possible and also with our own communities to rise up. this is a crime against all of humanity, not just minorities fo. morning for all. i think it is our duty to work for all humanity and all human beings. this is because iraq forces odds to think about our religion, to think about ethnicity, and to think more about our own sectarian. startedcracy in iraq bringing in shia and sunni. the minorities had been

marginalized and that forced us to think more about that. this is what happened in europe. in the city of baghdad. at the same time, i'm working for all people. it is my duty to work for all humanity and all human beings. i think there are other things. aboutk most of you know turkmen. they are representing 7%-10% of iraq. that is according to be sent since -- to the census. we are extending from the northern iraqi-turkey-syria border or the iraqi-iranian border. as a group of

activists and volunteers to make others know the realities. the main problem of minorities in iraq is that it is hidden. nobody knows the facts. what happened in isis is not new. if you look back many decades. the media starts to convey some things. this is what we need. the most important thing is to make something or establish something to make the reality reach community. is establishing democracy in iraq in 2003. there are also -- they also have a duty to reevaluate what is happening in iraq. zidisands of your cd -- ya have been killed. houses have been killed over the years. we think the usa government for

and at the same look at asked them to the past 13 years and what happens to minorities. the most important issue as a turkmen, i want to talk about the issue of women. report according to a published in one year, we have about 1200 civilians that have been abducted by isis, 700 women and girls, 120 children. the strange thing that is different from yazidi, they kill them by beheading, by burning them. west of al bashir, they robbed nine turkmen and they burned them.

the first woman that was killed was from manchuria. she was our colleague. she was the head of our organization. they abducted her with her husband and killed her by beheading. this is what happens. another thing which is an important thing, the international community did not do anything for us. attacked a16, isis -- todayand the attack we have about 7000 victims, including all of the affected persons, chest problems, lung problems. prone to longre term carcinoma, long-term

fibrosis. who will protect them? we need actual steps and action about that. >> thank you so much. we will get to each of your points and get to them in detail. the point of today is to understand what is not being reported. why are we not hearing about what is happening to minorities under isis and what are some of the solutions? thank you so much. we will break that down a little bit so people can follow along. affected.jured or attack. the chemical i mean second-degree burns or chest problems. some have been killed. >> this is why this is so essential. that has gone virtually unreported. i want to give you a chance to

finish the question. >> thank you. >> [speaking in foreign language] translator: a minute to explain about the community because people from iraq may know but others may not know. if you give me a minute, i will explain what is happening and who we are. rajab: [speaking in foreign language] it is an independent religion. derived from the mediterranean religion the goes back 3000 years.

live in iraq and iran. in iran they are known as the people of the truth. in iraq they are known as the -- in iraq, there are between 200,000 and 250,000. we cannot be completely sure of the numbers because there have been no proper statistics about the numbers of the community. and today i am here as an iraqi citizen who are talking about the communities in iraq. [speaking in foreign language] rajab: [speaking in foreign language] are kurdish and

our religious techs are written language.dish we are a religious minority. isis belonged -- took over seven areas owned by us. the number of people displaced to 2178 families, equal 19,000 people.

the villagers were occupied. isishad a premonition that was on its way, so fortunately they fled from the legions before they came. isis blew up five of our temples. they demolished many houses and they booby-trapped the rest of the houses. after this area was liberated by the peshmerga's, which are the curtis forces, and coalition can,s -- kurdish forces and coalition forces,

people came back to liberated villages so they could look at their houses and because of the booby-traps, 19 people were martyred. the material damage was assessed at about $52 million. and i want to speak to you today about the psychological effect on the people who are still living in iraq. because of fear of isis, several of the kakai community members appeared on television and said they were muslims.

i have more stuff to say, but i would like to leave the opportunity for my colleagues. >> thank you so much. now we have a sense. we have so many representatives. idi community, turkmen, kakai. that is rare in itself that we can sit together and understand who are these minority groups, what they have faced at the hands of isis. now that we have a general understanding of those basic principles. we have such short time. i would love to give each of you the chance to say what is not reported, what you have endured, and what the response has been. we have millions of people fleeing the areas.

