Yazidis’ Struggle to Overcome Genocide

There was a huge public international interest at the beginning of the Genocide against Yazidis in Sinjar (Iraq) on 3 August 2014, committed by the so-called Islamic State. Photos and videos from thousands of terrified people who were surrounded by IS in Sinjar Mountain for seven days without any food and water in the hot summer, were spread in international mass and social media. People who could manage to, escaped in time from IS captivity, and witnessed awful crimes through enslavement. More than 6000 women and children were abused as home slaves and sex slaves; almost 3000 of them are still in captivity. Several thousand Yazidis, especially men, were killed in Sinjar, which counts more than 80 mass graves. Why is justice important for the Genocide against Yazidis? And, how do Yazidis struggle today for it? Will Yazidis be able to overcome trauma and genocide? What are the conditions for a community to overcome genocide? What are the challenges and changes of communities that experienced genocide in a digital age? In this talk, dr. Leyla Ferman will discuss these questions based on her fieldwork in Sinjar.