Medya Üren

 

NEWS CENTER - Rıham Hesen, Co-chair of the Central Executive Board of Shengal, pointed out that the agreement signed between Iraq and the Federated Kurdistan Regional Government targeted the democratic autonomous system in Shengal and said: ‘’They want the people of Shengal to accept this agreement. Whatever the price, our purpose does not change. We have always opposed and won against those who attacked our gains, and we will not allow it from now on.’’

 

Defining the massacre carried out by ISIS as the 74th Edict, the democratic autonomous system established under the leading of women in Shengal has been targeted and repeatedly attacked in the recent period. While it is pointed out that the policies of the Iraqi government paved the way for the attacks, the reactions to the massacres against both Shengal and its people continue to come.

 

Shengal Central Executive Board Co-chair Rıham Hesen spoke to our agency about what happened in Shengal and Turkey’s attacks.

 

‘They see Shengal as a threat to them’

 

Rıham, who started her speech by drawing attention to the attacks against Yazidis, reminded what happened during and after the ISIS attack. Rıham said: ‘’The 74th Edict took place and the whole world witnessed it and the Yazidis were left alone. Women in Shengal faced massacre. Many women were sold in front of the whole world. Shengal was liberated on November 13, 2015. In this regard, the people of Shengal will never forget the HPG, YBŞ, YPG and YPJ. Thanks to these forces, thousands of women were saved from massacre, harassment, rape and torture. After the liberation of Shengal, the people there established their own democratic, free and autonomous system. And in this established system, they achieved many successful and important results. We are now very comfortable to defend our own identity. We work for the interests and future of our own people. That is why they see Shengal as a threat to them.’’

 

‘They want to make their dirty plans done to the governments of Hewlêr and Baghdad’

 

Expressing that Shengal is of strategic importance for the governments of Hewlêr and Baghdad and that it constantly pays heavy prices, Rıham said: ‘’The agreement signed between Baghdad and Hewlêr on October 9 was at the request of Turkey. Now they want to impose this agreement on the people of Shengal. Turkey wants its dirty plans to be accepted by the government of Baghdad and Hewlêr. However, as a result of the resistance and struggle of the Shengalese, they still could not achieve their goals. From now on, we will not leave Shengal in their hands, and we will never forget what happened. Shengal and the Yazidis were betrayed. The peshmerga were actually defending this place. But they left us and fled. Those who left this place cannot say anything about this place.’’

 

‘The government does not see the truths’

 

Noting that Turkey has prepared its plan and program for Shengal, as always, but the current government ignores these truths, Rıham stated that the practices of the Turkish state are directed not only against the PKK, but also against the entire Kurdish people. Rıham said: ‘’Turkey also wants to position itself in the region. So far, we have held meetings with Hewlêr and the Baghdad Government many times. What they tell us already reveals everything. Despite all this resistance and struggle, they want to impose an agreement on us. They said, ‘We do not recognize you and your will, if you do not accept the agreement, Turkey will attack you’. What happened after these words? Turkey attacked Shengal. It committed a massacre and still continues to do so.’’

 

‘The barbarity of ISIS is repeated’

 

Referring to Turkey’s attacks on Shengal, Rıham continued: ‘’The barbarity of ISIS is being repeated. The Turkish state bombed Shengal Hospital without saying women and children. The Turkish state is almost blinded by hostility. The Iraqi government remains silent against these attacks. If the government does not solve this problem through democratic means, the situation will worsen day by day. We can make Shengal the center of national unity against these attacks and policies.’’

 

‘No matter the price, our purpose does not change’

 

‘’The Iraqi government says, ‘We are a federal and democratic state’. But we Yazidis cannot even enjoy our own legitimate and most natural rights,’’ Rıham said. She added: ‘’We also say that every people should govern themselves. If they see themselves as a state and define it as such, they should not interfere to our rights. They need to know well that we no longer kneel down. We are a people who have passed 74 edicts, if necessary, we can give new prices. Whatever the price, our purpose will not change after this time. We will walk in the way of our martyrs.’’

 

‘We will not allow those who attack our gains’

 

Finally, Rıham said: ‘’As Yazidi women, we have achieved many gains in line with the ideas of Leader Abdullah Öcalan. We have reached a certain stage. This is a great honor and success for us. We organized ourselves in place to place and played an important role in the build of Autonomous Shengal. We have always opposed and won against those who attacked our gains, and we will not allow it from now on.’’