we have the response of trying to leave the country or not. do people want to go home? do they want to stay put? what is the desired response post isis? and then we have the idea of self protection. has your community formed a militia of some kind? would they like to be recognized by the iraqi government? would you like the right to self empowerment and self protection? several questions, militia questions, questions about plight. let's start out with when you had the stories about what isis is doing around the world and what is happening in your own community, what are you not hearing? the turkmen chemical attack. i think of the kakai in general we are not hearing about. when you think of the yazidi community, with the you wish people in this room heard about that you are not hearing? >> i want everyone to know that

the yazidis are going through a holocaust. it is tough to say that. there are people and burn people. there is a system that person kates -- that persecutes the yazidi. for me to be an engineer, i spent many mornings to go and werein why that yazidis not devil worshipers, that yazidis were not dirty, that yazidis were other human beings. that created a situation. i always said that a genocide would not take place unless it comes under many shadows. there is a general understanding in the region of this community that said this people did not deserve lie. until now, the yazidi tragedy has not been noticed to the extent it is. distinctivee a

religious minority that have been giving two choices, everyone else was given all choices. they say that yazidis were people of the book, that yazidis were devil worshipers, that according to the interpretation that yazidis existence was shame on them. mona has seen.t isis was taking them. in some cases -- in one case, in three3200 women kept theand they village detention center. not just attention. they would go through the houses and take whatever woman they wanted. moment,ever forget that

the two yazidi women committed suicide. two other were shot by daesh. i will never forget looking in the eyes of yazidi women looking in the eyes of their husbands. two medical students, who were were put aside, they were killed. their women were taken. everyone in the family were killed. and children no older than five years old living under horrible conditions. they have no income or food. talking about shelter. population,azidi they have had no place to live for two years now. they have had no income for two years now.

none of them have for receive that food for the past six months. eliza: this is the next phase of the story that i feel we are not hearing. i wonder what you think. the casualty rate due to isis and minorities remains open. we certainly do know that by 2016, 3.3 million people had been displaced by isis. for the syrian community driven for their homes, what does living far from home mean? what are you not hearing about the next phase of the story? mona: thank you. i just want to say that one of the things we need to make clear is this ethnic cleansing has not just started two years ago. it has been slowly happening and isis just expressed the process. they made it happen quicker. eliza: i think that is so

essential. it is tricky politically to look at that. when you look at the syrian christian community and in iraq in general, you are looking at before the u.s. invasion a population of more than one million and the mass exodus happening before isis. now we are looking at a community of maybe 300,000. mona: if we are lucky. it was 1.5 million in 2003 and maybe somewhere between 200000 and 250,000 right now. this has been happening for a while. one of the things i like for people to know is there are different reactions. everyone has opinions. they should get out or they should not or they should stay and keep the culture going. that is not our place. the kinds of stories that come out of their resonate the feeling. i want to quote some of these

women. and you have-- interviewed some of these people. one woman was being moved from one place to another after losing their home. if you move my family, you have to move me with all of my neighbors. that is how the syrian christians are. the whole village is their family. how they are coping with this. when they have escaped they have tried to stay together as much as possible. it gives them some sort of semblance of normality. in the middle of this whole awful, ugly crisis n.eighbors. it is the only way they can cope with the loss of their homes, their family -- ugly crisis. is he only way they can hope with the loss of their homes, their family.

so from what i hear is that we are pleading with the international community to help us not only stay there to have enough food and water, but to have infrastructure again, have some sort of a marshall plan to create jobs and help us thrive again in our homeland. we deserve that. we are one of the indigenous people of the area. we are not saying pay attention to us when we say that yazidis and assyrian christians have genocide dumb to them -- done to them and please help us. we are not saying that our lives are more valuable than anyone else, but there needs to be a priority. when we go from 1.5 million to 250,000, there needs to be a priority, right?

eliza: maybe what we will do is ofe back to this question what does a landscape post isis look like and what can the international community do to make it so. i want to reiterate something. it is so essential. heard colleagues say that today. we are not sitting up here say i'm a turkmen, i am a kakai. we have been fractured as a people. it is not just us. we are the minority together. in terms of the turkmen community, this chemical attack has gone virtually unreported here in the united states. maybe you can talk to us a little bit about it and what you would call on the international community to do now.

ali: the chemical attack was 2016. -- it was 20e on kilometers away from the center of the city. most are being attacked from a village called bashir. turkmen.ther site of june of 2014 when they attack and displaced about 12,000 turkmen. abducted women and girls. the were already attacking districts. was busy with isis so there were no actions. the they were twice attacked by isis. there was one when about 22

martyred. the total number of affected civilians was about 7000. we know that act of chemical die then, some will and some will die after days and months and years. we have a city where we have about 7000 civilians attacked or affected by this. according to the official -- by theom organization, they declared down there that it was really mustard gas. eliza: mustard gas. ali: it was genocide against

turkmen. today, there is no action. action has been taken by our partition to send some people or a person to tokyo or iran. there is no way to resolve this or take care of such people. eliza: what would be strategic plan look like? maybe that is part of the articulating. how can we provide, how can we not only lay out the scope of the problem here but address some of the means by which, what what would a response look like? ali: first of all, after three days i had intelligence officials in iraq that isis once now to attack another turkmen city. it is also in the same province about 180 kilometers north of baghdad. is in some that isis area, if you kilometers away

