Dear Women, Friends
On August 3, 2014, Êzidî (Yezidi) people, who have fought for existence, experienced the 74th genocidal massacre in their history in the witness of the whole world. Tens of times, Êzidîs have been subjected to attacks and massacres carried out by the male-dominated mindset having been in power for thousands of years with the help of the national state and fascist militarist understanding and exploitation of belief. Daesh, a form of deposited, ganged and militarist ruling male-dominated mindset, drove Êzidî community to the brink of annihilation and carried out the most profound massacre on August 3 against the women, who are the essence of life and the existence of the community. Thousands of Êzidî women were killed, abducted and sold at slave markets, driven to suicide, lost their lives after forced migration following the attacks or they were subjected to economic, sexist, racist, physical violence and all kinds of fascist and militarist exploitation in the camps they took shelter.
Against the most profound attacks of male-dominated mindset against women, Êzidî women are now playing a vital part in extending and advocating the resistance method based on self-defense against all kinds of attacks in Shengal, their belief and the Mother Goddess culture. At the international Êzidî Women’s Conference held on 11-12 March 2017 in Biefeld, Germany, August 3 being declared as the day of action against genocide for the liberation of women abducted by Daesh at an international level has been also declared as a day of action against Feminicide and genocide. Five years have passed since the genocide on 3 August 2014, but the UN Security Council hasn’t taken any steps on this subject although the United Nations Commission on Human Rights reported that the Êzidîs faced genocide.
As women, we say; The UN should accept August 3 as ‘Genocide against Êzidîs’ and ‘International Action Day against Feminicide and Genocide’. Daesh members and their supporters should be tried by independent courts and some steps should be taken in order to rescue about 3,000 Êzidî women held by Daesh.
And we say; none of us is free until all women held by gangs are free! Genocide and Feminicide is a crime against humanity; our demand for justice will not end until the criminals pay the price!
This year, like every year, democratic women’s organizations, movements and women around the world, particularly in Middle East and Kurdistan issue a press statement against fascism and genocide on August 3, 2019 at 11:00 (local time). We call all women to hold a minute’s silence in order to not keep silent against the genocide carried out against Êzidîs and to be in solidarity with them.
03.08.2019
Free Women’s Movement