BARÎN SERDEM

Shengal- Approximately 314 people lost their lives and 700 people were injured in an explosion that took place on August 14, 2007, in Shengal. The people of Shengal consider this explosion as the beginning of the genocide against them in 2014. 6000 families lived in the Til Izer before the genocide committed by ISIS on August 3, 2014. 300 people of Til Izer were killed in the attacks of ISIS while thousands were forcibly displaced from their village to the refugee camps in Southern Kurdistan. Seven years have passed since the genocide and the people of Shengal living in the refugee camps have slowly returned to their homeland. We spoke to several women, who returned to Til Izer district of Shengal with their families after living in refugee camps for seven years.

“There is no healthy life in the camps”

34-year-old Zine Mamo lived in a refugee camp located in Southern Kurdistan with her husband and four children. “The conditions in the camp were very bad and we were afraid that our tent would burn,” said Zine Mamo, who lived in the camp for seven years. “During the genocide, ISIS killed three men from our family and abducted six women from our family. Fortunately, six women were able to flee from ISIS on the same day. After we took shelter in the mountains for 10 days, we went to Southern Kurdistan. We lived in a refugee camp but there is no healthy life in the camps. We had no life safety in the camp and living in tents was very hard. After living in the camp for seven years, we returned to our homeland.”

Call for support for her disabled son

Indicating that life in Til İzer is better than in the camps, Zine Memo said, “We are safe here. We know our neighbors and we know we won't hurt each other. We couldn’t return due to water and electricity shortages. But now, we don’t have such problems. We hope that job opportunities will be provided for us to earn a living. I have a disabled son. I need support from the charity organizations for my son's treatment.”

“I can breathe at home”

Misri Xelef is another Yazidi woman, who returned to Shengal. “Our house has no door or window but it is our house. It is better than tents. I can breathe here. You feel more comfortable at your home.”

They are happier in Shengal

39-year-old Marin Şemo returned to her homeland 10 days ago. She lived in a refugee camp with her four children after the genocide. After staying in the camp for seven years, she decided to return to Shengal. “We couldn’t live in the tents anymore. Many families had returned to Til İzer so we decided to return. I believe that our lives will be better if all displaced people of Shengal return to their homeland. I never thought we would return to Shengal but now we are here and happier.”