places,ilian-inhabited so they are trying to get victory in some places and looking to other places. some are still inhabited by isis. timecan attack at any because every day that criminal or ask -- colonel asked around them we must prevent. the ability of isis to form -- i think what we should prevent, first of all, it can prevent at any place come they cannot attack any city. the second point is to do what those people in a provisional way. the environment should be clean .nd dealt with professionally

mobile unitsy sent to deal with such voices or cities. we need to care for people. we have long-term complication according to iraq. the city told me that they will see leukemia in the future. medicaled also evacuation for some severe cases. this is related to what we need. eliza: thank you. now to our kakai colleagues. the kakai are probably the least heard from. who hears about what is happening to the kakai? this is a good moment to hear historically about what persecution has looked like and what the kakai are suffering now.

rajab: [speaking in foreign language] i just introduced you to what the kakai community is about. since the iraqi state was formed in the 1920's of the last , the religion of the -- the kakai religion was not mentioned in the iraqi constitution when it was first formed. and the reason the name is unknown to those who were not close to the community.

rajab: [speaking in foreign language] translator: for example, although many know that the kakai exist, but areas where the kakai do not live have no idea what kakai are about. it is similar to what my colleague murad said about his community and people are asking about the background of that community. we faced the same problems and the same questions.

many claims were made about us, that we were devil worshipers, that we have to turn off all the lights on the new year, and other unreasonable things that are said out of ignorance. the first iraqi constitution ignored us and did not make a mention of us. since 2003, a select group of iraqi legal experts and activists visited the iraqi parliament. they made a big push for the kakai to be included. eliza: i will stop you there

because i think this is part of the next question, which is the solution. we have heard about what each community is facing, who they are, what we are not hearing about this in the news, which is everything. we have heard about the systematic attempts to destroy different people. we have heard about targeted campaigns of massacre, of rape, of kidnap for ransom and then kidnapped for taking children into what daesh calls the cubs program. i myself interviewed the mother of a three-year-old girl who was taken by isis and has yet to be returned. this problem could not be more pressing or multifaceted. now let's turn to solutions. let's hear from each of these guys about what has been there community's most effective solution. is it a civil solution? is it a military solution in helping form militia?

has itd right to that is been more successful to leave the country? what is the reality of flight and displacement? we will turn to that now. what we'll end with is what does a post isis iraq look like? what can the international community do to safeguard the presence of ancient communities in iraq? so let's begin with that. i'm going to ask, with the response, what have you guys found to be effective, if anything? and what are you seeing in terms of self-defense, in terms of civil society? what's working? >> so i think we can -- if we want to identify the current situation, right now, it would be displacement, mistrust, not

being confident to live in the homeland. if you ask a question to anyone they will tell you whether there will be interaction protection recognition or the genocide globally and preserve as a community or the other choice. about 70,000 already existed and i think if the route was not blocked there would be now 100,000 from a half million people. talking about the solutions. as to now we have the resolution from the u.s. report that said what happened, specifically genocide -- >> can i ask you, was that helpful? does that have any teeth for you on the ground for the international community to acknowledge the genocide? >> i think the international community has been lacking in responsibility. they've been dragging their feet not to take the case. e are pursuing a legal case.

we are trying to open the case before the international criminal court. and i think that justice is very important. when atrocities of this scale, the thing you can do is bring justice. the first thing they will at the you is i want what happened to me to be recognized even if there's nothing tangible is coming out. so there are solution that is need to be done internationally, solutions that need to be done locally, government, the muslim community and internationally. one thing i would have expected all the muslims in the world to come out and say the enslavement was not right. something i never heard. i can challenge whoever wants to bring a question that the muslim clerics internationally never came out against the genocide, never came out and said the rape of the women was

t in line with the sheera, for example, i think that's something they go into a lot of chaos when anything against the religion has been said internationally. i think what's happened in the name of islam, which does not represent, it does not represent any relidgeage but the muslim community should have come out in iraq. now talk about the sunni community in iraq and syria. the tribal leaders there they could have said no to the rape, to the distribution. to the genocide. but they didn't say that. so that's one angle. i think also for you to ask my community to find their own solution. and third, how can a community that's basically lost everything that possessed for ree, four generations, the best person left his home with his clothes on.

