On Sunday, January 8 Fox News will air a special documentary, "War Stories: Fighting ISIS in the Battle for Mosul." Watch to learn more about our work in Iraq & Syria rescuing Yazidi sex slaves from ISIS' deadly grip. Watch a preview here:
Canadian Government failing genocide victims
Dear friends,
We need your help to speak up for Yazidi genocide victims.
Today we learned the Government of Canada's plan to help Yazidi genocide victims is to resettle 50 people to Canada. This failure of leadership is unacceptable.
OFWI has helped rescue over 400 women and girls from ISIS ' slavery over the past two years and the government can do more.
We have been to the refugee camps in Northern Iraq and the need for action to help these people, victims of genocide, by offering new hope of life in Canada is a call our govenrment needs to answer.
The Leader of Opposition Rona Ambrose in the House of Commons called the government’s plan “a token effort.”
Germany was able to rescue 1,000 Yazidi genocide victims, and Canada was able to rescue 25,000 Syrian civil war victims, surely we can do more for the Yazidi women and girls once held captive as ISIS sex slaves and their families.
OFWI is ready to do more, but we need your help to pressure the government to do more.
Here is how you can TAKE ACTION:
- Write an email or call your local Member of Parliament to tell them Canada can do more for Yazidi victims of genocide. Don’t know who to contact? Find out here.
- Email or call the Minister of Immigration, John McCallum at 613-954-1064
- Email Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or call his office at 613-995-0253
- Please donate to support our work. It is only through your help that we are able to continue our work.
Thank you for your support and spreading awareness of these important issues. We couldn't do our work with you.
Sincerely, Rev. Majed El Shafie President & Founder One Free World International
Yazidi genocide victims left in the dark, government needs to present plan for resettlement
Watch OFWI's press conference by clicking the video above, or read our Storify post by clicking here.
One Free World International (OFWI) and partner organizations are calling on the Canadian government to present a Yazidi resettlement plan with concrete targets and timelines. Canadian organizations actively working with the Yazidi community in Iraq and in Canada have heard radio-silence from the Canadian Government on its commitment to resettle genocide victims to Canada.
The government must be transparent with Canadians about how many genocide victims will be resettled to Canada and present a plan to ensure Yazidi victims are not re-victimized in the process.
“I hope our Canadian government does not make the same mistakes where the real victims are ignored and others benefit instead due to political interests,” said Mirza Ismail, Founder and Chairman of Yezidi Human Rights International.
After months of inaction the government recently committed to resettling Yazidi genocide victims within the next 120 days. A coalition of refugee and human rights organizations have come together to offer their help and expertise while calling for a concrete plan.
“We and our partners have people on the ground in Iraq who can work closely with Canadian officials to make sure that the most vulnerable Yazidi are saved,” said Geoffrey Clarfied, Executive Director of Mozuud Freedom Foundation.
For the last two years, OFWI has worked tirelessly to free former Yazidi sex slaves from ISIS’ deadly grip. Earlier this year they presented a joint plan with the Office of Refugees, Archdiocese of Toronto, to Minister McCallum’s office and the House of Commons Immigration Committee. The plan called for the government-led resettlement of up to 400 Yazidi women and girls formerly kept as slaves and their families.
“It is good the Government is finally acting to help the Yazidi people, but there is still a long road ahead and a lot of work to do,” said Majed El Shafie, President and Founder of OFWI.
The coalition of organizations helping Yazidi genocide victims and calling for a clear plan from the Canadian government include:
- One Free World International
- Mozuud Freedom Foundation (Project Abraham)
- Yezidi Human Rights International
- Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow
- Canadians for Israel’s Legal Rights
- Canadian Institute for Jewish Research
- Kurdish Association of Manitoba
- Canadian Yazidi Association (Winnipeg)
- Canadian Jews and Friends of Yazidis
- Office of Refugees, Archdiocese of Toronto
- Winnipeg Friends of Israel
Victory at last: Justice for Yazidi victims of genocide
Dear friends, Before you read more, watch our October Global Snapshot below:
I am very pleased to tell you the Canadian government has announced they will be bringing Yazidi victims of genocide to Canada within the next four months. This is a huge victory for both the Yazidi community and One Free World International. OFWI has worked tirelessly over the past two years to bring knowledge of the genocide against Yazidis to the attention of the Canadian public and our politicians.
Over the course of the last two years, I have travelled the world, speaking out about the atrocities committed against Yazidis by ISIS. I have provided testimony before European, American, and Canadian legislatures. OFWI and ORAT developed a plan to resettle 400 former Yazidi sex slaves in Canada that we presented to the Canadian Immigration Committee. It wasn’t until after the U.K., U.S., E.U., and U.N. had already recognized the genocide against the Yazidis, that Canada finally did the same. At that time, OFWI called on the government to show leadership and take concrete action to rescue this vulnerable community.
I am very pleased that our government has listened to OFWI’s call to show leadership on this issue. The Yazidi community is one of the most persecuted groups in the world, and they need our help and support more than ever. It is a relief to be able to say help is on the way, but there is still more to do. OFWI will continue to monitor the situation on the ground in Iraq and Syria to ensure proper measures are taken to ensure the safety of this minority group. We will also do what we can to ensure victims are not re-victimized during the resettlement process.
All of this would not be possible without your support. Please continue to donate generously through this time so that OFWI can properly monitor the ongoing situation of the Yazidis on the ground, and continue to be a voice for the voiceless.
Sincerely, Rev. Majed El Shafie President & Founder One Free World International
The Fight for Mosul
Fight for Mosul must protect civilians and minorities
As the fog of war engulfs Mosul, Iraq, the international community must ensure coalition forces protect innocent civilian life and take precautions to save minority populations as they fight to defeat ISIS. The atrocities committed in Anbar province cannot be repeated.
One Free World International in February blew the whistle on the massacre of Yazidis and Sunni civilians by forces fighting ISIS when Shia militias fighting for Iraq reclaimed Anbar province from ISIS’ deadly grip.
During the fight for Anbar, Yazidi and sunni civilians were indiscriminately killed by the liberating forces, with a report of 55 Yazidis being killed in one compound alone and hundreds more throughout the campaign that pushed ISIS from Anbar province.
A military campaign to reclaim the city of Mosul and defeat ISIS in Iraq began this week is being led by Iraqi forces with the support of Kurdish and international coalition forces. The campaign has been months in preparation and is the last ISIS stronghold in Iraq.
ISIS' defeat in Mosul will be an important step in the long road to returning security to the region and hopefully allow the tens of thousands of civilians including the Christian minority community to return home, as the Iraqi government has promised in the past. The international community must hold fighting forces accountable as they advance this important fight.
One Free World International is in regular contact with OFWI members in Mosul and will remain vigilant to do what we can to protect innocent civilian life. We call on the international community to work with the Government of Iraq to ensure the atrocities committed in Anbar are not repeated in the fight to liberate Mosul.