TEWAR PÊNCEWÎN

 Baghdad- On July 30, Iraqi women held the International Iraqi Women’s Conference on the Genocide of Women (Yazidi Women) led by the Yazidi Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Azadiya Jinên Êzîdî-TAJÊ) in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. The main purpose of the conference, held with the motto, “With the feminist free will, we challenge the Shengal genocide”, was to discuss the situation of the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria. The women participating in the conference called for the trial of ISIS for its crimes and the recognition of the genocide committed in Shengal.

  “Women must unite”

 Academic and activist Şadî Ebûbekir, one of the women participating in the conference, said that the purpose of the conference was to solve the problems faced by the women in Shengal. “We should build our national unity not to allow more genocide to be committed. As the women in Rojava, the women in Iraq should train themselves so that they can develop their self-defense and strengthen their struggle. Women should improve themselves in all spheres of life not to be subjected to massacres. For this reason, this conference was important. If the Iraqi and Kurdish people, particularly women, do not unite, they will always face genocides.”

 “Genocide must be prevented”

 Teacher Nermîn Hesên was one of the women participating in the conference from Sulaymaniyah. Noting that the conference was very important for women, she said, “The enemy always wants to annihilate the Kurdish people. It especially wants to annihilate the women of Shengal. Although the history of the Kurds is full of massacres and occupations, what happened in Shengal was not only an occupation attempt or attack, but also a genocide against the people and women of Shengal. This genocide was committed against the Kurdish culture. Women must prevent more genocides to be committed against the Kurds. The Kurdish people have the right to live freely like all peoples.”