if you were a very happy prn you would be able to escape s.th just your own i think the international community should stand up. there must be clear recognition of the genocide with every parliament, with the public. the people -- the public should know that they're being subject to genocide. i think a legal case must be pursued against dishe and there must be two legal systems an international legal system through the tribunal court and another court in iraq. from my experience in 2006 and 2007 when al qaeda and other groups were able to commit the rime but were able to -- reintegrate. i would tell them bring the

justice first. it is very pain tolve me when i sit with someone while i still ave 3,200 women and girls in captivity, who have been raped every day, it's painful to ask me to reconcile. this is something i observed. we had two mentally ill people in our town and one of them was beating the other one but the one who was being beaten to his face, he was in a very terrible situation but the guy who was actually beating him he was crying and he was saying that comb please hold me. so what is happening is that the yazz i hadies are the victims, they've been persecuted given two choices but the international community is asking for a reconciliation before even asking for justice. so to me justice is very important. to me it's for the short term about 30% of the homeland must be freed right now.

we still -- >> can we come back to this. >> two more minutes just to finish. >> if we can lay out what the long-term solution would be after we get how each community is responding. i would like to come back to that because i think we can say what the iraqi constitution allows for. what the homeland might look like for minorities. >> so i think so far i've been really trying to keep it short. >> we are running out of time. >> to be fair i would like to give more background. when i am saying as syrians, i'm talking about all three denominations. but when i say, i mean all. i don't separate it because ethnically we are all asyrian. and the reason i'm saying that is because there's a misconception out there that

the christians are being given a choice. that is not true at all. and there was a recent article that stated that there's been a 278-page report done by the knights of columbus and idc together where we gathered testimony and everything to show that there's been legal papers done, a 35-page legal paper. all these were given to secretary kerry and i think moments before he was about to nounce the genocide, christians were included in there. that's why the numplet is hesitating to include us into the genocide because they keep claiming that the misconception -- and it was extorsion. >> that is my experience reporting in the region that this just to make sure everybody is up to speed here on this, the idea being that isis is sends out promotional

videos saying with happy faces of christians saying all i have to do is pay this small amount of money when the experience is that is not at all true. it's extorsion. or it's i'll take your 3-year-old daughter. isis is not allowing christians to pay some tax that lets them off the hook. >> and this goes back to the beginning of islam. it was a security tax. and they're using that as an excuse but they're really not offering it or the offer is so ridiculous like $8,000 a month. >> for your child. >> exactly. so that's the other misconception i wanted to say to the world. so since june of 2014, the political map in iraq has changed and division of the people has totally changed completely about their own future. if there isn't a future it's

hard psychologically to take the next step. right? what is the next thing to do? if all i'm doing is trying to feed my family and that's it, what is the next step as far as career and future for the kids and everything? so all that is lost. once that comes to a stop. right? so -- the future is unpredictable. so the security -- the insecurity push the people to emigrate. number one. that's why since 2003 the exodus has been massive. and to the point of extinction in the area. and we have been there over 6,000 years and we were one of the first groups to adopt krisianty. but when you say christians, you're talking about the last 2,000 years and you've knocked off the 4,000 years of existence. so if they're ever to return back home there needs to be is confidence that we have

self-determination, security, and that we won't be abandoned again, again, again, and i say that over and over again in history. and the most recent was in june disarmed re we were and abandoned. >> that's excellent. i'm going to look at nick for a high sign on how much time we have left? 25 minutes left. thank you very much. ok. so i am going to turn it over to questions in five to seven minutes. that's going to be the aim. so let's hear on this question. then we're going to talk for one minute about what this -- we've heard a little bit. there are a couple of regions left where the people are still strong. the idea of returning, what

would it take internationally. so what effective response your community has been able to take so far or what is work sng to put a solution and to treat any disease you must diagnose that first. some k what's happened is things are international, some things are internal. i think there is a misunderstanding of democracy. there is, i know that any movement in the hand means an impulse in the nerve cells in the brain and it will be transmitted tolt hand to be moved. so i think in iraq, it's present in the brain of some groups. if you want to, if it is prizz en before isis, then to put it educational t an

program to solve the problem. and this will all happen by ngos and the help of the community. the other is problems in the constitution of iraq. the fact of the distributed area is large lands and most of such lands were the lands of between whom and whom. i don't know. and who are responsible? away made them to be from us. the clergy to have external support and they have had a bad history and they don't trust anyone. and the idea groups, the same or the -- the same. so we have a constitutional

program and it must be changed. this is a problem. the other problem is external. turkey, m, from all, serbia, everybody trying to support certain ethnic groups and weakening of the others. so we need a real democracy, a real implementing of rules of democracy and human rightings. and if there is intervention for helping iraq, it's not working. if there is again what's the problem. i think to put the solution about what happened and the crisis on the ground we need to divide it in long term and short term. short term we must deal with the crisis, we must deal with the abducted women urgently not just to talk. we must deal with the victims of chemical weapons. we must deal with the women and children.

