NEWS CENTER - Shengal Executive Council Co-Chair Riham Hesen reminded of the ISIS attacks and underlined that Shengal must be defended for the defense of Iraq.

 

With the start of the operation against the Federated Kurdistan Region in partnership with the AKP-KDP, the forces affiliated with the Iraqi army began to attack Shengal. Speaking to Berîvan Şengalî from Rojnews, Shengal Executive Council Co-Chair Riham Hesen evaluated the current situation in Iraq, the Iraqi army's attacks on Shengal Defense Forces and Turkey's cross-border attacks.

 

ATTACKS ARE NOT INDEPENDENT FROM EACH OTHER

 

Pointing out that the attacks against the Federated Kurdistan Region and Shengal are not independent from each other, Hesen said, “They are trying to implement the October 9 agreement. The Turkish state is attacking Mosul just as it is attacking Southern Kurdistan. It is attacking Shengal again. Their aim is not just to target Shengal. Their main goal is to fulfill the Treaty of Lausanne. They want to occupy these lands. But the people have realized the aim of their plans, they do not accept it and do not give into them. The silence of the Iraqi government is very surprising. The goal of the KDP and the Turkish state is to re-establish Ottoman domination in Iraq. But turmoil continues in Iraq. The Iraqi government has not yet been formed. The Turkish government evaluates these opportunities and wants to annex these lands. The Turkish state is benefitting the tension in Iraq and the Iraqi government for its own interests." 

 

THE SILENCE OF IRAQ

 

Criticizing Iraq's silence, Hesen said, "Iraq's silence stems from its internal divisions. A government has not yet been formed. Since the elections, a government could not be formed due to the pressure and attacks of the Turkish state. They are one of the reasons why the government was not formed. The Turkish state wants Iraq to be involved and not be a strong state. The current crisis is in the interest of the Turkish state.” 

 

ISIS WAS DEFEATED IN SHENGAL

 

Reminding the ISIS attacks on Shengal on August 3, 2014, Hesen said, “In 2014, ISIS attacked our Yazidi people, attacked Shengal. At that time, Shengal was defended by PKK guerrillas, and it was them who came to the aid of the Yazidi people from the border line. After them, the will of Shengal was established, forces such as YBŞ-YJŞ and Êzidxan public order were established, and a great resistance emerged. Blood was shed all over Shengal and a great price was paid. Shengal was liberated with our blood. Shengal is also a part of Iraq, but the Iraqi army did not take responsibility for these lands and these people. The struggle for the liberation of Shengal at that time is a historical process that Iraq should be proud of. If there was no resistance in Shengal, if Shengal had been successfully attacked by ISIS mercenaries, Mosul and other regions would have been in danger as well. However, ISIS was defeated in Shengal.” 

 

THE SOLUTION IS DEMOCRATIC AUTONOMY

 

Emphasizing that the solution to the war is democratic autonomy, Hesen said, “As the Shengal Democratic Autonomous Council, we have repeatedly stated that our current proposal is democratic autonomy. With this project, all the problems in Shengal will be resolved, and the Yazidi people will regain their rights in security, culture and all other fields. This project is against neither the reality of the Iraqi state nor the Iraqi constitution. The Iraqi constitution also states that each nation can govern itself. They call it federalism, but they don't want it to be implemented in practice. But we, as the Shengal Autonomous Administration, are determined to resist until the end. We will continue our struggle until the autonomy project is victorious.

 

'OCCUPATION SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED'

 

Expressing that Yazidis have lived through 74 massacres, Hesen said, “The Iraqi government has so far not helped this project to be realized and the democratic autonomy of Shengal to be implemented. 7 years have passed. The Yazidi people went through massacres. The Iraqi state wants to destroy the existing will by increasing the pressure instead of helping the people. Our promise as the Autonomous Administration is clear. We are determined to fight until the autonomy of Shengal is realized and we will continue to fight until we fulfill our promise. This project will take a long time. We will resist and work as hard as we can. On this basis, we call on all political parties not to accept these invasions. With the invasion of Iraq, they will try to re-implement their fascist dictatorship in Iraq. They should not accept the Turks and their occupation. Everyone who feels responsible should fulfill their responsibilities, taking into account our achievements and history, and the Turkish state should not be allowed to invade Iraq."

 

(ss/gçö)