SBS News interviewed Minister Peter Dutton for a series of stories on Yazidi survivors and the need for justice for the crimes they’ve experienced. The interview was aired on SBS World News on Monday 21 May. He expressed general concern about the experiences of the Yazidis and support for family reunions for the Yazidi refugees already settled in Australia.
While he was Minister for Immigration, Dutton took a particular interest in the plight of the Yazidis, including attending Yazidi New Year celebrations with the community. Now he is Minister for Home Affairs, he also has portfolio responsibility for the Australian Federal Police and other agencies relevant to the investigation and prosecution of individuals who perpetrated sexual violence as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the Yazidis.
SBS published several stories, including a segment for World News on television.
They also published an online story based on the powerful story of a Yazidi survivor who now calls Australia home, and going into detail about the need for justice for these crimes. The story includes comments from Peter Dutton, Minister for Home Affairs; our own Susan Hutchinson; genocide scholar Nikki Marczak; and the new Director of Yazda Australia, Daphne Haneman. The survivor in the story the first person in Australia to speak out about their time held in slavery by Da’esh. She experienced unimaginable brutality but wants justice against those who abused her. It is her bravery that provided the impetus for Minister Dutton to state that the government would do what was needed to bring justice to the Yazidis.
Prosecute; don't perpetrate. 