Press Statement

"Nadia's Initiative, an organization founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, is alarmed by recent reports of hate speech against the Yazidi community in Iraq.

Last month, Yazidis were falsely accused of burning down a mosque in Sinjar during a peaceful demonstration.

Despite confirmation and assurances from the Sunni Foundation that the Rahman Mosque had not been burned or damaged, old photos have circulated online. Over the past few days, thousands of messages have appeared on social media inciting violence against Yazidis, calling them infidels and allegedly worshipping the devil. 

Nadia Murad, head of the Nadia's Initiative, said:

"Nearly nine years after the genocide of the Yazidi people perpetrated by ISIS, we are heartbroken to see a resurgence of their violent and discriminatory rhetoric. Words have the power to completely dehumanize. Genocide begins with words and with dissent. It begins with false flags and fake news. That Yazidis are once again subjected to these dangerous and false narratives is traumatic for a community that is still trying to recover from the recent genocide".

The dehumanizing narrative about the Yazidi people must be destroyed; fighting hate speech is everyone's responsibility. We will not see peace in the region until hatred in all its forms is confronted at every turn.

"Nadia's Initiative calls on the political and religious authorities to condemn and stop all these expressions before they escalate into physical violence. Although the world's attention has shifted away from Iraq and the genocide, the Yazidi people are still vulnerable, traumatized, and in virtually the same situation as they were in 2014.

For nearly nine years, victims of genocide and sexual violence have been held in IDP camps. This is clearly unacceptable, and Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have a moral responsibility to restore security and basic services in Sinjar, only then can displaced families safely return to their homeland.

Yazidi survivors must feel safe in rebuilding their lives and trust that those who committed violence against them will not be able to threaten them again. This means that proper vetting of families returning to the region must be done to ensure that ISIS members do not return without facing justice.

All authorities have a responsibility to restore security so that Yazidis are not subjected to further violence.

"Nadia's Initiative is working to rebuild and rehabilitate Sinjar, but support from the international community is still needed. Moreover, there will be no stability or sustainable progress until Iraqi and Kurdish authorities end their dispute over the region".

Editor's Note:

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