Family’s journey hindered by violence

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/07/2016 (3736 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two Yazidi refugee families destined for Winnipeg are facing uncertainty after suicide bombings devastated an airport  in Turkey.

On June 28, nine refugees sponsored by the local Operation Ezra project were en route to Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport when Canadian visa officials redirected the group to a nearby hotel.

According to reports, three suicide bombers detonated explosives at the airport, killing 41 and injuring hundreds more. At press time, no group had claimed responsibility for the attack but the Turkish government was attributing the attack to ISIS.

Michel Aziza, a volunteer and chair of the Operation Ezra working committee, said the families are safe and local organizers are eagerly awaiting their arrival, which has been rescheduled to July 11.

“It’s going to be a very emotional experience for them, for their family here, and for all of us who have put a lot of time and effort into this,” Aziza said.

“It hasn’t been easy. It’s a frustrating, complicated, convoluted, time consuming process. So it’s truly an opportunity for people to do a good thing, and I think we’ll see that good thing come down the escalator,” he said.

Operation Ezra is a coalition of Winnipeg and Manitoba-based religious and community organizations that have worked together to raise over $250,000 to sponsor, house and support seven Yazidi families (a total of 42 people). Groups involved in the relief project include the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, Adas Yeshurun Herzlia Congregation, Gray Academy of Jewish Education, Jewish Child and Family Service, Rady Jewish Community Centre, Pembina Mennonite Fellowship Church, Mennonite Central Committee and many more.

“I understand that we are the only organized rescue effort for Yazidi people in Canada… and maybe that speaks to Manitoba. And I think it’s amazing, and maybe it’s unprecedented, to have so many Jewish and Christian organizations work together with the only goal of raising money to bring as many families and people as we can — it’s amazing,” Aziza said.

The groundwork for Operation Ezra was laid in 2014 when South Pointe resident Nafiya Naso began reaching out to local organizations to help bring awareness to the persecution of Yazidi people in Iraq.

Yazidis are a religious-ethnic minority living primarily in northern Iraq in the area of Mount Sinjar. According to Operation Ezra, they are a monotheistic people without a homeland and the population has been decimated from 23 million to 700,000.

A Yazidi refugee herself, Naso was appalled by the attacks led against Yazidi by ISIS fighters two years ago that killed more than 500 people in the ongoing violence.

“Back in August 3, 2014… that very same day (of the attack) we tried to get the public’s attention. I knocked on many doors, went to different organizations, politicians, and I couldn’t get anybody to listen, and it was members of the Jewish community who opened their doors and hearts to the Yazidi community here in Winnipeg,” Naso said.

Today, Naso said the support from the community is phenomenal and people are becoming aware the ongoing fight for Yazidi survival.

“It’s an amazing feeling — starting from zero and nobody knew who the Yazidis were — and now we have politicians discussing this group in the House of Commons,” Naso said. “Operation Ezra is known right across the country.”

The next steps for Operation Ezra include ensuring the safe arrival of the two families stuck in Istanbul, welcoming them to Winnipeg, and continuing the work to bring the remaining five families to Winnipeg from refugee camps in Turkey.

“It’s difficult for them to practise their religion and culture where they are without fear, and now coming here I think it will be very important for us to welcome them with open arms and build those bridges between these communities,” Naso said.

The organization will also continue to lobby the federal government to increase support and sponsorship for Yazidi refugees coming to Canada.

“We want the government to realize that they too have an opportunity to do something to save a people that without intervention will disappear. I hope that Canada will see an opportunity to take a leading role with Yazidi people,” Aziza said. “We can fight ISIS by rescuing the people that they are going after, and targeting and slaughtering.”

Facebook.com/TheSouwesterWPG
Twitter: @SouwesterWPG