women’s Defence Units). On the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the genocide, protests and events will take place in many European countries.

The Kurdish Women's Movement in Europe (TJK-E) released a statement calling for broad participation in the actions, which says the following:

"On 3 August, we as women's organisations in Europe will once again take to the streets to protest on the anniversary of the genocide of the Yazidi community that began with the ISIS invasion of the Shengal region in 2014. We condemn, once again, this process which is a continuation of the policies of atrocity, rape, slavery and disidentification against the Yazidis.

Women in particular were exposed to great agonies during this massacre which was perpetrated under the reign of ISIS. Thousands of young Yazidi women and children were abducted, sold in slave markets and raped. Out of 3548 captured women, only 1207 have been rescued so far. It is not known whether the missing women are still alive or not, but the hope and struggle of their families to see them again is not yet at an end.

"Autonomy is vital for the Yazidis"

We consider this genocide the shame of the century. It is etched in our memory as a massacre of all women in the world. We stand in solidarity with the Yazidis and all oppressed minorities to fight with them for justice, freedom and equality. Since the genocide, we have witnessed the destruction of life, culture and society in Shengal. In the aftermath of this genocide, the Yazidis have united and built self-governance and self-defence structures to protect themselves from a new genocide.

Nevertheless, the achievements of the Yazidis are under severe threat. The Turkish state and its allies signed an agreement on 9 October 2020 to destroy the self-governance and self-defence structures and reintroduce their systems of repression. The autonomy of Shengal has been attacked again and again by the Turkish state with drones. The Turkish state, one of the biggest supporters of the Islamic State, does not even shy away from attacking civilians and children with its armed drones.

But it is not only the Turkish state that poses a threat to the people of Shengal. The Iraqi government has also repeatedly tried to militarily occupy the region, ignoring the demand for the autonomy of the Yazidi people who were subjected to a genocide. The events of 3 August 2014 have shown that the Yazidi people cannot trust anyone but themselves because the KDP peshmerga and Iraqi militias dropped their weapons and withdrew when ISIS marched in. That is still vivid in our memories. That is why we say that autonomy is vital for the Yazidi people!

Let us fight for a secure future in Shengal

We must unite against these attacks and call on the international community to support us in this struggle. We demand the recognition of the genocide that began on 3 August 2014 and the establishment of an international tribunal to demand accountability for the crimes committed against the Yazidi community. It is crucial that the members of ISIS and the Islamist militias responsible for the genocide of the Yazidis are brought out of the camps (e.g.al-Hol) and face the consequences of their actions back home in Europe.

The air strikes on Shengal must stop to prevent further suffering and destruction. We fight together for justice, equality and freedom for all oppressed peoples, especially for the Yazidi society.

With this in mind, we call on our people, our friends and especially women, to make their voices heard together in the activities to take place across Europe on 3 August under the leadership of our women's organisations. Let us organise, let us fight for a secure future in Shengal and all four parts of Kurdistan!"

The action timetable for 3 August is as follows:

GERMANY

Darmstadt: 18.00, Luisenplatz

Saarbrücken: 18.00, Galerieplatz

Frankfurt: 18.00, Ni una Menos Square / Liebfrauenberg

Hamburg: 18.00, Mercado Altona

Bremen: 19.00, Market Square

Stuttgart: 18.00, Schloßplatz/Kobanê Square

Dortmund: 18.00, Kampstraße 46

Oldenburg: 5.00 p.m., Bahnhofsplatz

SWITZERLAND

Lucerne: 19.00, Vögeligärtli

Zurich: 18.00, Helvetiaplatz

Aarau: 18.30, railway station

Bern: 18.00, in front of the parliament building

BELGIUM

Liege: 16.30, Gare Gulimmnes

ENGLAND

London: 15:00, 10 Downing ST, London SW 1A 2AA

SWEDEN

Stockholm: 17.30, Sergelstorg