The Yazidi community in all its groups welcomed the women and girls kidnapped by the ISIS terrorist organization during its attack on the Shingal district, west of Nineveh governorate on August 3, 2014, who had been released from the organization’s prisons.

The difficulty of their integration with society was emphasized by many specialists, given the physical and intellectual torture they were subjected to and witnessing inhumane acts, starting with torture and ending with all kinds of killing.

Activists in the Yazidi community have relationships with these survivors as an attempt to integrate them and help them forget the effects that ISIS has left in their psyche, but recently there have been many opinions about the role of these activists in helping survivors with society as they are survivors of conflict and war.

How was the beginning of welcoming the survivors?

The young Yazidi activist, “Barzan Shaqo,” spoke to “Ezidi 24” and said, “After the genocide campaign against the Yazidis on August 3, 2014, and as a result of it, the Yezidis were subjected to murder, forced displacement, looting, and kidnapping, and after months and years have passed, A number of kidnappers were liberated, and at first there were questions about them in society and how to receive them, but at that time the pens of young activists in the community moved, as well as they volunteered to form groups, and expanded the idea of receiving them with the best reception, which made the spiritual council and the spiritual father of the Yazidi religion issue a Fatwa (religious order) Or a decision to receive them.”

He also said, “Initially, they placed cabins in the holy temple of Lalish in order to be inhabited until they were intellectually and physically prepared, but with passion and energy the youth passed through this stage and immediately they inhabited them with their families with full follow-up, and this was done voluntarily; As for the work they did, it was at a very good level, due to the capabilities, and amid the government negligence and fear of some missionary organizations, and they reached them to the highest levels to represent their suffering and the suffering of the survivors and kidnappers, and they hold the highest posts with the work and efforts of Yazidis youth, and the best example of “saint” Nadia Murad who reached international positions, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, Lamia Bashar, Farida Abbas, Hala Sefeel, Ikhlas Kheder and others who have reached the highest international forums to demand the rights of Yazidis and all this through the efforts of Yazidis youth.

Yazidi activist and writer Hussein Ba’adri also spoke to Ezidi 24 and said, “Activists and bloggers on Facebook had an important role in integrating Yazidi survivors who were subjected to great injustice, which made them a sacred thing for Yazidis and not to be neglect.”

How important is it to integrate them with society?

And Ba’adri said, “Integrating some of them helped others to integrate also with society and some of them became active and work in integrating others. This is an important thing, and also one of the ways that could be easier than other methods, marriage where a number of them got married and overcome the psychological difficulties that left by ISIS in their minds. ”

“The importance of this integration lies in their access to international forums in order to reach our message to the world and to prove to the world that there are some misperceptions while they look at the Yazidi religion, especially in terms of acceptance for survivors, and if this integration is in a unified manner and without political directives, they work for one cause, and are not subjected to exploitation, not from governments, organizations, or even activists, but rather to deal with everyone, but with one goal and it is the largest issue of the oldest religion that has been subjected to the greatest injustice and obtain the greatest neglect of this solidarity and integration is important and the role of active youth is important If it is for the sake of integrity and in the interest of the public interest. ”

Is the role of activists remain the same?

“Shaqo” continued, “The role has diminished, as a result of pressures on youth, especially after many of them were employed. Even the survivors numbers also decreased here in Iraq, by virtue of the immigration program, and they migrated to Europe, America and Australia, and even liberation operations recently decreased and even the spread of (COVID_19) has an effect.”

Ba’adri did not disagree with Shaqo’s opinion and said, “The role of activists decreased compared to the beginning of their survival, and at the time when they desperately needed support, we have never seen an activist visit a survivor, or contributed to putting what happened to her aside, in order to lead a normal life.”

Ezidi24.com