More must be done to heal the wounds of the Yazidis

I write in reference to your article Yazidi women deserve to see real justice delivered (December 3): the plight of Yazidi women in conflict-hit Iraq is such a tragedy and deserves considerable global attention.

The Yazidis faced a gruesome situation when militant groups, in particular ISIS, invaded their villages and tortured and killed many members of their community, mainly elders and innocent women and children. Theirs are some of the most horrifying cases of the extreme suffering that has accompanied wars in Iraq and across the Middle East.

The upsetting reality is that their misery shows no sign of ending, even after their release from captivity or after their ordeals come to an end. The most painful situation is that of children and minors who, instead of receiving their mothers’ affection, are growing up witnessing the horrors of war. The world appears to be helpless in identifying the culprits and bringing them to to justice.

As another year draws to an end, Nobel peace prize winner and Yazidi activist Nadia Murad and her campaigns for the victims of human trafficking cannot be forgotten. Let us hope for more youth-led resistance movements like hers. There should be more civilian and social involvement to heal the wounds of the Yazidis, which they will carry throughout their lives. Ramachandran Nair, Muscat