On Thursday 27 July, ABC’s Foreign Correspondent featured a full length investigation into the 2600 Yazidis who remain missing since ISIS began their genocide against the minority group. Stephanie March produced the report which refocused attention to the plight of the Yazidis nine years after the genocide.
The episode highlighted the work of the mass graves unit in Iraq, as well as Yazda and UNITAD who are gathering evidence of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide perpetrated against the Yazidis, including through the use of sexual violence.
March revealed two new cases of alleged crimes perpetrated against Yazidi women and girls by Australians who travelled to Syria and Iraq as foreign fighters with ISIS. The episode did not provide any details of how these cases could be bought to Australian courts beyond the fact that Yazda and UNITAD are happy to share evidence with Australian prosecutors in a similar fashion to the cases that have been prosecuted in Germany.
The episode also highlighted visa issues for victims trying to seek refuge in Australia, including women who have been reunited with their children born of rape. Australia is now home to thousands of Yazidis, mostly living in regional NSW and QLD, but the issue of children born of rape returning to the community remains a sensitive subject.
Prosecute; don't perpetrate. 