now we have about 2 million children in iraq. children for the ongoing ten years, however they grow there will be a real source of criminal acts in the future. i think the best way is to empower the local ngo's, support them. support them by training, through establishing human rights institution in iraq. and this is a message from us to georgetown university thankfully to study this issue and to help the people to establish an institution that specializes in human rights, to spread thoughts of human rights in iraq, because it is absent. >> ok, i'm going to wrap you up right there. so -- and because our colleague talked about the problems with the constitution, i think

that's where we want to go now. we want to talk about just to wrap up and then to open it up for questions. if minorities in iraq were to return post isis, what might that look like? is the idea of a safe haven possible? certainly the united states is not going to support any boots on the ground effort or no fly zone. that's unfortunately the reality. so let's take it as a given that we're not going to see an international force fighting for us on the ground. we are not going to see a no fly zone. it's simply too expensive. if i sat there and i were an ambassador saying sorry we can't help you with those things and you said yes we can still have a safe haven, what does the iraqi constitution allow for? what might self-determination and self-protection look like? what might a solution for a safe haven look like? and then we will turn it over to you for questions.

> so i think the system that produces genocide you should not ask for the same system to be established. that would be stupid. if you try to bring everything to what was before and you prepare the ground for another genocide atrocity against everyone. so we need a different solution. hat solution must be internally accepted. but the fact is within iraq and within the culture and the middle east. if you are the other you will never be. if you are the other you will always be put on the edge, you would never be listened to. now we have one or two and a lot of times that the politicians will be implants, not real voices of the community. we don't have any direct rat, anyone in the government.

we are always treated as third-class citizens in our areas. we have to accept always the orders. we never are allowed to have a real voice. if you want to have a voice you have to have a certain voice, not your own voice. so i think the new system must allow all the minorities to have a real voice. the conversation that the u.s. was having, having this sort of national guard forces, something like the system system where you have like a federal system where everyone -- er area is in princhespl in charge of their own faith, i think that's a good system. we can apply it where instead of someone coming from baghdad or somewhere else to protect me, if i was the one protecting my children then i would have -- ust more emotional security wise. but also administratively. if you have people running

there own staff, then you are respecting them, then they know that there is someone in that. but in the region we are nobody. we are begging for food, we are begging for a place in the government, we are begging for our own city. my sister is here. the area used to be historicically but now it's not. with the parmmentry members, -- parliamentary members, i don't know what happened but just maybe one person would go to have a certain view. so that's a real problem. and for example, the council where we had six members in principle the deputy should be third class re a citizen so you are not respected. so i think there must be some

international parameters working with both clergy and the iraqi government. you cannot have a heaven in the middle of the hell. you cannot just have something beautiful in the war zone where you have all areas of colapsing so you need to work with everyone should work together to create that system but there must be some international oversight. if we don't we will never have a voice because that produces genocide and the international community needs to prevent that from happening again. >> i'm going to put you on the spot with what international oversight might look like vibeably. what could the international community do as part of the solution? >> ok. so i just want to say that in the words -- and i'm probably not saying it correctly or anderson ly but mr.

of the nithes of columbus said second class citizenship is a precurser to genocide. that is so true. so not even second-class citizenship. we don't deserve that. so the overall recommendation that is we're talking about is just that. that we deserve to be treated as equals to everybody else. that's number one. so the international community. we need to support to the indiginous minorities directly through their legitimate ngo's that have been established. that's number one. to deliver the aid and humanitarian activities during this crisis. because if it's done through the governing powers most of the time it's not trickling down to them because we're not in the unhgr camp or government-run places. so that's one thing. empowering the indiginous minorities to establish safe internationally protected zones.

that keeps coming up over and over again on this panel. for long-term and parallel adopt and establish a province with the federal government and neutralize the region between baghdad and anbar for now. later there could be a referendum where they could vote and they could be organized to let the people decide for themselves if they want to stay with baghdad, there or establish a new region. but for now -- this is short-time. support local security forces who are the only independent groups that are at the will of the people. ok? and encourage them to participate in the liberation of their lands. also, to provide local security in the future for their own region. ok? and that's really the only way to get people back home is when they know that they are being protected by their own. >> and those people have a way, that militia has a way to be integrated into a larger

system. >> so maintaining this rich cultural diversity is really essential for peace to prevail in that region. >> that sounds great. ok guys. inaudible] >> what? >> are you asking for autonomous region in the area? >> for now they just need to be able to self-govern. later when things settle, we're in the middle of the crisis. we need to breathe first. we need to take a breath. right now it needs to be neutralized and we need to be able to take care of ourselves in our own homes and our own lands. later when things people settle down, people feel secure, then there could be a democratic vote as to which way to look, outh to baghdad or to create an independent province. >> as the doctor pointed out,

