Iraqi Kurds must protect themselves as a state: Nechirvan Barzani

In a speech marking the third anniversary of the IS invasion of Shingal and the murder and abduction of thousands of Yezidis, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said that the Kurds have lost all hope in living with Iraq and that in order to live in peace and prevent the recurrence of similar tragedies they must decide their own future through a referendum.

“I say this, unfortunately, that we have no hope that Iraq could get better,” PM Barzani said at a ceremony held in Duhok. “We tried every way with Iraq but we have completely lost hope.”

“Our past experience with Iraq has led us to this conclusion that there is no way we could defend ourselves and our rights in Iraq,” Barzani added.

“Therefore, in order to maintain and protect our peace and coexistence we will have to show our ambitions to the whole world in a referendum.”

Barzani who said that the IS massacre of thousands of Yezidis in August 2014 was “without any doubt genocide” and that “The voice of Shingal in this referendum is very important because it is the voice of the Anfal genocide and the voice of the pains of our people.”

“It will be a call for freedom from subjugation and slavery.”

According to Rudaw he added: “And I must say that a referendum by itself is not our goal, it is a means, a tool to a bigger goal. And I hope we can solve all these through dialogue with Baghdad.”

The Kurdish Prime Minister said that the tragedy that befell the Yezidis three years ago is a pain and heartache to all Kurds.

“The KRG still feels the pain of what happened three years ago.” PM Barzani said. “The KRG will do its best to reduce the pain of what happened to our beloved Yezidis.”