Minister Mustafa invites Nadia Murad to meet KRG leadership

Minister Falah Mustafa on Friday met with Nadia Murad, the Ezidi-Kurdish young woman who was enslaved by ISIS and who was this month appointed UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. Minister Mustafa warmly welcomed Ms Murad who was accompanied by Murad Ismael, director of Yazda, a US-based Yezidi charity, and other members of the organization.

Minister Mustafa congratulated her on her appointment as Goodwill Ambassador. He said that her courage was exemplary and that she was the symbol of both Ezidi suffering and resilience and that at an international level, she had come to symbolize the Ezidi genocide. He stated that the Prime Minister and the entire Kurdistan Regional Government support her and are advocating for the genocide committed by ISIS against the Ezidis, Christians and others to be taken to the International Criminal Court. He reiterated that working together; the KRG, Ms Murad and Yazda could achieve more.

Minister Mustafa invited Ms Murad to meet the leadership in Kurdistan and to visit the camps and talk to others who have suffered as they will be inspired by her example. The Minister outlined the steps the KRG has taken to garner international attention and support to the victims of genocide and for the reconstruction of Sinjar, the home of the Ezidis. He said that the KRG wants the Ezidis to stay in Kurdistan and not to leave for Europe and elsewhere since many consider the Ezidis to be the original Kurds.

Ms Murad expressed her delight to have received a letter from Prime Minister Barzani congratulating her on the ambassadorship and to have seen the KRG Representative to the United States was able to attend the ceremony. She spoke of the plight of displaced and traumatized Ezidis who are sheltered in Kurdistan or trying to seek refuge in Europe and expressed her fear that there is a new generation of lost Ezidis.

Mr Ismaeel of Yazda outlined the work Yazda is doing with international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and Ms Murad to take the genocide case to the ICC. He also spoke of Yazda’s work in the camps in Kurdistan where the charity provides help to displaced Ezidis.