Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – In a speech, marking the third anniversary of ISIS attack on Shingal, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, stressed that the Kurdistan Regional Government will intensify efforts to provide security and support to ensure a better future for the people of Shingal.

Regarding the Yezidi Kurds abducted by ISIS, he said that his office has actively worked “to help liberate more than 3,000 mothers, sisters and brothers of our Yezidi community who were taken as captive by Daesh. Until now, from a total of 6,417 taken away by force, 3,092 have been liberated”.

Regarding the relations with Iraq’s Federal Government, Prime Minister Barzani said, “We have tried all options with Iraq. Our past experiences have taken us to a point where no hope is left for securing our rights and protecting our people.”

He stressed that it is for this reason that “in order to preserve our security and coexistence, we all should demonstrate the future we long for to the world, through a referendum for self-determination.”

He stressed that “the referendum is not an aim, but an important step to independence. We hope to resolve these matters through dialogue with Baghdad.”

Below is the text of Prime Minister Barzani's speech:

Good morning

Dear distinguished guests,

I would like to warmly welcome everyone. Especially, I would like to welcome the official representatives of foreign countries who are present here today. I and on behalf of the Kurdistan Regional Government would like to warmly welcome you and thank you for your efforts to come all the way from Erbil to participate in this occasion here in Duhok. Undoubtedly, your participation means showing sympathy for our people and for the catastrophe that our people suffered.

Today, I would like to talk about a subject that is very sensitive and has brought deep grief to us all - the genocide and abduction of a large number of mothers, girls, and children of our beloved Shingal on August 3rd 2014, three years ago today.

Today, I would like to inform you that after three years the Kurdistan Regional Government continues to deeply feel the severity of the atrocities committed against the people of Kurdistan in general and against the Yezidis in particular. The KRG seeks to mitigate the adverse impact of such crimes on our beloved Yezidi community.

The attack of the terrorist group Daesh (ISIS) that we witnessed surpassed all boundaries of brutality. The worsening situation that led to the attack is not well understood by our people. The attack of August 3rd 2014 was a tragedy that occurred due to many factors that enabled the brutality of Daesh. Today, after this tragedy and after the liberation of Shingal at the hands of the brave Peshmerga under the leadership of President Barzani, we all should proactively work to rebuild trust, close the chapter of Daesh, and welcome a new chapter of reconstruction and coexistence in Kurdistan and especially in Shingal.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We know our defense system was not as strong as it should have been. We sensed that vulnerability with the rise of the terrorist group Al-Qaida even before the rise of Daesh. We tried to acquire military weapons and strengthen our defense system. Such attempts were made covertly. All our attempts, however, were obstructed due to international political factors that prevented us from having effective, sophisticated weapons to protect our own homeland.

We all know that security and combatting terrorism in Nineveh province were the responsibility of the security forces of Iraq. They had a wide variety of modern weapons. But tragically, five divisions of the Iraqi military suddenly changed from military uniforms to civilian clothes and fled the province leaving large quantities of modern weapons and ammunition for Daesh to use in attacking the Kurdistan Region, the Nineveh plain, and particularly our beloved Shingal. The people of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq suffered greatly because of the retreat and surrender of Iraqi military forces.

When terrorists with substantial quantities of modern weapons seized from the Iraqi military attacked Shingal they were much better equipped than us. With outdated weaponry, there was little the Peshmerga could do to protect Shingal.

When Daesh headed towards Baghdad and southern Iraq, Iraqi military forces continued to collapse. The Iraqi military with substantial modern weaponry and defense systems could not stop the Daesh attack. But the Peshmerga did stop them.

When Daesh directed its focus toward Shingal, no immediate support was provided to the Peshmerga forces to strengthen their military capabilities in order to withstand Daesh’s superior weaponry. Territory under Daesh control was constantly growing. At the time of the August 3rd 2014 attack Daesh controlled over 49 percent of Syrian territory and 50 percent of Iraqi territory. Its forces included many with military experience.

