DeFacto Agency, Armenia
March 24 2008

GENOCIDE OF YEZIDI PEOPLE IN OSMANIAN TURKEY CARRIED OUT IN 1915-1918

Bill of complaint
To the U. N.,
European Union,
European Council,
U. S. President
President of the Russian Federation
U. K. PM
Federal Chancellor of Germany
President of France
President of Turkey
President of Iraq
In 1915-1918 the upper circles of the Osmanian Empire, taking
advantage of the conditions of the World War, organized and realized
the genocide of Turkey’s national minorities. During a few years the
Osmanian Empire actually completely slaughtered the native peoples of
the country: Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks. Nowadays the world is
aware of numerous facts and details of these terrible atrocities
committed by Turkey’s authorities endowed with state power.
The world’s most progressive countries condemned the Armenian
Genocide in the Osmanian Empire on the state level and mark mournful
data of the Genocide’s beginning together with Armenians, Greeks and
Assyrians.
However, Yezidis, a distinctive and native nation on the territory of
the Osmanian Empire, are actually never mentioned in this sorrowful
list of peoples destroyed by Turks. Meanwhile, even an incomplete
list of settlements of Yezdistan (a territory in the north of Iraq),
where Turkish vandals slaughtered Yezidis, is quite and quite
impressive. According to the territorial regions, the picture of
those killed is as follows:
1. Iraq, the territory of Yezdistan, Sinjar, Sinoun, Gobal, Dgour,
Gali Ali Bage, Dhok, Zorava, Karse and Bare, Siba, Tlizer, Tlzafe,
Khrbade Kavala, Grzark, Rmbousi, Sharok, Tlkazab, Tlbanta, Kocho,
Khotmi, Mosoul, Rndavan, Amadia. Over 200,000 Yezidis were
slaughtered in the above-mentioned settlements.
2. Western Armenia, Van province: about 100,000 Yezidis were killed
in the Khanasori field and surrounding villages: Avagh, Akhourik,
Angouzak, Anzava, Ajali, Srchak, Begrib, Havasi, Bejarmo, Bertis,
Giadin, Gondurma, Zeva, Derjamada Zherin, Derjamada Zhorin, Duavan,
Ghndi, Erjis (Archesh), Tondurak, Khachan, Khojaghshlagh, Khasamiajn,
Kujapnar, Karakale, Kirato, Kolzot, Kjucheq qej, Mervane, Mollahasan,
Muchs, Muradin, Jarmka, Noshar, Shahmanis, Sherefkhane, Shikefti,
Chaldran, Chragh, Chibukhchlu, Pshikumbat, Janik, Saraj, Simar
(Timar), Uste, Orene, etc. About 100,000 Yezidis were killed.
3. Moush province (Kavane qere), the provinces of Avakhe, Diarbeqir
(Dashta Bsheri), Mardini Khazalie (Kharza), Jgire. Azka Zherin, Azka
Zhorin, Alka, Bazidane, Basmute, Bakhms, Berkle, Galie Zilan, Geduke,
Dusha, Ered, Zakhorae, Zeik, Zerine, Khnus, Kakharine, Kavrozje,
Koboldor, Korkhe, Tchneria, Yaduna, Yajre, Yasktiva, Majmunie, Shmze,
Shkavta, Jnaskar, Rame, Frkira, etc. About 60, 000 Yezidis were
killed.
4. Erzroum province (Bayazet-Alashkert province), Ortla, Diadin, etc.
About 7,500 Yezidis were killed.
5. Kars province: about 5,000 Yezidis were killed in the Ozrlu
(Oghuzlu), Alajay canyon of the Kars province.
6. About 3,000 Yezidis were killed in the Kakizmani Kolpe (Koghb)
settlement of the Kaghzvan province, the region of Kars.
7. In Digor province, the region of Kars, other villages: Alashgr,
Alashkert, Amankoyi, Amanchayir, Aylasinjo, Aqar, Bayramqoum, Bajali,
Bashqedikver, Belihamed, Gogormas, Digor (Tekor), Douzgeli, Tokhubur,
Kharaba, Digor Khataba Tchibukhl, Kjundo, Hasanjan, Noka,
Shandrkhghli, Sousoul, Tashnika, Yezdika, Touzak, Ulikand, Pasharjik,
etc. 9, 000 Yezidis from about 70 villages were forcedly converted to
Islam.
