ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Nearly half a year after the death of spiritual leader Mir Tahsin Beg, Yezidis inaugurated his son, Hazim, as their new spiritual leader (Mir) on Saturday in Sheikhan, Duhok Province.
Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg promised to support the Yezidis of Shingal (or Sinjar), who are still suffering from displacement and a lack of rebuild in their city since the Islamic State (ISIS) killed and enslaved thousands starting in 2014.
“From today onward, I will be at the service of my people,” Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg to a crowd of Yezidi community members, many clad in traditional dress.
Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg focused on bettering relations between Yezidis from their homeland of Shingal and with community leaders. He promised to establish a new council for the community and give positions to Yezidis from Shingal there and on the pre-existing spiritual council, which deliberates on theological matters.
“We will establish a Yezidi council and the Yezidis from Shingal will make up 60 percent of it,” he said. “We will also broaden the spiritual council so that our ordinary and religious people from Shingal can join.”
Yezidis and others escort new Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg around Lalish Temple in Duhok Province, Iraqi Kurdistan Region, on July 27, 2019. Video: Rudaw
Attended by about 400 people from the Yezidi and other communities, the inauguration took place at Lalish Temple in Sheikhan.
The Yezidis' new spiritual leader did not specify exactly what the responsibilities of the new council will be.
However, improving relations with Erbil and Baghdad, as well as with the different ethnic and religious groups in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, is a priority for Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg.
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He was one of the six candidates from his family to replace Tahsin Saeed Beg Ali Beg Hussein Beg, who died in late January at the age of 85. Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg gained the most votes.
It was the first inauguration ceremony in 75 years, as Mir Tahsin held the position for that amount of time.
Born in 1963 in Baadra in Duhok province, Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg is the father of three children. He previously won a seat in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region parliament, running as Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) candidate.
Nechirvan Barzani congratulated Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg on his new role in a statement.
“We will do our best to support you and help our Yezidi sisters and brothers,” Barzani said, adding that they will work for the return of the missing Yezidis and the displaced to their homes in Shingal.
There were an estimated 500,000 Yezidis in Iraq before the genocide, but around 100,000 left Iraq and around 360,000 remain internally displaced.
According to data in April from the Yezidi Affairs Office from the KRG Ministry Religion and Endowment, of 6,417 Yezidis kidnapped by ISIS during their brutal campaign of the takeover of Shingal in August 2014, the fate of 2,992 is still unclear whether they were killed and alive.
Some Yezidis have since returned, but poor living conditions, a lack of economic opportunities, slow rebuilding, political conflicts and security concerns have prompted many Yezidis to stay in camps. Shingal is a disputed territory claimed Baghdad and Erbil.
He was one of the six candidates from his family to replace Tahsin Saeed Beg Ali Beg Hussein Beg, who died in late January at the age of 85. Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg gained the most votes.
It was the first inauguration ceremony in 75 years, as Mir Tahsin held the position for that amount of time.
Born in 1963 in Baadra in Duhok province, Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg is the father of three children. He previously won a seat in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region parliament, running as Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) candidate.
He thanked KDP President Masoud Barzani, as well as its deputy Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for their guidance in helping to choose a new leader. He also thanked the forces who “defended” Shingal, including the Peshmerga.
Nechirvan Barzani congratulated Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg on his new role in a statement.
“We will do our best to support you and help our Yezidi sisters and brothers,” Barzani said, adding that they will work for the return of the missing Yezidis and the displaced to their homes in Shingal.
In the face of ISIS's atrocities which were first recognized as a genocide by the KRG centering in Shingal, Yezidis fled to the Kurdistan Region, Mount Shingal and to Kurdish areas in northern Syria, known by some Kurds as Rojava.
There were an estimated 500,000 Yezidis in Iraq before the genocide, but around 100,000 left Iraq and around 360,000 remain internally displaced.
According to data in April from the Yezidi Affairs Office from the KRG Ministry Religion and Endowment, of 6,417 Yezidis kidnapped by ISIS during their brutal campaign of the takeover of Shingal in August 2014, the fate of 2,992 is still unclear whether they were killed and alive.
Some Yezidis have since returned, but poor living conditions, a lack of economic opportunities, slow rebuilding, political conflicts and security concerns have prompted many Yezidis to stay in camps. Shingal is a disputed territory claimed Baghdad and Erbil.
