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The Yazidis:
Women walk slowly around in their sanctuary at Lalesh. Some have their children with them. They have been collected from the refugee camp to go to the Yazidis’ holy place, in the mountains of northern Iraq, some distance from Dohuk.
All are quiet to begin with, and everyone makes sure not to tread on the doorstep to the temple.
Their shoes have been left in the cars quite some distance away. After a while, their mood brightens. Lunch is biryani, chicken and rice with vegetables. Afterwards, the children start to play and laugh.
The women have experienced unspeakable things under during their IS captivity. They have been kept as sex slaves and have been tortured. They are called “survivors”.
NCA’s local partner, Yazda, arranges the trips to the temple. Pretty soon after escaping from their slavery, the survivors make their way here. The visit is a cleansing ritual after the horrors they have gone through.
They are accepted again by society afterwards. The priests say publicly that women are in no way responsible for the atrocities, and that society must accept them as they are: mothers, daughters and sisters.
On 28 November 2016, the World Council of Churches and Norwegian Church Aid are releasing a joint study, “Protection needs of minorities from Syria and Iraq,” in Oslo, Norway.
