BERÇEM CÛDÎ

Kobanî – On December 11, Turkey launched a drone attack on Shengal. Merwan Bedel, Co-chair of the Autonomous Governing Council in Shengal, was killed in the attack. Before, Turkey conducted similar attacks on Shengal. Fewziya Ebdi, co-chair of the Euphrates Region Legislative Assembly in NE Syria, spoke to NuJINHA about Turkey’s attacks on Shengal.

How do you evaluate the 74^th edict (genocide) against the Yazidi community?

If research is carried out about the history of humanity and Kurdish history, it will be seen that; most Yazidis were killed and suffered from the edicts. The Yazidi community faced the 74^th edict. Surely, the situation in past and present is different from each other. In the current century, there are many technological developments and hundreds of human rights organizations. For this reason, the whole world should see the massacres. In 2014, the Yazidi community faced the 74^th edict (genocide) committed by ISIS. They tried to annihilate Yazidis. The fate of many women abducted by ISIS is still unknown.

What have Yazidis done since the liberation of Shengal?

After the brutal edict, Shengal was liberated from ISIS. The Yazidis organized themselves and formed their own autonomous system. The organizing Yazidis announced that they would no longer allow any forces to carry out an edict against them in Shengal. But now, the people of Shengal are subjected to Turkish attacks. The Turkish state has no right to attack in the territory of Iraq. Today, Iraq has a constitution. The Iraqi constitution has to protect every citizen in the territory of Iraq. However, the Turkish state has attacked the laws, thoughts, and rights of citizens in Iraq. Under this reality, the Yazidis make their self-defense units permanent. The central Iraqi government and Southern Kurdistan government should protect the laws, borders, lands, and citizens in the region.

After the liberation of Shengal, an agreement was signed between the Iraqi government and KDP while Turkey sometimes launches operations on Shengal. What are your thoughts about the agreement and Turkish attacks?

After the rule of Saddam Hussein ended, the U.S. forces entered Iraq. This situation caused chaos in the country. ISIS and other armed factions began to settle in Iraq. Despite everything, Iraq is an official state. It has a constitution, parliament, and ministries. Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, and Arabs live in this country. For this reason, the Iraqi army should have defended and protected Shengal in 2014. The Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs is responsible for protecting the people in Iraq; however, we witnessed how ISIS took the control of Mosul and other places in an hour. Although the Peshmerga forces and soldiers had weapons, they didn’t fight ISIS. We don’t say that both forces were happy with the attacks of ISIS, but we say that they did not fulfill their duties and missions. They could have protected the people from facing the genocide but they didn’t. Shengal was liberated from ISIS thanks to Kurdish fighters, the forces of NE Syria, and the people of Shengal. Since the liberation of Shengal, the Iraqi government has tried to control Shengal. But the people of Shengal declared their autonomy in their most difficult times.

Turkey continues to carry out military operations in NE Syria for different reasons. What are your thoughts about why Turkey carries out attacks on Shengal?

The reasons for the Turkish state are clear. It always continues its existence in Southern Kurdistan with the excuse that it fights against ‘terrorism’ and the Freedom Movement. The Treaty of Lausanne will end in 2023 so the Turkish state wants to take the control of Aleppo, Kirkuk, and Shengal back. Therefore, it uses such excuses to invade these areas. The attacks on Shengal show that the Turkish state has a big plan.

The threats of ISIS and the Turkish state continue against the region, particularly Shengal. What do you think about these threats?

ISIS members are reorganizing themselves and continue to threaten the region. They have already attacked Southern Kurdistan, the Syrian Desert, and many other places. They were organized for a purpose. If all security and defense forces don’t keep their eyes open, the danger of ISIS will continue.

As the Autonomous Administration and the people of Kobanî, we do not accept Turkish attacks on the region. The Turkish state carries out the same attacks against us. We face daily threats. Clashes and threats continue in many places such as Ain Isa, Til Temir, Manbij, Til Rifet. The Turkish state wants to continue its existence by annihilating people.