A Concurrent Resolution condemning the attacks on Yazidis, Kurds, and other religious minorities in Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Whereas, The Yazidis are a religious minority group, located principally in northern Iraq, who have suffered through centuries of persecution and over 70 attempted genocides premised on their religious beliefs; and

Whereas, The Yazidis assisted the United States military during the 1991 Gulf War and the Iraq War, serving as translators, which makes the Yazidis a target for terrorist organizations harboring anti-American sentiments; and

Whereas, During the 1970s and 1980s, Saddam Hussein forcefully relocated the Yazidis from their traditional home near Mount Sinjar to cinderblock villages in poorly-resourced areas, assigned them Arabic names, and forced them to speak Arabic and not Kurdish; and

Whereas, The Kurds are a predominantly Sunni Muslim minority group, with a language and culture distinct from Iraq's Arab-majority population, who semi-autonomously govern an area of northeastern Iraq; and

Whereas, Approximately 4,000 Kurdish villages were destroyed between April 1987 and August 1988, many having been attacked by chemical weapons, during the al-Anfal campaign of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government, causing the deaths of nearly 200,000 Kurds; and

Whereas, Although the 2005 Iraqi Constitution provides for freedom of thought, conscience, and religious belief and practice for all citizens and declares all Iraqis equal before the law regardless of religion, sectarian violence continues to plague parts of the country; and

Whereas, The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is an Islamic militant group that aims to establish an Islamic state in Iraq and Syria and has advanced this goal through savage violence and despotic rule over the territories it now controls; and

Whereas, Since the start of the recent crisis, ISIS and other armed groups have committed grave human rights atrocities, including summary executions of civilians, sexual violence and abuse against women, kidnapping and harassment of religious leaders, and the recruitment of child soldiers; and

Whereas, ISIS captured Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, in June 2014 and have ordered the city's Christians to convert to Islam or face execution; and

Whereas, In the summer of 2014, ISIS has killed or enslaved hundreds of Yazidis and recently forced 40,000 Yazidis to retreat into Mount Sinjar, where they now face thirst, hunger, and potential slaughter by the encircling jihadists; and

Whereas, The Iraqi military surrendered to ISIS almost immediately, leaving the heavily out-numbered Kurdish fighting force, the Peshmerga, to stop ISIS's campaign of violence and terror; and

Whereas, The heinous acts by ISIS against religious minorities in Iraq offend all who believe in religious freedom and pluralism, and undermine the safety and civil rights of all people; and

Whereas, It is essential to the stability and security of the region for the United States to support all efforts to establish an environment of religious tolerance in which all Iraqis live without the fear of persecution; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The New Jersey Legislature strongly condemns the attacks on Yazidis, Kurds, and other religious minorities in Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

2. Copies of this concurrent resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, Iraq's Ambassador to the United States, and to each member of Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution condemns the attacks on Yazidis, Kurds, and other religious minorities in Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

ISIS is an Islamic militant group that aims to establish an Islamic state in Iraq and Syria. In pursuit of this goal, ISIS has committed grave human rights atrocities in Iraq during the summer of 2014, including summary executions of civilians, sexual violence and abuse against women, kidnapping and harassment of religious leaders, and the recruitment of child soldiers. ISIS has attacked Kurds, Yazidis, and other religious minorities in Iraq, undermining the religious freedoms established by the 2005 Iraqi Constitution.

The Yazidis are a minority group located principally in northern Iraq who have suffered through centuries of persecution premised on a misunderstanding of their religious beliefs. The Yazidis assisted the United States military during the 1991 Gulf War and the Iraq War, which makes them a constant target for terrorist organizations harboring anti-American sentiments.

The Kurds are a predominantly Sunni Muslim minority group with a language and culture distinct from Iraq's Arab-majority population. The Kurds semi-autonomously govern an area of northeastern Iraq referred to as Iraqi Kurdistan. The Kurds suffered many atrocities during the reign of Saddam Hussein. After the Iraqi military surrendered to ISIS, the responsibility of defending Iraq against the jihadists has fallen on the heavily out-numbered Kurdish fighting force, the Peshmerga.

ISIS has captured several large Iraqi cities this summer, including Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city. ISIS has killed and enslaved hundreds of Iraqis on the basis of religion. ISIS has presented religious minorities in Iraq with an ultimatum: convert to Islam or face execution.

The Legislature of this State condemns the attacks on Yazidis, Kurds, and other religious minorities in Iraq by ISIS.