Yazidis return to their village in southeast Türkiye

BATMAN

Three of the Yazidis who migrated to Europe 35 years ago from the village of Uğruca in the southeastern province of Batman’s Beşiri district have returned to their homeland, while 15 others are preparing to come home.

“There were about 70 households. Some people went to Europe when they could not find a job. However, those who lived in Germany started to return here, and we welcomed them,” said villager Yusuf Tağay, noting that they are all relatives in Uğruca.

Another 15 people from Europe are preparing to return, he informed. “Three of our relatives already came and rebuilt their houses.”

If there is an environment of peace, people will return to their homeland, Tağay suggested, adding that they are ready to support as much as possible.

The Yazidis living in Türkiye during and after the second half of the 20th century gradually left for European countries.

Emphasizing that he wants to spend the last years of his life in his village, Mustafa Korkmaz, who worked in Germany’s Wesel for many years, said, “We don’t want to leave our village anymore. In Europe, our young people are increasingly assimilating, and we are losing our culture there.”

“We are working to create social facilities and playgrounds as we will try to spend more time with our children in the village from now on,” said İbrahim Korkmaz, who had a new villa built in Uğruca.

A communication group was created for Uğurca villagers living in Europe, he said. “We will take the lead for the return of our villagers. There are 150 people in the communication group. We share the last state of the village with each other.”

The Yazidis are a religious group representing an ancient religious sect linked to Zoroastrianism and Sufism. They mostly live in the Mosul region of northern Iraq.