The rapid growth of Daesh and expansion of its controlled areas at a very fast pace, combined with the negligence of Iraqi military forces, and outdated weaponry of the Peshmerga compared to Daesh’s modern weaponry, led to Peshmerga defensive efforts being ineffective. The last resort for the people of Shingal and the Peshmerga was Shingal Mountain. Regrettably, many from Shingal were killed or taken captive - our Yezidi sisters and brothers. A number of fighters from the area and Peshmerga were martyred.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The crime that Daesh committed against our Yezidi sisters and brothers is no doubt genocide. This appalling crime against Yezidis has shaken the conscience of the entire world. It has become another deep wound in the persecution of the Yezidi community and all people of Kurdistan. The pain and suffering faced by Yezidis is a very sad tragedy that I deeply regret we were unable to prevent.
As we commemorate the 3rd of August we can never forget the striking reality that in this 21st century crimes of genocide, abduction, and slavery were committed against our Yezidi mothers and daughters.

The people of Kurdistan have been fearing the repeat of horrors of the past. In 2003, Baghdad promised many things, saying that what happened to Kurdistan in the past would not be repeated. But, unfortunately, for the 74th time our cherish Yezidi community faced massacre. Because of repeated atrocities and genocide, the decision was made to hold the referendum. The people of Kurdistan will express their self-determination in a peaceful and democratic way so they may better defend themselves and prosper. Experience since 2003 clearly indicates that Baghdad neither has the will nor the capacity to protect us, nor does it want us to develop.

We have tried various agreements with Iraq in the past, but unfortunately, they ended in destruction and genocide. Recently, the Iraqi government neither armed our Peshmerga forces nor did it treat them as part of the Iraqi defense system.

The Iraqi Government was not ready to treat Peshmerga forces as equal to the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). With all due respect to the PMUs and their sacrifices in the war against Daesh, the Peshmerga forces are recognized as part of the Iraqi defense system in the Iraq Constitution, but the PMUs are not. A law has been enacted to provide official government support to the PMUs.

We do not speak against the PMU, but while the Peshmerga and PMU both have been fighting the same war against the same enemy and the Peshmerga have also given sacrifices and martyrs, the Iraqi Government passes a law to recognize and provide every support to the PMUs. Further, it does not even recognize that there is a force called “Peshmerga” that fought and gave sacrifices in the same fight as PMUs against the same enemy.

These are our wounds with Baghdad. These are the things that our people do not want repeated. These things create a sense of hopelessness where we cannot believe again that Baghdad would want to resolve this issue or hundreds of other issues that I can name that are related to our people.

After the fall of the Baath regime in center-south Iraq, organized persecution began against Yezidis, Christians, and Mandaeans. In a one act of terror in Mosul City, 40 Yezidis were slaughtered. Numerous incidents of religious cleansing by Shias and Sunnis has made Iraq a pool of blood. In that pool of blood, the people of Kurdistan have protected their ethnic and religious coexistence and they also tried to end the worsening situation in Iraq. But despite the forbearance of all Kurdistanis, the situation has gotten worse and worse and the situation resulted in the rise of Daesh. We became a victim of a genocide perpetrated by this terrorist organization, the rise of which was the consequence of a failed policy that was implemented by Baghdad after 2003.

Now, I have to say that unfortunately we have become completely hopeless. We have tried all options with Iraq. Our past experiences have taken us to a point where no hope is left for securing our rights and protecting our people.

For this reason, in order to preserve our security and coexistence, we all should demonstrate the future we long for to the world, through a referendum for self-determination. We should make our future and fate a legal and moral responsibility for the entire world and for the international community.

The voice of the people of Shingal who are the victims of genocide is very important because it is the voice of pain, sorrow, persecution, and genocide of our people. It’s the call of our people to escape from slavery and human trafficking.

I would like to say that the referendum is not an aim, but it is an important step to independence. We hope to resolve these matters through dialogue with Baghdad.

Dear Attendants,

After the tragic catastrophe of Shingal, we have taken numerous steps. The Office of the Prime Minister has tirelessly and actively worked hard to help liberate more than 3,000 mothers, sisters and brothers of our Yezidi community who were taken as captive by Daesh. Until now, from a total of 6,417 taken away by force, 3,092 have been liberated. Here, I would like to warmly thank and commend the team responsible for liberating Yezidi captives. They worked day and night and tried their utmost to liberate as many captives as possible from the hands of Daesh. I would like to thank the security agencies for their continuous support and contribution to the success of these efforts. Also, I would like to thank the governorates of Duhok and Erbil for their support and facilitation they offered and I thank the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs that was supportive also in this matter.

