Yazidi Survivors Plan New Village 10 Years After IS Massacre in Kocho

A decade has passed since the Islamic State (IS) militants devastated the Yazidi village of Kocho in Iraq's Sinjar region. On August 15, 2014, IS forces separated Yazidi men and boys, executing them en masse, while abducting women and children, subjecting many to rape and enslavement. Now, survivors are returning to the area, with community leaders announcing plans for a new internationally funded village to house those displaced by one of IS's most brutal massacres against this small religious minority.

The attack on Kocho resulted in staggering losses. Out of 1,470 residents, 1,027 were abducted by IS, 368 were killed, and only 75 managed to escape, according to a London School of Economics report. This event stands as a stark example of the atrocities committed against the Yazidi community.

Naif Jaso, a prominent Yazidi leader, announced that construction of the new village, aptly named New Kocho, will commence on September 5, 2024. The project, located near Tel Qassab, approximately 10 kilometers north of the original Kocho, aims to provide housing and infrastructure to encourage displaced Yazidis to return to their ancestral homeland.

The return of Yazidis to Sinjar remains a complex issue. Despite the defeat of IS in Iraq in 2017, as of April 2024, only 43% of the more than 300,000 people displaced from Sinjar have returned, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The region faces significant challenges, including destroyed infrastructure, limited funding for rebuilding, and the presence of multiple armed groups vying for control.

New Kocho Village is set to include parks, marketplaces, a health facility, a psychiatric support center, and recreational spaces alongside homes. The project is supported by the IOM, the U.N. Development Program, and Nadia's Initiative, a nonprofit founded by Yazidi survivor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad.

"I would love to return to my original house, but it's difficult to return to an empty village, and it's better if we settle in the New Kocho once they finish constructing it."

The Yazidi community, a Kurdish-speaking minority group primarily found in northern Iraq, has faced numerous persecutions throughout history. Their monotheistic religion combines elements of Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity, and other beliefs, which led IS extremists to consider them heretics. The United Nations has recognized the IS attacks on Yazidis as genocide.

While the new village offers hope, survivors still grapple with trauma and fear. Fatima Ismael, another survivor living in a displacement camp, expressed her inability to return to her old home due to painful memories. The remains of her husband and two sons were found in mass graves, while three other sons are still missing.

The Yazidi community's rich cultural heritage includes unique traditions such as praying facing the sun and celebrating their New Year, Sere Sal, in April. The Lalish temple in northern Iraq serves as their holiest site, and their oral traditions are passed down through qewals, responsible for hymns and religious education.

As the Yazidi community looks towards rebuilding, the New Kocho project represents a step towards healing and reclaiming their homeland. However, the journey to recovery remains long and challenging, with the memories of the massacre still vivid in the minds of survivors.