30,000 violence-stricken Yazidi refugees willing to move to ArmeniaSeptember 16, 2014 - 15:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Yazidi refugees are ready to move to Armenia, which could be made possible only through the government’s goodwill, the head of the Union of Sinjar Yazidis told Zhamanak daily. “The 30,000 refugees who fled from northern Iraq to Turkey fear persecutions in the country,” Boris Murazi said. “If put in a corner, Turkey will defend the interests of radical Islamists as it did back in 1974 during Batman pogroms against Yazidis.” Earlier, Yazidi activist Khdr Khajoyan said that Armenian and Karabakh authorities are ready to accommodate the refugees, however, Turkey is unwilling to cooperate on the issue. In early September, the government of Armenia allocated $100,000 in aid to violence-stricken Iraqi Yazidis. Hundreds and possibly thousands of Yazidis are believed to have been killed by militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) since the fall of Sinjar, the main Yazidi-populated town in the country’s north. Tens of thousands of Sinjar residents fled the town after being told to convert to Islam or face death. Most of them still remain trapped on a nearby barren mountain, facing starvation. Iraq is home to at least 600,000 Yazidis. Most of them live in the northern province of Shangal, which has seen a major ISIS onslaught. About half a million Yazidis became refugees, fleeing their homes and moving to neighboring countries. Some 50,000 Yazidis live in Armenia at present, making them the country’s single largest ethnic and religious minority. Scores of them staged protests in front of the main government building in Yerevan, as well as foreign diplomatic missions, including the Iraqi and the U.S. embassies, in late August. Photo: Reuters Related links: Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Partner news | Russia clarifying reports on Baku’s alleged arms supply to Ukraine Russia says is carefully working to verify reports about alleged arms supplies from Azerbaijan to Ukraine Russia warns Armenia against “falling into West’s trap” Zakharova maintained, however, that anything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed. CSTO: Armenia has not participated in secretariat’s work recently Recently Armenia has not participated in the work of the secretariat of the CSTO, Imangali Tasmagambetov said. Meeting with U.S., EU not against third parties, says Armenia The meeting scheduled for April 5 is dedicated to strengthening of the Armenia-EU-US cooperation, Yerevan added. |