Cardinal Vincent Nichols has condemned the massacre of hundreds of Yazidis in the Talafar district in northern Iraq, days after appealing to the next UK Government to protect persecuted religious minorities who have become victims of the "terrible destruction" of “irrational fundamentalism".
Syrian news agency ARA News quoted Aseel al-Nujaifi, governor of Nineveh province, saying: “A new crime was committed by Daesh (Islamic State) against our Yezidi people on Friday … IS gangs executed hundreds of innocent Yezidi prisoners.”
Cardinal Nichols, who travelled to northern Iraq to meet refugees last month, said: "I am deeply shocked by the brutal murder of these peace-loving people.” In a statement he added: “The Yezidis I met in our recent visit to Erbil impressed me with their quiet dignity. I am sure that all people of decency will condemn these killings. I commend those who have been killed to the mercy of God and I pray earnestly for the peace of the region."
Writing for The Daily Telegraph last week, the cardinal said a future British government must be ready “to speak and act in defence of all endangered religious groups who are targeted, persecuted and killed precisely because of their beliefs – something I saw at first-hand with the Yezidi and Christian communities in Iraq.”
He added: “Any reluctance by a UK government to speak and act in this way, especially on behalf of Christian communities facing unprecedented persecution, would be particularly significant.”
He added: “It would undermine the mutual trust between our foremost religious faith and our public representatives that is so necessary for the wellbeing of our society.”
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