MEDYA HAWAR

Shengal (Sinjar)- Journalist Nûjiyan Erhan went to Shengal when ISIS began its attacks on Shengal in 2014 to make the voices of the Yazidi community heard around the world while the whole world was playing ostrich. She listened to stories and reported them. On March 3, 2017, she was injured in the attack carried out by the forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) while covering a clash that broke out in the Xanesor town of Shengal. She was taken to a hospital in Rojava; however, she died at the hospital on March 22.

NuJINHA spoke to Nûjîn Êzidî and Bêrîvan Çiya, reporters of Çira TV in Shengal, about Nûjiyan's personality and the legacy she left to Yazidi women.

She made the genocide heard all around the world

Journalist Nûjîn Êzidî began to talk by commemorating all people, who lost their lives during the genocide. “When ISIS attacked Shengal in 2014, Nûjiyan and freedom fighters came to Shengal, the homeland of Yazidis. Nûjiyan wanted to report the genocide committed against the Yazidi community and the betrayal of the KDP against the people of Shengal. While the KDP forces were escaping from the Mont Çilmêra, Nûjiyan recorded those moments and shared the footage on social media platforms. Before the genocide by ISIS, 73 genocidal attacks had been carried out against the Yazidi community but there was no footage or video proving the attacks. Thanks to Nûjiyan and her comrades, the genocide against the Yazidi community by ISIS was heard all around the world. She made the voices of the Yazidi community, especially women, heard all around the world.

‘We follow in her footsteps’

Pointing out that Nûjiyan gave hope to Yazidi women, Nûjîn Êzidî said,” We follow in her footsteps. Unfortunately, we did not have the chance to meet and see the martyr Nûjiyan. But we learned the personality of the martyr Nûjiyan by our colleagues. We learned what Nûjiyan's dreams and hopes were.”

‘We get strength from her’

Nûjîn Êzidî told us that all journalists got strength from Nûjiyan. “The footage and images shot by her tell everything, reflecting the suffering of the Yazidi people during the genocide. She felt and shared their sufferings. As women journalists, we get strength from her.”

‘We will realize her dream’

Nûjiyan was targeted because she wanted to reveal the truth and betrayal of the KDP and its partners, Nûjin Êzidî added. “She was injured on March 3 and died on March 22. Her wish was for Yazidi women to rise up and fight. We will realize her dream. Martyr Nûjiyan taught all the young people around her how to use a camera to reveal the realities of their society. Every year, the Yazidi women release statement to commemorate her.”

‘We will continue to follow the truth’

In her speech, Nûjin Êzidî condemned the attacks against journalists. “We are targeted because we report the truth. Free press is targeted in four parts of Kurdistan. Unfortunately, we, as journalists, are subjected to many attacks in Shengal. These attacks show the weakness and fear of the enemy. We will continue to follow the truth. We will follow in the footsteps of Nûjiyan to the end.”

 ‘She had only a camera’

Bêrîvan Çiya began to talk by commemorating the fighters who lost their lives while fighting for freedom. “The Yazidi community has been subjected to dozens of genocidal attacks and the last genocide committed against them took place in 2014. Yazidi women and girls suffered a lot during the genocide committed by ISIS in 2014. But the last genocide was documented by journalist Nûjiyan. When she came Shengal in 2015, there was no journalist. She was alone and had only a camera. She reported the sufferings of the Yazidi women. Despite all the difficulties, she made great efforts to make the voices of the Yazidi women heard all around the world.”

 ‘She was the voice of the truth’

She was targeted because she was the voice of the truth, Bêrîvan Çiya emphasized. “The Turkish state, the KDP and their partners attacked Xanesor to occupy it. Martyr Nûjiyan recorded everything to be the voices of the Yazidi community, especially Yazidi women and girls. She was targeted because she was the voice of the truth.”

‘My parents named one of my sisters after Nûjiyan’

After the killing of Nûjiyan, dozens of Yazidi young women began to do journalism. “Nûjiyan was loved by everyone. My parents named one of my sisters after Nûjiyan. Now, there are many girls named Nûjiyan. Many women journalists were targeted because they were the voice of the truth. If there had been no journalist in Shengal, no one would know how the KDP Peshmerga fled from Shengal and turned their backs on us. Thanks to Nûjiyan, everyone knows the betrayal of the KDP against the Yazidi community."