As we all have seen, the liberation of Shingal, which was the top priority of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s strategy, became the start of the decline for Daesh in all Iraq. Also, the liberation of Shingal was the main priority for President Barzani. The President himself was greatly concerned and he was grieved for what the Yezidi sisters and brothers have faced. He planned the liberation of the city and directly commanded the military in the field until he declared the historic victory of the liberation of Shingal. I applaud the Peshmerga and those who participated in that operation and made sure it was executed successfully.

Dear attendants,

We have built many camps all over Duhok. The number of refugees and internally displaced persons in Duhok has surpassed the number of local people living in the province. Yet the people of Duhok have welcomed their Yezidi sisters and brothers with open arms. They have allocated their public places such as schools and mosques for them to live in. Their stance shall not be forgotten and it deserves respect and applause.

After three years, we remind ourselves and we thank everyone of them. During those very difficult times, they weren’t the least reluctant in providing support. And, I thank the governor of Duhok, it was indeed a challenging experience for him after assuming his post. The effective management he provided on this matter should be applauded.

Despite the financial crisis, we made efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, but none of that can erase the brutal crime perpetrated by Daesh. We will continue our support. In the phase of reconstruction, we will make sure that Shingal and other areas will be rebuilt in the best way possible so the people could resume their livelihood better than before. We at all times should protect the coexistence in Kurdistan among Muslims, Yezidis, Christians, Turkmens, Shias, Sunnis and Mandaeans. We shall never allow enemies to say that we cannot live together in peace.

The Kurdistan Regional Government is considering various methods of providing a better future for the people of Shingal. In general, the KRG advocates giving more power to local authorities. For this reason, we totally believe Shingal should become a city within the Kurdistan Region so that the people of Shingal could run their own affairs, with the support of the government in preserving their security.

This is the policy of Kurdistan Regional Government and it will seriously support it. It is our responsibility to provide help and support to the people of Shingal in general and, in particular, to our beloved Yezidi sisters and brothers so they can rebuild their home and regain confidence to return back to their community. Let them have the confidence in returning to their homes and we promise that we will do our best for them, so that there will be tranquility and peace in the area and we will witness a free and happy Shingal in the future.

We in the KRG will intensify our efforts to provide security and support for the victims of terrorism. Prior to attending this ceremony, I sat with some survivors who were freed from Daesh and they are present here, I promised them that the government’s support for them will continue. We shall do the same for the Yezidis, Christians, and families of Peshmerga martyrs and wounded Peshmerga from the fight against Daesh that began on the 3rd of August 2014.

I am here with you today to express my sympathy with all Yezidi families whom their beloved ones became victims of the crimes of Daesh, especially the women and girls who were treated in a most inhuman and brutal way. It is our duty as the KRG, and it is the international community’s duty as well, to support those who are liberated from the hands of Daesh.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Everybody knows the KRG is under heavy financial strain due to many reasons, such as the war against Daesh, the unjust decision from Baghdad to cut Kurdistan Region’s share of budget, the influx of refugees and IDPs to the Region and the fall of crude oil prices along with other long outstanding issues. Despite all these, one of the priorities of KRG and the international community is to provide sympathy and a better life for Yezidis liberated from Daesh. We hope the international community will contribute in helping the rescued victims of Shingal.

At this time when the economy of Kurdistan Region is gradually showing signs of recovery, the KRG will seek to provide better services and improve the economy of areas devastated by Daesh, especially the areas inhabited by Yezidis that have been damaged physically and psychologically.

I have known Yezidis all my life, I know they are a peace-loving community and they seek nothing more than a quiet and stable life for their children. The KRG will do what it can to provide support and assistance in the process of healing their wounds and building a better future.

In conclusion, today on the 3rd of August I urge all people of Kurdistan, with all their religious beliefs, and ethnic and political backgrounds to show their support and respect to our Yezidi sister and brother. We must mend the broken heart of the Yezidi community with love, positive attitudes, and good actions so we can boost their morale, provide services to them, and help resolve their issues.

Thank you.