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AUSTRALIANS HELPED THE YAZIDIS IN THE 1920S - AND CAN DO SO AGAIN
Some eight decades ago, Australian relief workers helped the Yazidi
community. We now have to send a clear message: we will still not
turn our backs on the suffering and the displaced
Judith Crispin and Vicken Babkenian theguardian.com, Wednesday 20
August 2014 03.02 BST
Displaced families from Iraq's Yazidi minority settle in a refugee
camp. Photograph: Cihan/Barcroft Media
A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Iraq. The United Nations
estimates that more than half a million Yazidi and Christian
refugeeshave fled the crisis at Mount Sinjar to seek refuge in
Kurdistan's capital.
Despite recent American claims that the siege of Mount Sinjar in
northern Iraq has been broken, Yazidi leaders and UN humanitarian
officials have confirmed today that tens of thousands of Yazidis remain
stranded on the southern side of the mountain - where US helicopters
cannot land. Iraqi MP Ms Dakhil estimates the number of Yazidis still
trapped in the vicinity of Mount Sinjar at around 40,000.
American planes have dropped enough food on Mount Sinjar for around
8,000 people. "The crisis on Mount Sinjar is by no means over," said
David Swanson, the spokesman for the UN co-ordinator of humanitarian
affairs in northern Iraq, interviewed by telephone from Dohuk, in
northern Iraq. "Although many people managed to escape from the north
side, there are still thousands of others up there, under conditions of
extreme heat, dehydration and imminent threat of attack. The situation
is far from solved."
Although airdrops have provided some desperately needed medical
supplies and food, much of the promised international humanitarian
aid has failed to materialise. Without immediate help hundreds, if
not thousands, of people will die on Mount Sinjar and as refugees en
route to Kurdistan.
In the wake of Australia's response to the 2004 Tsunami, defence
force chief general (now governor general) Peter Cosgrove remarked
that values such as "compassion and generosity" are part of our
"nation's national character".
Indeed, Australia's first world war experience in the Middle East was
not just defined by military heroism but of humanitarianism. In early
1918, Anzac light horsemen and cameelers helped rescue thousands
of destitute Armenian refugees when they captured Palestine. In a
touching display of humanity amid the horrors of war, lieutenant
colonel Arthur J Mills of the 4th (Anzac) Battalion, Imperial Camel
Corps, carried a four year old Armenian girl sleeping in his arms,
on his camel, to safety.
Another spectacular rescue effort was spearheaded by Australian Colonel
Stanley G Savige. As a member of the elite Dunsterforce, Savige and
his colleagues defended a column of some 80,000 Armenian and Assyrian
refugees fleeing the invading Ottoman Army in Mesopotamia during the
summer of 1918. Savige was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his role in the rescue effort.
Back home, with the support of many prominent Australian political,
civic, religious and business leaders an Armenian relief fund was
established in 1915. The relief effort culminated in an Australian
run orphanage in Lebanon for 1,700 Armenian orphan victims of the
great war. The institution was described at the time as "thoroughly
Australian as if it stood in one of the streets of Melbourne
or Sydney", and one "which the people of this country may feel
justifiable pride".
Many prominent Australian women were at the forefront of the relief
effort. They included Australian Red Cross leader, Eleanor Mackinnon,
and Sydney feminist Edith Glanville. During the great war, Glanville
was involved in patriotic duty as secretary of the Australian soldier's
comforts fund. Her son Leigh of the 1st Battalion of the AIF was
killed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, and it was because of this
tragic event she became interested in humanitarianism and world peace.
In the late 1920s, Glanville travelled several times to the Middle
East as a relief worker. During her travels, she became perhaps the
first Australian woman to visit the Yazide community of Iraq. In
a welcoming message to her, the leader of the Yazidis stated "The
English are our friends", for they had "stopped the persecution of my
people". Edith found the Yazidis to be "very hospitable, and apparently
peaceful and industrious, and as they certainly are amongst the most
picturesque figures in this land of ancient faiths and forgotten
beginnings". Glanville visited their holiest site, Lalesh temple,
situated in a valley in Nineveh Province. She was told that only one
other western woman had visited it.
Glanville returned to the Middle East again in the early 1930s to
provide relief to the Christian Assyrians who had fled persecution from
Iraq into Syria. Her work on their behalf won her many privileges. The
French high commissioner in Syria gave her special permission to
aid the Assyrian refugees in getting settled, the only "Britisher"
allowed to do so. She attended meetings at the League of Nations four
times pleading for assistance on their behalf.
Some eight decades later, the Middle East continues to be the scene of
a major humanitarian disaster. Between Mount Sinjar and Kurdistan,
families who have already witnessed atrocities beyond all human
comprehension are in desperate need of food, shelter and medical
supplies. With world newspapers now claiming the crisis is over,
it is increasingly unlikely that governments will provide the help
they need. It falls, then, to the community to act where governments
will not - to send a clear message that the Australian people will
not turn their backs on the suffering and the displaced.
Manning Clark House is calling for urgent funds to buy food and
medical supplies to keep Yazidi families alive while they are rescued
from Mount Sinjar and make their way to Kurdistan. Support is also
needed for refugees in Erbil and other Kurdish centres. Genocide is
looming for minority populations in the Middle East, particularly
the Yazidis. Their call for help needs to be answered.
While Australia celebrates 100 years since Anzac, we would do well
to remember that part of our nation's legacy is to help victims of war.
