MP Vian Dakhil urges Iraqi intervention in response to threatened Yazidi deportations from Germany

BAGHDAD, October 22 — MP Vian Dakhil calls for urgent Iraqi foreign ministry intervention regarding the deportation of Yazidis from Germany.

A statement from Vian Dakhil’s office, received by 964 Network:

“Following the dark ISIS invasion of the Sinjar district and the Nineveh Plains in August 2014, around 350,000 Yazidis were displaced from their homes and sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region. Since then, over 100,000 Yazidis have migrated to various countries, including Europe, the United States, and Australia, with a significant number settling in Germany. The Yazidis will never forget the humanitarian support provided by the German government throughout this ongoing crisis.

Without a doubt, the Yazidi migration was not a voluntary choice for comfort or job opportunities, but rather a forced, urgent decision made to seek safety, security, and a more stable future for their families and children. According to unofficial sources, approximately 5,000 Yazidis are currently present in Germany, facing the threat of deportation to Iraq. This is extremely discouraging and painful because all of these migrants endured significant risks before reaching their destination in Germany.

We find it unjust to return them to Iraq, as the majority of their relatives still reside in the displacement camps in the Kurdistan Region. This is due to Baghdad’s complete inability to provide security and stability in Sinjar and its surrounding areas, despite having signed the Sinjar Agreement several years ago.

Given the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement’s repeated failures in several files, including the Yazidi issue, we urgently request the intervention of the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We urge the German government to consider the unique circumstances of the Yazidis who are subject to deportation, making exceptions for any decisions that may have been taken against them.

We also call on the German government to reconsider the application of these decisions against the Yazidis, who now consider Germany their safe haven. We acknowledge and respect Germany’s commitment to its sovereignty and laws that it deems suitable for its citizens.”