and this might be something people are not familiar with, this was a dispute in many of the areas in iraq were disputed areas between the kurds and iraqi government before. so these minority communities didn't have the right to their own budget. they couldn't build their own bridges, they didn't control their own water. they didn't have a budget or the right to self-protection. so a future that allows them some self-empowerment over those things within a federal system may be part of the solution. ok. so one minute each and im going to be tough and cut you right off. >> thank you. >> we really want to be part of the iraqi new system. we want the democracy to continue. we need also for the international community to take the responsibility i think cause we are over an

experimental field. i think it is enough. we lost that trust. we need international protection for all not just for muslims. because we are suffering. is the inhabit tants of minoritieses. so we need international protection by the international community. then empowering of the local groups. in an official way. don't want it to be just ethnic. because we know that for ample we have a military they of the turkman and attack us with heavy weapons. there is an ethnic conflict on the ground. so we need an official way or a

force to be part of programs, federal. and because we are depending on the constitution in iraq and there is the right of forming new relincolnance, new programs. i think, for example, there is programs for minorities. in kirkuk we with can divide it in three provepbses. the last thing i think of the democracy in iraq gave a bad message tolt world. i think we can begin the trust in democracy by forming a government or land according to autonomy. >> absolutely. excellent. thank you. so there is the means under a federal system already to establish this province with

its own right to self-determination. that is already within the iraqi constitution. thank you. >> how much time do i have. >> one minute. >> they spoke with you more than me. >> ofpblgt you will have the right to answer the first question from the audience. but one minute. >> one minute. > solutions. >> some of the solutions that they have come up with, my colleague here have mentioned.

>> ok. great. the kakai religion to be mentioned in the constitution. it's not a matter of having a quota but a matter of recognizing your community within its country. >> thank you so much. we have ten minutes left to ask questions. >> he stole my time. >> i am already -- >> ok. thank you. >> so with that we've got ten minutes for yeses. why don't we take three questions at a time. ok. so who has got the mic? awesome. so his three questions right

here. so why don't you give the mic to these guys. each will pose your question and we'll take them in groups to make sure we get to as many as possible. >> the representative, the question is what it will look like where they are basically from the sites are surrounded with the sunnis. how it will look like. >> that's an excellent question. if you could pass the

microfobe. >> how should isis or how can isis be defeated? because that's at the heart of why all these things are happening. so i want to hear their opinion. >> and how can communities live together when their neighbors have >> i represent the friends, which have been in politics, in politics, in iraq. we're thinking of a safe haven. something within the iraqi constitution to self administrate. and i am very sad, to hear him say i don't understand how is this going to happen. this is a proposal that has been handed to the vice-president of the united states of america, a year ago signed by nine organizations of that plan. i would like to give it to you. and also the question would be,

for all the panel, we need to, how can we work together as the communities, in that region to actually accomplish this? >> i'm going to turn to our colleagues, how can we work together? he has a chance to answer that. defeating isis might be beyond the scope of these guys right -- you know what i mean? [laughter] >> that's great. what kind of international response would you like? that sounds good. yes. nick, can you give me, when we have three minutes. >> the question on isis? >> no -- >> how to work together. >> he can answer whatever he would like. it sounds like this idea of how can we work together is something that he's thinking about.

>> [speaking foreign language.] >> we must find the common ground among all the problems of the minorities and start addressing these issues. secondly, we need to secure -- we need to secure all the ideas, where the minorities are living from the military and security point of views. >> [speaking foreign language] >> thirdly, to effect national reconciliation in the desired way and in a manner that suits the problems. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> also getting the civil community engaging, in spreading the culture to prevent vengeance, and diffuse tensions. and providing legal and international protection. >> [speaking foreign language] >> the kurdish people -- they do they do not have the right training and the right kind of -- >> i think this is a very important point. >> they were formed in the first place in order to protect kurdish areas.

>> we'll say the very important point, that the kurdish forces withdrew from some of the areas, so the protection wasn't there. and in other areas, we have three minutes, in other areas the the kurds have used it for take land, from minority groups. in order to safeguard their own interest except that -- instead of those they are defending. we have three minutes left. we're going to take the next three questions and we're going to give you a chance to respond. >> can i talk? >> nick. we have three minutes left. >> the people, there are political questions and they are not politicians. >> would you like to ask a question? >> we have comments and we have asked nothing. >> yeah, welcome to a panel in washington. [laughter]

>> we're doing our best, who these guys are. that's the reality. to figure out -- who is being persecuted and why? it's a tall order. >> we can't tell because we are in the middle. >> exactly. thank you, sir. >> last question right here. >> i am from the kurdistan regional government. and like my colleague we're frustrated because some accusations have been made. they're inaccurate. my question is, i agree with a lot of what is being said despite some inaccuracies, there needs to be a protection force and guarantee. when you speak to the international community, not us, to the international community, what do they say? >> about what? what kind of protection?

