What About The Yazidis

William Schroeder

The Yazidis are an ethnic minority who live mainly in northern Iraq, populating around 500,000 in Iraq and less than 1 million worldwide. Their main language is Kurmanji Kurdish, and their religion is known as Yazidism. Their religion is based on many precepts that incorporate the ideas thought in Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam, and various other ancient religions of the area. In comparison to modern-day Abrahamic religions, they specifically stand out because they believe in reincarnation and praise the peacock angel. In August 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) invaded Yazidi homes, savagely killing many men, women, and children. Reportedly, 1500 Yazidis were killed within days of the arrival of ISIS to Yazidi homelands.^[1] Approximately 6,500 Yazidi women were enslaved and subsequently sold, beaten, and raped by ISIS soldiers and their families.^[2]

Although ISIS had a long-standing hatred of the Yazidis–believing that their religion was heresy–they also strategically attacked the Yazidi community for their women. ISIS had run into a dilemma that is common amongst soldiers in war, a lack of sexual expression for lack of better words.^[3] Being that prostitution was taboo even in the ISIS interpretation of Islam, there needed to be some sort of solution that would align with the beliefs perpetuated by the leader of ISIS, Al-Baghdadi. An extremist and also selective interpretation of hadiths (believed to be traditions and sayings within Islam by the Prophet Muhammad) was implemented in which the slavery of infidels (in this case, the Yazidi women) was permitted and even encouraged. It was thought that by the enslavement and subduing of the Yazidi women they would be brought closer to Islam and subsequent enlightenment towards heaven. According to their interpretation, the impregnation of Yazidi women by an ISIS member would also lead to the birth of a Muslim child. Systematically killing off what they saw as an evil religion.^[4]

Throughout their time in captivity, many women committed suicide. For many, these suicides were not based solely on the fear of being raped but rather the fear of being rejected by their community. At the time, any woman believed to have lost their virginity outside of marriage and especially outside of their Yazidi community were susceptible to being ostracized from their community; even if this sexual act was a rape.

As news of the sex trade that ISIS had created circulated, many people decided to try and help. People living outside of the caliphate came together and formed secret networks with those inside to build an underground railroad to help Yazidi women escape.^[5] These rescuers developed an intricate system where they would covertly have their contact information circulated throughout ISIS camps. Yazidi women would obtain this information, contact the rescuers, and try their best to give as much detail of their surroundings. The rescuers would then use this information to develop a way to rescue the women.

Once women were returned to their homes, the first thing they did was go to a Yazidi shrine and pray for forgiveness. The thought amongst many in the Yazidi community is that by being taken by ISIS, sexually assaulted, and forced to convert, that the Yazidi God could be mad at these women. They go to the shrine so that God does not turn “his” back on them. The biggest fear upon arrival has been being accepted by their community. As previously stated, even if it was because of rape, Yazidi women historically have still faced traumatic repercussions for being raped. It is seen within the Yazidi community as them committing adultery and turning their back on the Yazidi faith.

To lighten the burden on these traumatized women, Baba Sheikh, the Yazidi supreme leader, formally made a declaration that all Yazidi women returning from ISIS captivity should be welcomed reverently and wholeheartedly.^[6] Although this was a powerful and symbolic statement, many families still reject their returning women. That being said, there is still a large group of the community who have accepted their women back with an abundance of love. These women have been psychologically and physically scarred to the utmost extremes. A heartbreaking example is a girl named Jeelan (her name has been changed to protect her privacy). At nine years old, she was abducted by ISIS and held in captivity for two years. Jeelan is living in a Syrian orphanage; she has no recollection of her Yazidi family, does not know Kurmanji, and wishes to return to her captors, who she sees as her true family.^[7]

To date, there are approximately 2700 Yazidi women and children still missing.^[8] Advocacy is important, but the Yazidi community needs resources. The Yazidi community needs access to education and all of life’s basic essentials. As a collective, with the United States taking a lead role, the world should come together and help this resilient community to heal and to prosper.

 

 

 

^[1] Otten, Cathy. With Ash on Their Faces: Yezidi Women and the Islamic State. Toronto: Between the Lines, 2018. Pg.15

^[2] Otten, Cathy. With Ash on Their Faces: Yezidi Women and the Islamic State. Toronto: Between the Lines, 2018. Pg.15

^[3] Neurink, Judit. The Women of the Caliphate: Slaves, Mothers and Jihadi Brides, n.d. Pg. 23

^[4] “The Revival of Slavery Before the Hour.” Dabiq Online ISIS magazine, n.d. http://clarionproject.org/docs/islamic-state-isis-magazine-Issue-4-the-failed-crusade.pdf.

 

^[5] PBS. Public Broadcasting Service. Accessed November 29, 2019. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/escaping-isis/. 8:02

 

^[6] Graham-Harrison, Emma. “’I Was Sold Seven Times’: Yazidi Women Welcomed Back into the Faith.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, July 1, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/jul/01/i-was-sold-seven-times-yazidi-women-welcomed-back-into-the-faith.

 

^[7] Arraf, Jane. “’I Want to Go Back’: The Yazidi Girls Who Did Not Want to Be Rescued from Isis.” NPR, NPR, 19 June 2019, https://www.npr.org/2019/06/19/733729625/i-want-to-go-back-the-yazidi-girls-who-did-not-want-to-be-rescued-from-isis.

 

^[8] “Slaves of Isis: The Long Walk of the Yazidi Women.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 25 July 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/25/slaves-of-isis-the-long-walk-of-the-yazidi-women.