Vigil held at Capitol steps for Kurdish and Yazidi communities

As the cease fire in Northern Syria ended today, dozens in Lincoln gathered on the capitol steps Tuesday night.

People from the Kurdish and Yazidi community held a candlelight vigil to express their concerns.

Thousands of people had to flea their homes in Syria, in fear of a Turkish invasion. Tuesday evening, dozens from the Lincoln community aimed to bring awareness of their fears for the future.

“As we gather here tonight, the light of our candles is symbolic of the light that needs to be shed on Rojava,” Organizer of the Vigil, Khenda Mustafa said.

As Tuesday marked the end of a five day cease fire in Syria between the Kurd and turkey, dozens of people gathered to honor the hundreds of thousands of Kurdish, Yazidi and Assyrian families who were forced to abandon their ancestral homes in northern Syria.

A number of speakers, including a poet, voiced their concerns.

“We flee our home and beg death to leave, we wrap ourselves in blankets next to the ones who failed to leave and we send our prayers up to the skies,” Poet, Sarwa Azeez said.

Lincoln is home to the largest population of Yazidis in the United States and over 100 Kurdish families.

Their voices were destined to be heard. Rights, that those in attendance want to see become more of a priority.

“Sanction needs to be aimed at ending Turkish occupation in Syria and not just a cease fire that simply prolongs the conflict,” Mustafa said.

Those in attendance also expressed their concern for ISIS re–entering that region and said they feel betrayed by the withdrawal of the U.S. troops.