8. The region of Sourmalu, Igdir province: Kharfalu, Alchalu,
Aslanlu, Bandamourad, Bash Sinak, Gli, Gyarmashve, Damskhan,
Zaribkhan, Zore, Khane, Khrbesor, Karakhtin, Karaku, Kutch,
Makhsudja, Majri, Shekheri, Sayiblakh, Taoushan, Tashkorpi, Kalo,
etc. About 10,000 Yezidis were killed.
9. In 1918, while crossing the Arpachai (Akhurian) and Arax rivers
about 4, 000 Yezidis drowned and starved to death.
10. The region of Aparan, Eastern Armenia: in the vicinity of the
villages of Alagyaz, Doundaghsaz, Ghuruboghaz and Jarjaris Yezidis
were killed by the bands of Kjandale bash and Navala ajale Kurd
Prince Tajo: in 1918 about 800 people were killed, only 19 of which
were from the family of Rashiteh Ayoy. 54 people were killed in the
village of Amre Taza (Posht) of the same region.
11. Kurd prince Tajo expelled about 600 people from other villages of
the same region to Turkey’s distant regions.
12. 24 people, one of which was a woman, were killed in the region of
Grasor, situated in the vicinity of the Shamiram village, Ashtarak
region, in 1918, within a day.
Thus, according to the total verified number about 500, 000 Yezidi
people were killed.
The Turkish historiographer Katib Tchelebi also informs that in
1915-1918 about 300,000 Yezidis were massacred on the territory of
the Osmanian Empire. However, according to verified data, those years
over 500,000 Yezidis were slaughtered by Turkish and Kurd barbarians,
and the fact has not been condemned by the progressive countries of
the world.
Naturally, it would be especially interesting for specialists to
learn in what settlements and how many Yezidis became the victims of
the Turkish state. So, before the World War I, according to reliable
sources, over 750,000 Yezidis were killed on the territory of the
Osmanian Empire, and over 500,000 of which were massacred and 250,000
more were forcedly deported and found shelter in:
1. Iraq, in the vicinity of Sinjar Mountain, Mousoul, Rndavan, the
village of Fakirs, Amadia, Dhok, the sacred place of Lalysh, Bashika,
Bahzan and other settlements – 100,000.
2. Turkey, in the provinces of Batman and Diarbeqir, 120,000.
3. Syria, in the settlement of El-Kamishli, 15,000.
4. Armenia, 12,500.
5. Georgia, 3,000.
The list of literature
1. Yezdikhana Monthly, 2004, number 8, 2005, number 1.
2. A. Goge `The Voice of Our Great-Great-Grandfathers’, Yerevan,
1997, in Yezidi.
3. A. Tamoyan `We are Yezidi’, Yerevan, 2001.
4. Yezdikhana Monthly, 2006, number 2.
Once again appealing to you, Yezidi people request and demand that
the crime committed against their people should be recognized.
Nowadays the Kurdish Yezidi people scattered by the whole territory
of Northern Asia and Near East require the reestablishment of justice
and recognition of events of 1915-1918 as Genocide. We are convinced
that the defiance of historic crimes against mankind will inevitably
result in a precedent for new crimes. Actually, it is already taking
place. In August and September of 2007 over a thousand of innocent
Yezidis, peaceful inhabitants of the region, were destroyed in the
north of Iraq, in historical Yezdistan.
We urge to restore historical justice and condemn the genocide of
Yezidi people, which took place in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1918.
We do not lay any territorial claim, but request that compensation
for damage caused to our people be appropriate.
Chair -Aziz TAMOYAN – Doctor-Professor of national history and
theology,
The President of the National Unity of Yezidis of the World
Contacts:
E-mail:
tamoyan@yandex.ru
Phone:
(+37491) 091 41 38 55
(+37491) 094 55 87 18
(+37491) 095 95 98 60