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Yezidi Community in Europe
The Head Organisation of the Yezidi Associations in
EU Countries, with a charitable foundation (Yezidi
Unterstützungsverein e. V.) to support people in need.
________________________________________________
The Situation of the Yezidi Minority
A short report
Edited by
Dr. Mirza H. Dinnayi
Former Iraqi President’s Advisor for Minority Affairs
Coordinator of Yezidi Community in Europe
Phone: 0049-15110625620
Email: dinnayi@gmail.comAddress:

2.2. The Future Prospects for Yezidis in the New Iraq:
The new era after the collapse of the Saddam’s regime, have a significant impact on the
religious minorities. The future perspectives of Yezidis and another minorities in Iraq is
depending on the new Iraqi system, whether an Islamic law or a secular constitution will rule
the country. The religious minorities such as Yezidis, Christians, Jews, Kakai and Mandaer
are strongly depending on peace and process of human right situation in the country. As we
know, the processing of democracy and human rights in Iraq still faces a big danger. For the
performance of democracy in Iraq is not sufficient that only a majority governs, but first of all
the rights of the minorities must be secured and a new tyranny against them be prevented. In
particular, a uniform social conception of a public political Islamism is implemented in Iraq.
The rights of religious minorities and not-fundamentalist Muslims are in danger. Religious
institutions and Islamic Movements play a larger role than the instance human right
organizations or civilian-social institutions. Not only the Islamic parties regard their ideology,
as the correct one, but for the most Iraqi parties it is difficult after 35 years Baathistic
Dictatorship to back-put ideology in favour of a pragmatic democratic co-operation and to put
the goal “Democracy to learn”. These problems are intensified by the activities of
international terror organizations in Iraq, which try, to intensify intercultural and - religious
misunderstandings among different Iraqis and to rush the population into a civil war. Small
minorities as Yezidi would be completely pulled under such situation. Also democratic Iraqi
parties, including the Kurdish parties, gave no cause for the optimism so far for Yezidi. There
is no clear political recognition of Yezidi since the Iraqi opposition congress in London
(2002). The Yezidi and their political and social rights are further in crucial situation. If the
new Iraq is going to establish a really democratic state, so must be the rights of religious and
social minorities considered and saved.

2.3. Terror Attacks against Yezidi in Iraq:
The attacks against Yezidi were starting form radical Islamic groups (like Al-Qaide and other
Wahabistic groups in Mosul). These groups published “Fatwa”s several times against Yezidis.
They allowed and demanded to kill Yezidi people, because according to their views (Yazidis
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are “devil worshiper”). The fanatic Arabs in Mosul used these Fatwa’s against every Yezidi
who has a contact with Kurdish parties. Yezidis from Sinjar have excess to Mosul. They are
isolated in their villages, although they need to travel to the big cities. But the terrorists are on
the way. In the last two years we have recorded the killing of several hundreds Yezidi civilian
in the city Mosul. The background for all these attentate was because they were Yezidi. Many
radical “Mullas” und “Imams” in the Arab cities are trying to create an anti-Yezidi movement.
2.4. An Attack against Shaikhan:
Hundreds of Kurdish radical-Muslims attacked Shaikhan, the Yezidi city, on February 15,
where the Yezidi Prince and their leaders live. This happened with the help and support of
some radical Kurdish Muslim police officers in the city. The mass of terrorists destroyed and
burned the Yezidi temple (Mend), cultural centres, cars and shops. They shot aimlessly on the
houses and citizens and demanded the Yezidi people to leave their area and to immigrate.
They called for the holy war (Jihad) against Yezidi. The radical Muslims beheaded on the
next day a Yezidi woman, a mother of four children. The poor Yezidi in Shaikhan and
surrounding villages are locked up in their houses.
This was from the legal view an attempt of genocide (loud Article 6, and article 25 paragraphs
3F of the international penal law).
2.5. Pursuit and Murder of the Yezidi since 7th April 2007:
The radical terror groups used a sad event (murder of a woman because of the so-called
“honour killing”) to intensify an anti-yezidi movement among Muslims in Iraq.
The fact was that some bodies stoned on 7 April 2007 their young daughter in the presence of
many people, police because of “honour injury”. This criminal act was condemned by all
Yezidi personalities, religious leaders and communities in- & outside of Iraq.
