Kurdistan and Turkey remember victims of Shengal genocide

Press conferences and actions demanding justice for Yazidi women.

The Shengal massacre against Yazidi people was carried out on 3 August 2014. To commemorate the thousands who were slaughtered, forced to leave their homes, subjected to unspeakable violence, people all over Turkey and Kurdistan organised demonstrations and vigils.

AMED

The Dicle Amed Women's Platform (DAKAP) held a minute silence vigil in Sanat street, in the borough of Yenişehir, in Amed.

HDP deputy Saliha Aydeniz and many women activists joined the minute’s silence vigil. A statement in Kurdish and Turkish was the read.

HDP Yenişehir co-chair, Demet Özkara, said “Thousands of women and children were kidnapped by members of the radical jihadist organisation DAESH. They were sold at slave markets. There are still some three thousand women whose fate we don’t know.”

As long as the threat of DAESH remains, said Özkara, all women are under threat: “No woman will be free - she added – as long as a single woman is in the hand of these mercenaries. Women say that genocide and slaughter of women are crimes against humanity. We won’t stop demanding justice until it is done”.

ADANA

A press conference was held by the HDP Adana Provincial organisation to mark the 4th anniversary of the Shengal genocide.

The press conference was attended by HDP Adana deputy Tülay Hatimoğulları, Peace Mothers and many citizens chanting slogans like ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi’ (Woman, Life, Freedom).

Reminding of what Yazidi women were subjected to, kidnapping, rape, slavery, HDP deputy Tülay Hatimoğulları said: “Women won’t be free until a single woman remains in the hand of DAESH”.

MERSIN

A press conference was organised by HDP Mersin Women’s Council. The press conference began with a minute’s silence for the women of Shengal and then HDP Mersin co-chair, Sevgi Aktaş said: “The Yazidi genocide is at the same time a genocide against women”.

Aktaş underlined that genocide and women slaughter are crimes against humanity.

IZMIR

A press conference was organised in Izmir by the HDP. The statement was read by HDP Council member, Gulay Gün Bilici. Members of the DBP (Democratic Regions Party) and HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress) joined the press meeting.

ŞIRNAK

TJA (Free Women’s Movement) activists in Şirnak organised a press conference to mark the 4th anniversary of the Shengal genocide.

Deputy Nuran Imir and members of the Peace Mothers Council joined the meeting together with many women.

HDP co-chair Zeynep Unat read the statement after paying tribute to Yazidi women.

MARDIN

A press conference was organised by different parties and organisations in Mardin. The statement was read in front of KESK (Confederation of Public Service Workers) premises in Mardin.

TJA activist Adalet Kaya read the statement and said that what happened in Shengal was the worst genocide of the 21st century. She added that no woman is safe until there is a single woman in the hands of DAESH and vowed to struggle until justice is done.