04/24/2020

Anniversary of the decision of the Yazidi Religious Council

The forgotten children of the genocide (Press Release)

Picture: Gisela Prieß

On April 27, 2019, the Yazidi Religious Council in Iraq decided on the fate of children born of rape by fighters of the so-called "Islamic State" (IS): Only the Yazidi mothers – but not the children – were allowed to return to the community. "On the occasion of the first anniversary of this decision, we would like to draw attention to the ongoing suffering of the Yazidi community. The community has experienced the unthinkable and is still waiting for justice," explained Lina Stotz, expert on minority groups and nationalities at the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP). On August 3, 2014, the IS committed genocide crimes against the Yazidi community: 6,000 Yazidi women and girls were abducted and forced into marriage, there were mass murders, and many people were forced to flee. As a result, many of the women became pregnant. This concerns hundreds of children.

The decision was made based on Iraqi laws, drawing on a radical interpretation of the Koran, on traditional provisions, and under the influence of severe traumata and lack of community rights in their home country. For the children, however, this decision is fatal. Women who are liberated from IS imprisonment and have children are forced to decide to either they keep their children or to be able to return to their Yazidi families. Thus, there are many stateless orphans with an uncertain future.

"It will only be possible to help these children born of rape by providing support for the entire Yazidi community," Stotz added, demanding the Iraqi government to help – as the Iraqi constitution is based on Islamic Sharia law, according to which the children born of rape are considered Muslims and are registered as such. Their Yazidi mothers are only allowed to keep their children if they convert to Islam themselves, since non-Muslims are not allowed to take care of "Islamic" children. This legislation is seen as one of the main reasons why the children are not accepted, thus supporting the genocidal intentions of IS.

In addition, hundreds of thousands of Yazidi refugees are still waiting to be able to return to their homes in northern Iraq. They have been living in refugee camps for over five years. The Iraqi government must ensure safety and promote reconstruction in the region so that they can return. The religious community is still a long way off from a life with equal rights and obligations.

According to Stotz, Germany has an obligation as well: the children and their mothers are in desperate need of humanitarian aid that is specially tailored to their needs. In addition, particularly needy children and their mothers should be brought to Germany for urgently needed psychological care, as this is impossible in their home country.

"Many children born of rape – for example in post-war Europe, Bosnia, and Rwanda – were and are confronted with exclusion and hatred. We hope that this will not happen again. We have to support the Yazidi community to ensure that these children have a future," Stotz emphasized.