The criminality was against peaceful philosophy of Yezidi religion, which forbids the killing
generally and forbids the “stoning” particularly. The most of Analyser think that this
criminality was planed by an actor outside of Yezidi society because it was the first time that
somebody has been stoned in the Yezidi society. Nevertheless some political actors promoted
a false propaganda, that the girl was converted to Islam. Therefore a terror group under the
name “Iraqi Islamic state” distributed a Fatwa against Yezidi, which calls for the murder of
Yezidi everywhere and anywhere.
The Consequences of these anti-yezidi movements were:
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1. 22. April 2007: (24) Yezidi workers in the city of Mosul were killed by a group of
gunmen. This terror attack was happened with the help of the general police office in
the city. The Police headquarters ordered all inspections (Check Points) to move from
the area of the scene. One of the Victims was 10 years old. Five of them were from
one family. This terror attack left (123) Orphans & Widows. One week later, two
Yezidi workers were killed again in Mosul near the check point of Mosul-Shaikhan
because of their Yezidi identity.
2. 23. April 2007: An anti-yezidi movement was intensifying at the University of Mosul.
(820) Yezidi students left their faculties. They have no chance more to return back to
study under current conditions. Also all Yezidi families left Mosul. They left their
houses and furniture.
3. Since 24. April 2007: This anti-yezidi wave became stronger in Kurdistan. Many
Yezidi workers left their jobs in Duhok, Erbil and Suleimaniya and returned back
home, where they have no jobs. Yezidi workers in Hotels and restaurants were
attacked in these cities from fanatic Muslims. Yezidi Students were attacked from
groups Muslim in Erbil last weeks.
4. Since January 2007: The terror groups don’t allow transporting of food ration from
Mosul to Sinjar. They say, Yezidis are unbeliever, so they have to die. The most of
Yezidi families in Sinjar didn’t become their food ration since four months. Nobody
wants to help.
5. At least: According to the media reports; more than 50 Yezidi persons were killed
since 7 April in different areas of province Mosul, only because of their identity.
2.6. Massacre against Yezidi in Sinjar on 8th August 2007
Four suicide truck bombers struck nearly simultaneously killing more than 400 people and
wounding 800 people in both yezidi villages Tel Ezeir and Sipa Shiekh Khidri (Kahtaniya &
Jazeera) in Northern of Iraq. The most of the victims were women and children. The
explosions destroyed 400 houses completely. More the 1km² areas of the town (Kahtaniya)
were extremely damaged.
More than 70 corpses are still now under the destroyed houses in the. Some families are
completely extinguished. Hundreds of survivors have no home; they have no water and no
food.
The Islamic terror organizations operated in the last 3 years many terror attacks against
Yezidi, only because they are not Muslim. Many civilians were killed, beheaded or stoned.
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The members of Yezidi minority are isolated in their region without support and in a very bad
and miserable situation.
The reasons of this Massacre:
This terror attack was the biggest attack in Iraq since 2003. More than 1 km² where destroyed.
The following statistic was documented after our visit to Sinjar in October 2007:
1. Number of victims: 311
2. Number of missed people: 70
3. Number of wounded people 800
4. Number of orphans who lost their parents: 33
5. Number of orphans who lost their fathers or mothers: 195
6. Number of completely damaged houses (90-100% damage) 375
7. Number of damaged houses (50-89% damage): 500
8. Number of damaged houses ( till 50 % damage): 650
9. Number of destroyed shops and offices: 90
2.7. Yezidi and the Hope of Change:
We hope with the assistant of all progressive and democratic countries in Europe, especially
democratic groups and parties, in guaranteeing our legal rights and ensuring that the followers
of all minorities should no longer be subjected to discrimination especially by religious
extremist Muslims. This success is an important indicator for the fulfilment of the
democratization in Iraq.
Yezidis demand that their religion should have equal rights like other religious groups of the
country. Furthermore, the Yezidian regions such as Sinjar, Sheikhan, Bashiqa and Bahzani
should be administrated by Yezidis themselves.
Yezidis appeal that they should be granted an independent post (Ministry) in the future Iraq
government which should become a ritual like the Christian and Turkmenian, as well as five
members in the Iraqi National Assembly.
They hope that Muslims and others who have a negative image about our religion to
understand our peaceful religion.