If you would like to support the Yazidi Relief Fund, please visit
theManning Clark House's website
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/20/australians-helped-the-yazidis-in-the-1920s-and-can-do-so-again
Some eight decades ago, Australian relief workers helped the Yazidi
community. We now have to send a clear message: we will still not
turn our backs on the suffering and the displaced
Judith Crispin and Vicken Babkenian theguardian.com, Wednesday 20
August 2014 03.02 BST
Displaced families from Iraq's Yazidi minority settle in a refugee
camp. Photograph: Cihan/Barcroft Media
A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Iraq. The United Nations
estimates that more than half a million Yazidi and Christian
refugeeshave fled the crisis at Mount Sinjar to seek refuge in
Kurdistan's capital.
Despite recent American claims that the siege of Mount Sinjar in
northern Iraq has been broken, Yazidi leaders and UN humanitarian
officials have confirmed today that tens of thousands of Yazidis remain
stranded on the southern side of the mountain - where US helicopters
cannot land. Iraqi MP Ms Dakhil estimates the number of Yazidis still
trapped in the vicinity of Mount Sinjar at around 40,000.
American planes have dropped enough food on Mount Sinjar for around
8,000 people. "The crisis on Mount Sinjar is by no means over," said
David Swanson, the spokesman for the UN co-ordinator of humanitarian
affairs in northern Iraq, interviewed by telephone from Dohuk, in
northern Iraq. "Although many people managed to escape from the north
side, there are still thousands of others up there, under conditions of
extreme heat, dehydration and imminent threat of attack. The situation
is far from solved."
Although airdrops have provided some desperately needed medical
supplies and food, much of the promised international humanitarian
aid has failed to materialise. Without immediate help hundreds, if
not thousands, of people will die on Mount Sinjar and as refugees en
route to Kurdistan.
In the wake of Australia's response to the 2004 Tsunami, defence
force chief general (now governor general) Peter Cosgrove remarked
that values such as "compassion and generosity" are part of our
"nation's national character".
Indeed, Australia's first world war experience in the Middle East was
not just defined by military heroism but of humanitarianism. In early
1918, Anzac light horsemen and cameelers helped rescue thousands
of destitute Armenian refugees when they captured Palestine. In a
touching display of humanity amid the horrors of war, lieutenant
colonel Arthur J Mills of the 4th (Anzac) Battalion, Imperial Camel
Corps, carried a four year old Armenian girl sleeping in his arms,
on his camel, to safety.
Another spectacular rescue effort was spearheaded by Australian Colonel
Stanley G Savige. As a member of the elite Dunsterforce, Savige and
his colleagues defended a column of some 80,000 Armenian and Assyrian
refugees fleeing the invading Ottoman Army in Mesopotamia during the
summer of 1918. Savige was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his role in the rescue effort.
Back home, with the support of many prominent Australian political,
civic, religious and business leaders an Armenian relief fund was
established in 1915. The relief effort culminated in an Australian
run orphanage in Lebanon for 1,700 Armenian orphan victims of the
great war. The institution was described at the time as "thoroughly
Australian as if it stood in one of the streets of Melbourne
or Sydney", and one "which the people of this country may feel
justifiable pride".
Many prominent Australian women were at the forefront of the relief
effort. They included Australian Red Cross leader, Eleanor Mackinnon,
and Sydney feminist Edith Glanville. During the great war, Glanville
was involved in patriotic duty as secretary of the Australian soldier's
comforts fund. Her son Leigh of the 1st Battalion of the AIF was
killed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, and it was because of this
tragic event she became interested in humanitarianism and world peace.
In the late 1920s, Glanville travelled several times to the Middle
East as a relief worker. During her travels, she became perhaps the
first Australian woman to visit the Yazide community of Iraq. In
a welcoming message to her, the leader of the Yazidis stated "The
English are our friends", for they had "stopped the persecution of my
people". Edith found the Yazidis to be "very hospitable, and apparently
peaceful and industrious, and as they certainly are amongst the most
picturesque figures in this land of ancient faiths and forgotten
beginnings". Glanville visited their holiest site, Lalesh temple,
situated in a valley in Nineveh Province. She was told that only one
other western woman had visited it.
Glanville returned to the Middle East again in the early 1930s to
provide relief to the Christian Assyrians who had fled persecution from
Iraq into Syria. Her work on their behalf won her many privileges. The
French high commissioner in Syria gave her special permission to
aid the Assyrian refugees in getting settled, the only "Britisher"
allowed to do so. She attended meetings at the League of Nations four
times pleading for assistance on their behalf.
Some eight decades later, the Middle East continues to be the scene of
a major humanitarian disaster. Between Mount Sinjar and Kurdistan,
families who have already witnessed atrocities beyond all human
comprehension are in desperate need of food, shelter and medical
supplies. With world newspapers now claiming the crisis is over,
it is increasingly unlikely that governments will provide the help
they need. It falls, then, to the community to act where governments
will not - to send a clear message that the Australian people will
not turn their backs on the suffering and the displaced.
Manning Clark House is calling for urgent funds to buy food and
medical supplies to keep Yazidi families alive while they are rescued
from Mount Sinjar and make their way to Kurdistan. Support is also
needed for refugees in Erbil and other Kurdish centres. Genocide is
looming for minority populations in the Middle East, particularly
the Yazidis. Their call for help needs to be answered.
While Australia celebrates 100 years since Anzac, we would do well
to remember that part of our nation's legacy is to help victims of war.
If you would like to support the Yazidi Relief Fund, please visit
theManning Clark House's website
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/20/australians-helped-the-yazidis-in-the-1920s-and-can-do-so-again