ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A delegation from Germany’s foreign ministry on Friday visited the Lalish Temple of Yazidis to study ways to implement German parliament’s recent resolution to recognize the Islamic State’s (ISIS) crimes against the ethnoreligious group as “genocide.”
German parliament last week recognized the ISIS crimes against Yazidis as “genocide.” The resolution by the Bundestag urges German courts to take more action against suspects involved in the crimes and to increase financial support for Yazidis.
Saud Msto, head of Yazidi affairs at Kurdistan Regional Government’s ministry of endowment, told Rudaw’s Naif Ramazan on Friday that the delegation visited Lalish Temple to implement 20 points in relation to its recognition of the “genocide.”
He added that the delegation is studying ways to implement the decisions given by Germany to support Yazidis in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
“Germany has done what it could to support the Kurdistan Region and IDPs from all ethnic and religious groups, especially the Yazidis,” said Msto.
Thousands of Yazidis fled their hometown of Shingal when ISIS attacked the district, mostly residing in the Kurdistan Region. Most of them have not returned due to insecurity and lack of basic services.
“Our main issue is how to return Yazidis to Shingal. We talked about this with them,” said the Yazidi representative. He called on Germany to pressure Baghdad to help the Yazidis return to their homes.
ISIS attacked Shingal in the summer of 2014, killing and kidnapping thousands of Yazidis. Over 2,000 remain missing, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Office for Rescuing Kidnapped Yazidis.
Germany has been an essential member of the global coalition against ISIS.