3. Situation of Yezidi in Syria:
Yezidi live in east Syria in both provinces Aleppo and Hassake. They suffer from double
discrimination due to their religious as well as their ethnical identities. The situation for them
is very strained; they live in areas which are extremely neglected. They could be attacked
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from the neighbour tribes at any time. Several Yezidi women were kidnapped and forced to
get marry with Muslims. They become no protection from the Syrian authorities if there is
any pursuit or conflict with other population groups. This discrimination is representing in all
visions of their life, i.e. Yezidi farmers can not sell their goods (milk, cheese, meat… etc.).
Muslims believe that the Yezidis are not God-worshipers, so it is not allowed to deal with
their farm products. The badly is, that such fanatic movements are going to be stronger and
harder.
This means that the daily conflicts with the neighbours have one reason: This minority is not
only a defenceless group but it is also a society whom life has very sceptic future
perspectives. Also the ethnical community is frequently ignored hereby. On the other hand it
is important to say, that there are also in this area persons and groups, who recognize the
identity of the Yezidi and achieve it as the origin of all Kurds, they use this argument
sometimes for their own purposes. But this “acceptance” in the Kurdish community is
unfortunately very weak according to the “non acceptance wave”.
The forms of persecuting of Yezidi are physical abusing, removal or destruction of
agricultural effective areas, robbery and theft of cattle and furniture as well as the kidnapping
of Yezidi girls. There are many examples for such tragedies.
Thousands of Yezidis like other Kurds are regarded as (homeless). They have no civil rights
in the country; therefore they can expect no assistance from authority and religious
institutions. Yezidis are forced to learn and practice Islamic law, differently than the
Christians in the region, who must not follow the religious requirements of Islam.
Since end of the seventies and beginning eighties leave Yezidis their region and migrate to
Europe, particularly into the Federal Republic of Germany. More than 50% of the Yezidi
population left Syria in the last 20 years.
The events of March 2004 in the Kurdish regions played a negative influence on the situation
of Yezidis also. A Yezidi young man was arrested and tortured up to death during his military
service. This makes the brutal reality, the Yezidis might be punished anytime and even they
have no role in the conflicts between Syrian government and Kurdish community. There are
many examples of such conflicts.
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4. Situation of Yezidi in the Turkey
The most of the experts reported about the bad situation of Yezidi in the Turkey. It is
important to say, that the Turkish authorities are still now against recognizing of Yezidis as an
independent religion. Their identity in the Turkey is written as (Unbeliever). There is no
registration of this religion. They were living under miserable conditions of non acceptance &
discrimination. The most of them are emigrated in the last 20 years because of persecuting,
war and permanent attacks. The population of Yezidis in the Turkey was decreasing from
30.000 in 1982 to less than 500 persons last year. Yezidi students have to learn Islam in the
schools.
5. Situation of Yezidi in Armenia & Georgia
Yezidi society is the greatest minority in Armenia. There are more the 250.000 Yezidis who
are originated from Armenia and Georgia. The community makes 2-4% of the population of
Armenia. The authors Alexanian & Liankevich wrote about the situation of Yezidis their:
The Yezidis, also known as Yezidi Kurds, are Armenia’s largest minority community.
Life is hard but generally they do not blame Armenians and have good relations with
them. Their main complaints are against the Armenian government.
Under the “Life ist hard” mean the authors:
Difficult social conditions have caused many to emigrate, especially to Russia, over
the last few years. Around fifty families have left the village of Zovuni in the Kotaik
region alone.
During land privatisation in 2002 many Yezidis lost their pastures and were unable to
press their case with the authorities.... The Yezidis have no representatives in the
government or parliament.
Also the future of Yezidis is very sceptic:
The future of Armenia’s Yezidis depends crucially on the next children keeping the
culture and language. Currently Armenia has no Yezidi schools or textbooks and all
education is done in Armenian. (Alexanian & Liankevich 2005)
The reports about the situation of human rights are also not positive. The report of US state
department 2006 explains:
There were reports that hazing of new conscripts was more severe for minority group
members such as Yezidis and Jehovah's Witnesses. Some Yezidi leaders reported that
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police and local authorities subjected their religious community to discrimination.
Other Yezidi leaders denied the allegations.
In Georgia live Yezidis meanly in the city „Tiflis“. The perspctives of life are not better.
Yezidi experts explain the bad situation in both countries with following points:
1. Yezidi society has no civil rights. There are no free Yezidi schools or
organisations.
2. The extrem nationalists and fanatics force Yezidi to migrate. At the same time
neglect the national authorities this discrimination. They participate with their
ignorance indirectly in persecuting of Yezidi community.
