Եզդիների Ցեղասպանությունը Օսմանյան Կայսրությունում 1915-1918

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

Aziz  Tamoyan

Doctor-Professor of national history

and theology,

The President of the

National Unity of Yezidis 

of the World

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.

2007 Yezidi Genocide by kurds in Irak

2007 Yezidi Genocide in Mosul

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.

Posted in: Aziz Tamoyan,Ezdi,Ezidi history,iraqs yezidis,Khdr hajoyan,yezdi,yezidi genocide,Ազիզ Թամոյան,ցեղասպանություն