Decisions and demands from the International Êzidî Women's Conference

Participants of the International Êzidî Women's Conference held in Bielefeld, Germany took a series of decisions and highlighted demands such as an international recognition of the massacre carried out in Shengal as genocide.

Participants of the International Êzidî Women's Conference held in Bielefeld, Germany on 11-12 March took a series of decisions and highlighted demands such as an international recognition of the massacre carried out in Shengal as genocide.

Below are the decisions taken and demands highlighted by the participants of the conference:

- Initiation of efforts for an official recognition of the massacre and displacement of Êzidîs in Shengal as genocide at international level.

- Initiation of necessary procedures in order for light to be shed on the genocide started on August 3, for all the perpetrators be identified and for the UN and all other authorized international institutions to do their part for the prosecution of the perpetrators.

- Initiation of a campaign led by women in order for the prosecution of all powers and circles responsible for the Shengal genocide and formation of a coordination for this purpose.

- Recognition of August 3, the date when ISIS launched its genocidal attacks on Shengal, as the International Day of Struggle Against Femicide, and organization of events and activities every year for this purpose.

- Implementation of an effective struggle for the liberation of 3 thousand Êzidî women, girls and boys still held captive by ISIS.

- Recognition of Shengal Women's Defense Units (Yekîneyên Jinên Şengalî-YJŞ) as the legitimate self-defense force of Êzidî women in Shengal through the acknowledgment of the fact that a society's self-defense is the only way to prevent future genocides.

- Attainment of democratic autonomous region status by Shengal- one of the cultural, social and religious centers of Êzidî people- and implementation of local governance on the basis of democracy in consideration of the fact that the lack of Shengal's people's right to self-determination was one of the reasons behind the failure to prevent the genocide.

- Creation of the conditions for the Êzidî society in Shengal to live in their lands and provision of the support needed for Shengal's reconstruction.

- Issuing a call for the Êzidîs that were forced to leave Shengal during and after the genocide to return to their lands.

- Provision of solidarity and support for the people of Shengal for an on-site resolution of their problems such as the trauma, psychological, social, economical, health and other problems caused by the war and massacre.

- Issuing a call in order for the UN to give a protection order for Shengal where Êzidîs have no trust left in external powers after the genocide, and in order for the UN to act to secure the Êzidî people's political will, right to self-determination and self-defense.

- Inspection of the weapons the International Coalition gave to the KDP to fight ISIS by national and international authorities, and imposition of a sanction against the misuse of these weapons for other purposes. Issuing a warning particularly to Germany on this issue and condemnation of Germany for not providing visa for guests from Shengal that had been invited to the conference as speakers.

- Urging the international powers to send an independent investigation delegation to Shengal in order to investigate the tensions that rose on March 3, 2017, and to develop counter measures against further attacks.

- Êzidî people have been besieged by sovereign powers because of their faith and culture. The danger that threatens Êzidî people also surrounds the other peoples living in Nineveh. We call for the formation of an international circle of defense around the Êzidîs, Assyrians, Syriacs, Kakais, Turkmens, Shiites, Shabaks and Arabs living in the region for the protection of their cultures and faiths.