Susan Hutchinson from Prosecute; Don't Perpetrate, an organisation that helps end impunity for sexual violence in armed conflict told SBS Kurdish the aim of the rally in front of Parliament House in Canberra was to pass on a message to the Australian government regarding the Yazidi women and children that remain in IS hands.
“We were hoping the Australian government can use it influence on the international community to free the remaining Yazidi women and girls that were captive in Baghouz.”
“The ongoing battle of Baghouz is happening at the moment and we’re quite concerned than ISIS is going to kill them or remain sex slaves in that area, so we want the international community to free them as part of the ongoing operation,” said Ms Hutchinson.
Ms Hutchinson said the rally was successful and that they had met with several parliamentarians, staffers, with some non-government organisations and some people from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. And that they had met with some officials from the British government.
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“We thought the meetings were successful, in each of those meetings people agreed to use the influence that they have to try and get the parties that are fighting to try and free the women who are held there”, said Ms Hutchinson.
Rasheed Shani Baqi is from Wagga Wagga’s Yazidi community, he is pleading with the Australian government and the international community to continue to fight for the freedom of the Yazidi women and children that remain in IS hands.
“As it is known our women and girls remain in captivity in and around Baghouz in Syria. We ask the Australian Government and the International community to save the women and children from IS hands", said Mr Baqi.
A few weeks ago a mass grave was uncovered in Baghouz a town in Eastern Syria that included 50 decapitated heads of Yazidi women. The bodies were uncovered by Syrian Democratic Forces backed by the US.
“Three weeks ago the headless bodies of 50 Yazidi women and girls were uncovered in Baghouz, IS did that to them,” said Mr Baqi.
Mr Baqi said the remaining women and children that have been freed from IS hands need to be returned to their families.
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“We were promised that our messages would be passed on to the international community governments", said Mr Baqi.
