SUBJECT: Urgent action needed to support the displaced Yazidi community.

Dear [insert Politician’s Name],

As a voting member of your electorate, I am writing to you with deep concern and urgency regarding the plight of displaced Yazidi families and the need for immediate action from the Australian Government to uphold its humanitarian responsibilities.

In August 2014, the Yazidi community faced a devastating atrocity, when they faced genocide at the hands of so-called ISIS. Thousands of Yazidis were killed, 400,000 were displaced, over 7,000 women and children were captured and subjected to sexual slavery, and more than 3,000 are likely still enslaved, their whereabouts unknown. Boys were forcibly recruited as soldiers, and many remain missing.

It is now over a decade later and the situation remains dire. The vast majority of people displaced in 2014 have still not been resettled. 

Those who are still internally displaced in Iraq continue to face persecution, with regular reports of ongoing insecurity for and discrimination against Yazidis. This, in a context where Iraqi authorities are clearly unable or unwilling to provide protection for this minority community.

Displaced Yazidis in Turkey, are living in extremely vulnerable conditions. They face severe marginalization and discrimination, including restricted access to essential services, informal and exploitative work conditions, and additionally many women face sexual and gender based violence, enabled by a lack of effective protection. There are also increasing reports of forced deportations of Yazidis back to Iraq.

Without concerted efforts for change, justice and accountability, history repeats itself. The 2014 genocide is not an isolated incident; as an ethnic-religious minority, the Yazidi people have faced ongoing and systemic persecution throughout history, with 74 recorded genocides against them over the past 800 years. There remains an ongoing lack of justice and accountability for these crimes.

In particular, those responsible for the 2014 genocide have largely evaded justice, and neither Iraqi nor international law has provided adequate reparations or accountability. Consequently, the conditions that enabled the genocide remain unaddressed.

Moreover, current reports from Human Rights Watch and other credible sources highlight concerns that so-called ISIS members may now be released from Syrian prisons and return to Iraq, increasing insecurity factors and direct threats for Yazidis in the region.

Additionally, the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) which was established by the UN Security Council in 2017 to document serious crimes committed by ISIS in Iraq, was unfortunately disbanded in September 2024. This is likely to result in diminished regional pathways for justice and accountability.

Clearly the Yazidi genocide continues, putting all those who have been displaced for over a decade, at ongoing risk, with women and girls being particularly vulnerable.

Australia’s resettlement program has been a beacon of hope for many Yazidis over the past 10 years, but more urgent action is needed.

We are aware that many of the Yazidis who were displaced in 2014 and who have still not been resettled through international protection programs have taken it upon themselves to apply directly to the Australian Special Humanitarian Program, where their applications are currently pending acceptance and processing. Their ties to Australia are confirmed through their direct family or close extended family acting as application sponsors, and their eligibility for our national protection program could not be more clear.

Therefore, given the ongoing danger and the systemic failures in providing protection and justice, I am calling on the Australian Government to prioritize the resettlement applications from the Yazidi community. This aligns with Australia’s humanitarian commitments and our duty to protect those facing historical and ongoing violence, particularly gender based violence against Yazidi women and girls.

Today I am urging you personally to use your voice, your position and your influence, as my elected representative, to advocate for this issue. I urge you to be vocal about your constituent’s support for this cause, to encourage other members of your party to speak out, and to urge Tony Burke and the Department of Home Affairs to take decisive action towards urgent resettlement. Your swift action is crucial in preventing further harm and ensuring the safety and well-being of the Yazidi community.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I look forward to your prompt and compassionate response.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

 I include links to the following reports and articles as references of the details claimed above:

2024, UNITAD Final report

2024, Yazda Report: Ten Years After Genocide

2024, Pro Asyl: New report shows: Yazidis must not be deported to Iraq

2024, The New Humanitarian

2024, Human Rights Watch