NEWS CENTER - PADÊ Co-chair Hesen Heci, who was part of the Shengal delegation that made a series of visits to Iraq, stated that issues such as the recognition of the city's autonomy and the acceleration of returns came to the fore.

 

A delegation of Yazidi leaders and politicians in Shengal met with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed Halbusu on January 8 to 10. In the statements made about the meetings, it was stated that the problems in Shengal, the needs of the residents of the city, the return of the Yazidis and solution proposals were on the agenda.

 

After these meetings, on January 11, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani and his delegation held a series of meetings in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Barzani met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Sudani and demanded the implementation of the Shengal Agreement, which targets the gains of the Yazidis.

 

Hesen Heci, co-chair of the Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party (PADÊ), who was in the Shengal delegation, spoke about his contacts with Iraq.

 

THE ISSUES ON THE AGENDA 

 

Hecî stated that they held similar meetings in April of last year and that the problems of Shengal were also on the agenda at that time. Stating that the demands and needs determined as a result of discussions involving all structures in Shengal were reported, Heci said that they made a visit to Baghdad after the report was prepared. Hecî said, "We met with many officials and structures. We presented our decisions and demands that we made into a report to the authorities at these meetings. We were received in a positive manner. They stated that they would help Shengal until the end and that they would be in solidarity with Shengal. We talked about the administrative organization of Turkey. They also stated that they would present the report given to them to their undersecretaries and work on it item by item. They promised to cooperate with Shengal. They stated that they would take initiatives and efforts to solve the problems."

 

AUTONOMY OF SHENGAL

 

Stating that they were promised some things about the autonomy of Shengal, Hecî emphasised that the they will continue to hold talks in this regard. Hecî said: "We presented the report we prepared for the recognition of Shengal's autonomy. Shengal was indeed forgotten during the Kazimi (Former Prime Minister) period. Therefore, we thought it a responsibility to inform the demands and rights of Shengal to this newly formed administration. They did not refuse and said that they would support the new government and that they were ready for it." 

 

'THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT ENTER INTO ACTION'

 

Stating that the goods and properties belonging to the Êzidîs were also on the agenda, Hecî said: "We demanded that the properties belonging to the Êzidîs be deed on them. They stated that they are ready to fulfill the demands of Shengal. The October 9 Shengal Agreement was also discussed. We don't do anything outside of their will. They are also entitled to these rights and have paid a great price for these rights. We can't do this to them.  The 9 October Agreement has no meaning at the moment. They reminded that the agreement was made during Kazimi's time and stated that it would not enter into force. We do not believe that this agreement will be implemented. Shengal Autonomous Administration has not accepted this agreement since the first day and is against it."

 

DEMAND FOR 'AUTNOMOUS SHENGAL'

  

Hecî said that they also met with the Minister of Justice and continued as follows: "He accepted a few of the articles in our list. He said that they would support the people of Shengal who want to return to Shengal until the end. Several institutions affiliated to the Ministry of Justice will be opened in Shengal and that these institutions will be at the service of Shengal. What we want is the acceptance of our demands, which we declared in the reports. We want these demands to be put into practice not only on paper, but also in practice. We will wait for the results of these negotiations. We will wait for the results of Shengal's demands in every meeting we hold. We did not want anything more or less then what we said at the first place. Our demands are the right of Shengal. The demand of the people of Shengal is the recognition of Autonomous Shengal. Their demand is that they have their own power. We will continue our struggle until these demands are met."