#DoNotForgetUs

This month marks the 5th anniversary of the Yazidi massacre in Iraq when ISIS militants took control of the country’s Northwest Territory. Fr. Thomas Smolich, International Director for the Jesuit Refugee Service, tells EWTN News Nightly why JRS decided to launch the #DoNotForgetUs campaign to help the religious minority in Iraq.

Most Yazidis feel that they have been forgotten. Five years after the genocide, hundreds of thousands of Yazidis currently live in displacement camps or informal settlements scattered across Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region, particularly in Duhok governorate. They are exposed to extreme weather conditions, and the challenges of inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure continue to persist.

JRS is sharing the stories of the survivors so that their voices may be heard. In the #DoNotForgetUs campaign, we hear of what was done to the Yazidi people through the stories of Layla, Najah, Bahar, and others, and we learn of their fears and hopes for the future.

“At JRS, we call on the international community to guarantee the security of the Yazidi people, and to provide support for reconstruction, inclusion, and sustainability in Sinjar. Local authorities are urged to implement dignified medium-term solutions for those with no immediate prospect of voluntary return.”

Join JRS in standing with the Yazidi people and sharing their stories. Do not forget them.

To read more about the campaign and the full statement follow this link

Source: jrs.net