Money Welcome But No Panacea for Iraq’s Yezidi Victims
On Tuesday this week, two days before international Women’s Day and almost four years after ISIS attacks led to the deaths and captivity of thousands of Yezidis in Sinjar, northern Iraq, Iraq’s government has reportedly ordered IQD 2 million (US$1,700) be paid to every Yezidi released from ISIS captivity. This is a positive step for the Yezidi […]Belkis Wille writes for Human Rights Watch:
On Tuesday this week, two days before international Women’s Day and almost four years after ISIS attacks led to the deaths and captivity of thousands of Yezidis in Sinjar, northern Iraq, Iraq’s government has reportedly ordered IQD 2 million (US$1,700) be paid to every Yezidi released from ISIS captivity.
This is a positive step for the Yezidi community. But the money will only go so far, and Yezidi women and girls still need more support to re-build their lives. The pay-out also does not address the hundreds of thousands of other victims of ISIS. A 2009 law allows for victims of “terrorism and military errors” to get compensation, but those who process the claims told me they have tens of thousands of cases piling up without enough staff, inspectors or finances available to meet demand.
