After ISIS elimination , do the fears over minorities ?

Ezidi24

In a matter of a day and night, many areas are abandoned as the population of these areas massively displaced. Because of the terrorist attacks of ISIS groups, thousands of Yazidis, Christians and other minorities were killed and kidnapped. These minorities disconnected of everything they owned and displaced in various provinces of Iraq and to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Yet, minority’s homes were destroyed at a time when ISIS in control of their areas. After the liberation of minority’s cities and Iraq as a whole, minorities in the minority liberated locations are asking “Is there a guarantee that what happened to us from ISIS attacks will not be repeated?”

More than 100,000 Christians have emigrated from their areas in the Nineveh Plains, in a wave of displacement that can be considered one of the biggest waves since 2003. These waves of displacement reminded minorities again of the previous displacement from Baghdad and southern cities, yet believing that Iraq is no longer a safe country to live. Thus, the asylum requests for Europe, America, and Australia have been strengthened to become a mere temporary station waiting to cross into neighboring countries such as Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, and the Western world, thus forcing them to face direct persecution in their areas.

Not only the Christian minority was targeted by ISIS. What ISIS did with Yazidis from killing and torturing was much more and worse. ISIS sees Yazidis as infidels as they do not believe in the same faith. But in reality, Yazidis had known as a minority and very peaceful old religion. Yazidis during their times in existence, they were exposed to 74 acts of genocide by various terrorist groups. The most recent of these genocide attempts was the campaign against them by ISIS, when the region of Shingal, the historical region of Yazidis, was attacked in August 2014. As a result of this attack, thousands of Yazidis were killed and kidnapped by those groups, yet more than 3,000 Yezidis is missing. While more than 450,000 Yazidis are now living under the tented camps despite that their areas are liberated. They have big question marks forcing them to prefer camps than to return.

“Religious minorities distrust the security forces and the government after they have been subjected to the ongoing massacres by the various armed terrorist groups. Minorities are still confused about the security situation in the areas of their presence in the province of Nineveh and in their heart doubts” Sahir Michael, a local from Bartela town that has the majority of its population as Christians in a conversation with Ezidi24.

“Minorities concerns, after the liberation of Nineveh province and the elimination of ISIS, are that the displacement and abuse of the constitutional rights of minorities continues. They are also fears that there will be no compensation for the losses. The other major problem is the new demographic changes. These fears result that minority do not trust the current situation while their displacement will continue by emigrating and traveling outside their country of Iraq” Michael added while speaking to Ezidi 24.
“The possible solutions that can be applied or at least minorities can be sought for is that to secure areas and protected for themselves, activation of laws that help to strengthen their rights in the Iraqi governments and KRI, and stay away of the Kurds and Arabs conflict” this is what Michael added.

In his final conclusion speak to Ezidi 24 Michael stated that “fears and security conditions are preventing the return of Christians and Kakais minorities to their areas of origin. This is because, the security situation is disrupted and the lack of employment opportunities and increases of unemployment rates as well as no compensation from the government, therefore this affects their stay in Iraq”
The activist “Barzan Shaqo” from Shingal and living in one of the IDP camps in KRI, also spoke to Ezidi 24 and said “To keep it short, ISIS has not been fully defeated. ISIS believes and thoughts are still in mind of many people who joint them. This is one of the concerns for minorities. There is no guarantee that the ISIS ideology will not be repeated under other names. For instance, Yazidis subjected to 74 genocide attempts and there are no guarantees that will be the last one”
“Clearly, there were statistics indicated that in the sixties and seventies of the last century the number of Christians in Iraq were very big, and despite the increase in population density, but this number significantly reduced as a result of emigration to Europe and Canada. Same for Jews, they are almost nonexistent in Iraq now and even Yazidis, and after the crisis that held in Sinjar 3rd of August 2014, emigrated many of Yazidis towards Europe, America, and Australia. To the day, the demands are clear from the Yazidi perspective to provide them with the opportunity for mass emigration. These fears and concerns negatively affect the unity of the peoples, and distrust among them. Unless cooperation and proximity on the basis of peaceful coexistence provided otherwise this is one of the major concerns for the extermination of minorities in Iraq” Shaqo added
“The solutions could be possible with a wise leadership in the country first to ensure the rights of minorities like other components, and to be based on efficiency as well as by providing protection for them; the international one. I personally see that with the international protection for those who want to stay and the opportunity of mass emigration of those wishing to emigrate will be the best solution in the current complicated situation. These concerns are affecting the return of Yazidis and Christians to their areas of origin also it’s because those who have betrayed them have returned to their areas of origin before minorities with still having ISIS ideology in their minds. Surely this is beside all the other factors that affect the return” in his final speech with Ezidi 24 added.