YBŞ (Sinjar Resistance Units) assembly members Argeş Şengali and Viyan Rodin evaluated the decisions taken at the first conference on 16-18 March for ANF.

ARGEŞ ŞENGALİ: "The Yazidi people have waged a determined resistance since the massacres of 3 August. These massacres took place on account of the Yazidi people’s lack of organisation. However, the YBŞ was organised rapidly after the massacre, attracting both young men and young women to its ranks. Our conference has taken place at an important time. It lasted for 3 days. The reasons for the massacre were discussed and the needs of the people were debated.

71 delegates attended the conference. Several important decisions were taken and  the importance of organisation was stressed. It was the first time the Yazidi people have organised like this.”

'If division persists Sinjar cannot be liberated’

Şengali emphasised that it was essential that the girls and women who were abducted by ISIS be rescued. She said the Yazidi people demanded unity and that

VİYAN RODIN said that a catastrophe had hit the Yazidi people in August, after which YPG, and HPG guerrillas had come to Sinjar to halt the massacres. She said the people had relied on the KDP, and not foreseen the attacks. She said this was the reason so many women and girls had been abducted. She accused the KDP of abandoning the people to their fate, and said the people of Sinjar had fled to all four parts of Kurdistan.

'Our people should return’

Rodin said that more than half of Sinjar was still under the control of ISIS. She said that for nearly three months the guerrillas had been battling the gangs in Sinjar town. She added that in order to retake the town the people who had fled should return to Sinjar and get involved in the resistance.

“So many of our comrades have fallen in the struggle. Many came from East, North and West Kurdistan. Therefore, those who consider themselves to be Yazidis should come and fight for their land,” she added.

'For the first time we took decisions as women’

Rodin said that women had played their part at the conference, and for the first time took decisions. “Very important decisions were taken for our people and for Sinjar. We pledged to do our utmost to implement these decisions. We will endeavour to write our own history,” she added. She concluded by calling on everyone with a conscience to join the YBŞ and YPJ-Sinjar to struggle against the ISIS gangs.