What happened to the Yazidis living in northern Iraq by the “Islamic State” terrorist group was a genocide. Fatma Çelik who has worked with Yezidi families’ children sheltered in Diyarbakir was involved by Zan Foundation as a photographer. Her photo exhibition was recently opened in the “Cezayir” center in Istanbul and was dedicated to Yezidi families surviving the Genocide. The exhibition was also attended by President of “Zan” Foundation Namık Kemal Dinç, who informed “Aravot” that their organization conducts studies on the themes of the genocide of Armenians and Yezidis.
Ethnic Yezidi Fatma Çelik told “Aravot” that photographs depict Yezidi families miraculously escaping genocide and settled in Tigranakert (Diyarbakır). She has also collected stories about these people. The photographer said that it is difficult to give a definite answer as to who was to blame for the Genocide of the Yezidis. In her words, one thing, however, is clear “Such genocides happen in various parts of the world, in the case of Yezidis, the problem is religious, they do not want to accept Islam and they are forcibly converted, and those who do not agree, you know what happens to them.” Fatma mentioned that she is also aware of the Armenian Genocide, “We hear a lot about it in Diyarbakir. Unfortunately, I must note that it is the problem of the small ethnic groups throughout the world who are tried to forcibly exterminate from the world to create their hegemony.”
Gohar HAKOBYAN,
“Aravot”