3. The bad social and economic situation of Yezidi forced them to migrate toward
USSR-Countries. Some of them are forced to convert their religion to become
economic supports from the missionary organisations.
6 Situation of Yezidi refugees Abroad:
6.1. Yezidis are escaping from Iraq:
The discrimination and pursuit of minorities, especially Yezidis, in the last three years are the
cause of a mass displacement of them, particularly after the last attack in Sinjar.
According to the statistics and documentation of our community:
1. There are more than 50.000 Yezidis who registered themselves in the UNHCR office
in Damascus. Some of them returned back to Iraq, another groups are still waiting in
Syria to migrate toward Europe.
2. There are now in the other neighbour countries like Turkey hundreds of Yezidi
families, who are escaping with deferent legal and illegal ways from Iraq to Europe.
The target of these people is to save their families from terrorists. These refuges are in
the most of the time victims of smugglers in Istanbul and in the other cities. For e.g. a
band of Turkish smugglers took more than 300 illegal refuges (280 persons were
Yezidis) by ship from Turkey to Greek. They left these people more than 10 days in
the see, without eating and drinking. According to our information, there is a floating
of Yezidis (about 500 persons monthly), who are travelling outside of Iraq.
6.2. Yezidi refugees in Germany:
The number of Yezidi people in Germany is about 60.000. The majority is coming from
Turkey. Iraqi Yezidis are about 20.000 persons, 2000 of them were coming in the last six
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months. The federal office of migration and refuges in Germany (Bundesamt für Migration
und Flüchtlinge) decided to accept Yezidis, Christians and Mandean as persecuted groups in
Iraq. It is enough for the German offices to be member of one of these groups in order to
become refugee according to the § 60 Paragraph no. 1-7 of the Accommodation’s Law
(Aufenthaltsgesetz, § 60 Abs. 1-7).
6.3. Yezidi refugees in Sweden:
The number of Yezidi people in Sweden is about 4000. Most of them came within the last two
years. There are more than 1500 Yezidis in Sweden who have not got the right to stay; they
are still waiting of recognizing them.
There is a hope that Swedish government and migration offices in Sweden recognize these
people and facilitate the process of granting them the right of asylum, in the same easy and
quick procedure that has been undertaken for Yezidis by Germany and other EU countries,
because they have no chance to return back to Iraq.

7 The Statement for our European Friends

These people in Iraq are in need of your help. And we hope that you can do something for
them. We ask for your solidarity and humanitarian support. We will be pleased if you give
these people a new chance to live in peace. There are now hundreds of orphans and poor
families, victims of the terror attacks. Most of them need urgent aid, nobody dose anything for
them. They are waiting of foreign help.
We will be very happy if you help us to rebuild these villages and to help the victims to be
treated. Our charitable foundation (Yezidi Unterstützungsverein e. V.) is now operating a
humanitarian campaign for the victims, but we are depended of any support especially from
Sweden and Germany.
To solve the problem of Yezidi minority in Iraq:
a) We ask for international assistance and solidarity with Yezidi and other minorities
in the Iraq.
b) We ask the European Union countries to exert more political pressure to change
this bad situation of Yezidi in Iraq. The non muslin minorities in Iraq, especially
Yezidi are in need of the international protection in order to live peacefully in their
country.
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c) We have a humanitarian project to support the victims of the terror attack in Sinjar,
especially children and women. The concept of this project (Help Centre for the
Orphans and Terror Victims) is to help the victims socially and psychologically. Our
centre in Sinjar is now supporting 50 Orphans and 30 families.
Our goal is to support all 228 Orphans and 100 helpless women, to be realized it
needs foreign donation
d) The Yezidi Community and its associations are interested to inform and explain the
danger of migration outside of Iraq. Our goal is not to move Yezidis from Iraq toward
Europe, but to find peace for them in their country.
This can be done through organizing workshops, seminars and newspaper and media
campaigns. The Yezidi Community is planning to start this campaign in April 2008.
We hope that Swedish government help us by this campaign. It is our interest and in
the interest EU Countries that this migration wave will be stopped.
e) We would like to start a campaign under the “Iraqi religions working for peace”.
Such project could educate the Iraqi people; Yezidis, Muslims, Christians and others
the culture of peace and culture of “Living together”. This project needs European
support.

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