>> about self governing? >> so, why don't we end with this question? if you are to articulate for your group what kind of self protection -- >> no -- when they talk to the americans. >> yeah. >> what is the response of the americans. >> what do they say back to you? what do you hear from the international community when you say we need our own protection force? >> if i may answer the questions, to go back, with the sunnis, and, you have the justice and it could be established, and, for your question. the international community, does not stand up for its obligation. the international community is answers no. so, the international community didn't have a special plan for minorities. the international community is telling the minorities to go and find your own solution. if you lost everything, if you

are a people, under persecution, what solution you will find. i hope this conference will answer your question. >> yeah. >> so i think, he answered that. but there was other questions. so i just to want say that, we need, as a international community, we need to be ready for post isis, not when mosul has been liberated. what happened with falluja, the same thing will happen. there will be mass exodus of people. do we have a plan? we need for support new systems of education that promote tolerance and accepting offers. -- accepting others. so it is a whole -- you know, the system of education has to be looked at again, and, redone. and, accepting of different ethnic backgrounds and having respect for each other and create jobs, and there needs to

be investment, to create jobs and bring back dignity and promote sustainability in the region. that's really the only way to keep the diversity and peace. >> great. we have three minutes left. let's give both of them a chance to respond. >> i think, i know it is not easy. the problem, of the nation, talking about after change, we all like it, so, we must tell the reality, and the facts of what happened. we know that in 1991 a lot was given to the kurdish people and they got the rights by this safe haven of autonomy. they form their own region again

and they are living peacefully. so i think we have, according to the responsibility of the international community, how they change the system. >> okay. one minute. yeah. [laughter] >> what is the question? >> so, he, i think, the representative, i think it's essential to say, that the kurds have taken in hundreds of thousands of people, open borders, when their own economy was not open to it. so, as much as there are ongoing problems, it is really important to express gratitude for that action and that the kurds have not gotten any support from the united states government. so i think that's important to say. we're going to return to the representative, so, when you go to the americans and say we need

a self-defense force, what do they say to you? i'm sorry, time is really up. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> that's really the time that we have. >> we have asked the americans to offer help not only to them but to all the other groups. >> okay, so with that, this has been so engaging and that is unusual. so, let us continue this conversation over lunch. thank you so much. [applause] >> if i could have your attention, ladies and gentlemen, this is religious freedom in action. to the gentleman who complains we need to leave this, sir, i'm speaking to you. that, this is, these are political questions. in a democracy, politics is not left just to the politicians. [applause] >> and a democracy, politics is

the way we organize our lives together. and religious actors, have every right to say what they think their future should be. this is what religion gust -- religious freedom is. and this is what we need in iraq and syria. let us applause for this panel. [applause] > book tv on c-span2, 48 hours of nonfiction books and authors every weekend. here are some feature programs this weekend. today at noon eastern, 18th annual harlem book fair. held every year at the schomburg center in harlem. our coverage include black writers and the state of literature. a panel discussion about author disgustingurston and -- discussing another book

"democracy in black." afterwards, the author of "co nsequence, a memoir." he is interviewed. a great deal of nudity. it was cold, and december. the image of a number of men chained to their doors with -- it was forced to standing, and enhanced technique. donald rumsfeld send -- said he standards his desk all day for the megyn kelly seeing someone in a forced standing position has nothing to do with being at a standing desk. it was torture. >> on sunday night, fdr and churchill's strained relationship during world war ii is the subject of the book "commander in chief," looking at

the difficulties between the two. go to book tv.org for the complete we can schedule. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] >> the prime minister of singapore will be the guest of honor at a white house state dinner. be the 13th time president obama has hosted a state dinner. here is a preview. >> of the like to welcome you to the press preview. you will hear from all of our wonderful colleagues, from the national security council and

the executive residence. obviously, the represent many. -- we represent many. all of the agencies that will work together, without further a do i will turn you over to go over all of the information. thank you. >> hello, everyone and welcome to the press review. i am here to present -- as you can see, the decor is yellow. friendshipes our that we share with both countries. itsapore is known for incredible orchids. we have an abundance of them.

likewise, the united states is world-class garden roses which we have showcased in our arrangement. with both of them together, it represents the harmonious friendship between both countries. we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy seeing it. >> good morning, everyone, how are you? i'm the senior director of asian affairs at the security council. there is an important visit to the white house next week. stayed in it are an opportunity for the united states to renew our ties with america's most important and closest partners around the world. singapore is one of our strongest, closest and most reliable partners.

