A Yazidi girl saw her ISIS rapist roaming the streets of Germany, evading justice. Meanwhile, thousands of displaced Yazidis continue to live in refugee camps far from their homes, and the fate of about 2,000 Yazidis remains unknown. Sinjar, on the other hand, is struggling on a long road to stability, reconstruction, and development.
A decade after the catastrophe, this situation highlights the slow progress in transitional justice and the recognition of the rights of a peaceful and indigenous Iraqi community.
It serves as an urgent reminder for us all to take serious and effective action to address the situation. We must unite to do the right thing, and it is unacceptable to neglect the needs of the Yazidi people in Sinjar.
On the tenth anniversary of the Yazidi genocide in Sinjar, we remember with sorrow the tragic events that caused thousands of Yazidi deaths, enslavement, and the abduction of women and children. On this day, ISIS occupied Sinjar and committed horrific crimes that shocked the world.
The terrorists aimed to erase the Yazidis, but the resilience of our people, the sacrifices of our security forces, and international support thwarted their plans. These extremists used a distorted interpretation of religious and human values, rooted in racism and criminality, that resurfaces in societies lagging in progress and modernity, oppressing those who are different or weaker.
We must not forget that this crime occurred amid the complicity of certain forces and states with terrorism and extremism, as well as the failure and negligence of the security apparatus and state in those areas. Their failure to defend Yazidi villages, even minimally, during the ISIS attack left unarmed civilians, including women, girls, and children, to face the brutal invaders alone.
This anniversary serves as a reminder of past failings and the ongoing challenges faced by the Yazidis. It also highlights the need for a prosperous future based on our actions today. The Yazidis deserve lasting peace, stability, and equal opportunities to rebuild their lives, communities, and future.
The scale of this tragedy, witnessed by the world, compelled me and many activists and humanitarian organizations to address some of these wounds during and after my tenure as President of Iraq. The horrific crime, involving the abduction and brutal treatment of Yazidi girls, demanded urgent action.
We passed the Yazidi Survivors Law, which also includes Sebek, Turkmen, and Christian victims. The law provides compensation, psychological and social rehabilitation, housing, education, employment opportunities, recognition of the genocide, prosecution of the perpetrators, search for the missing, and a national day of remembrance on August 3 each year.
No compensation or recognition can fully make up for the suffering of the Yazidi community. We hope this is just the beginning of a process that goes beyond Iraq's state compensation. It's a moral duty to our people.
We also call for serious international action. Those who supported ISIS should be held accountable and required to compensate the victims, particularly the Yazidis who endured immense suffering.
A decade after the tragedy, it is essential to address political, administrative, and security obstacles preventing justice for the victims’ families.
We need to quickly organize administration in Sinjar, ensure constitutional and legal protections for Yazidis, and enhance security and stability in their regions. This includes providing essential services and supporting the return of displaced persons to their homes, with voluntary returns already beginning.
We also urge support for international efforts to investigate and document ISIS crimes, including uncovering mass graves with hundreds of victims. We commend the UN Investigative Team (UNITAD) for their work in holding ISIS accountable.
We commend the important decision to grant Yazidis in Sinjar ownership of their homes, which they were denied for decades due to oppressive policies.
The needs of the victims and their families should be prioritized over political concerns. We must unite to support Yazidis and all ISIS victims. It is unacceptable to delay or ignore their needs.
Yazidis are a vital part of our land's cultural diversity. We remember the tragedies faced by our people, including the victims of mass graves, the Anfal campaign, the chemical bombing in Halabja, and other acts of terrorism, as we honor the fight for freedom and democracy.
We must all agree on the need for justice for the victims and support their return to their homes. Implementing security measures to protect our citizens is essential. We cannot allow ISIS or similar groups to terrorize and harm our people.
As we reflect on this painful anniversary, we recognize that ISIS ideology still poses a serious threat. We need to challenge extremist distortions within our religious institutions and uphold a civil state that respects diversity and rejects using religion for political gain.
Religion should not be used by politicians to further their own agendas. The Iraqi Constitution is designed for a democratic and civil state that respects the diversity of its people and values all religions.
Despite ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, the harsh reality is that the situation remains dire. In Syria, extremist groups numbering over 20,000 pose a significant threat, while the dangerous challenge of the al-Hol camp, housing tens of thousands, represents an urgent security issue that cannot be ignored.
ISIS and its variants are far from finished, and we must prepare for a serious and challenging situation, especially given the complex and volatile regional landscape filled with conflicts and rivalries.
The region must take urgent action. Recent terrorist attacks by ISIS in Russia and Iran, along with ongoing armed clashes with ISIS remnants in Iraq, serve as a warning that demands regional and international mobilization to prevent a looming security catastrophe.
We need to learn from these lessons in Iraq. Achieving success in these efforts is a national and humanitarian obligation, crucial to preventing a repeat of the tragedies that have afflicted Iraq and the region over the past five decades due to the collapse of the regional system.
This has turned the Middle East into a crisis zone impacting global peace and security. We must establish a cooperative regional framework—political, security, and economic—to address contemporary challenges. The people of the region are eager to break free from this cycle and join the global community.