in fact, when the prime minister visits the white house next week we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of our most important bilateral relationships. next week's visit and state dinner presents number 10 at eight for president obama to reciprocate the hospitality the prime minister any singapore people showed to him when he visited singapore in 2009. it will allow the president to demonstrate as while the close professional and personal relationship he has with the prime minister which is based on mutual respect. floatsl see a display of across the board. for example, singapore served as host to our military forces in the region. it is one of many countries in the counter isis coalition. it is home to many u.s. companies and a strong advocate

for the transpacific ownership -- partnership. we look for cooperation on a range of issues. global health, overtime security, and combating climate change. the two leaders will look for ways we can address these and for the strength in ties between our two people. our two leaders also will highlight the economic interest each importance of the transpacific partnership trade agreement. a crucialents opportunity to revitalize the global economic architecture and strengthen america's influence. thanill eliminate more 18,000 tariffs from american exports. in short the partner countries follow the same labor and environmental standards that we follow in the united states. the united good for states, good for the region, and the world.

the prime minister's visit clearly visits the important role that singapore plays in the u.s. rebound to the asia pacific. the united states is engaging more people across all of southeast asia. that is absolutely central to the region. both our nations are committed to building a regional order where all nations play by the same rules and result -- resolve things peacefully and address regional challenges. thank you very much, now i will turn it over. >> good morning, i am the white house executive chef. the state dinner is a celebration of america's bounty on the way for the rich farmlands of california to the waters of the chesapeake.

for the first course, we are serving our famous maryland crab which is accented with an asian hybrid of citrus. it is like a cross between limes and kumquats. there is a wonderful greek potato, for the second course we want to celebrate summer. we are highlighting local tomatoes from farms in ohio. we also have some wonderful asian flavors. sorbet accented with a which is a wonderful tropical and oriental fruit. for the main course we're highlighting american beef with roasted yams from california.

also baby kale and some lemongrass. now, i would like to cheesy to our executive chef. -- introduce you to our executive chef. >> good morning, everyone. i am the executive pastry chef. today to present to you this festive gathering. in my left hand is a desert which is a handmade creation of peach sangria cake layered with accent of coconut milk. peaches from california and virginia farms are marinated with a variety of american red wine. chamomile glaze with dry

chamomile from the white house garden. lastly, it is garnished with brittle andde into meringue. in my right hand, is a handmade creation made of a caramelized withe new get -- nouget ribbons all hand pulled and made of sugar. included is a variety of assorted miniature pastries which are pineapple, coconut, white chocolate truffle. cherry tart, black sesame crom macaroon, and what that i forget? the aaa or almond cake. thank you, have a nice weekend. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016]

>> c-span washington journal, live every day with the news and policy issues that impact you for the coming up this morning, a columnist for bloomberg was earnest nested talk about why both the democratic and republican platforms have called for the restoration of the 1933 glass-steagall act which prohibits banks from being in the investment business. and executive director for the mccain institute for international leadership will talk about u.s. foreign-policy towards nato and russia, following the failed military coup in turkey and instability in the region. he will discuss donald trump's remarks of the u.s. might not come to the defense of the nato allies that fail to meet the defense spending requirements. fellow at the independent institute will join us to discuss the u.s., nato and russia. he will talk about why he is in

support of some of his foreign-policy views. join the discussion. >> before washington journal, here's a look at what is coming up next. first, hillary clinton campaigns in philadelphia but their to running mate, senator tim kaine. that is followed by donald trump at a rally yesterday in denver, colorado. >> one day after the democratic national convention came to a close hillary clinton and senator tim kaine made the first public appearance together since formally accepting the party's nomination. the two spoke about issues that were highlighted at the convention and how their campaign is a contrast to the republican presidential ticket. this event at temple university in philadelphia is 40 minutes.

>> ladies and gentlemen, welcome senator bob casey. [applause] >> philadelphia, i have one question for you. i think you know the answer, but i will go slow. are you ready to win for hillary clinton? [cheers] all right.

secretary clinton is couple of yards away. [cheers] >> and she is with senator kaine. let's let them know we are here. [cheers] >> got it. i want to first say how much we appreciate the work of the people of this city to put on a great convention. [applause] >> mayor kenny and the police department and so many others made it possible. last night was a great thing. it was a great night for -- go ahead. [applause] >> it was a great night for secretary clinton, senator kaine, and last night in this week, this city and this party made history.

i want to thank you for doing that. [applause] >> not only do we know we are stronger together, two great candidates, but also their families. i will and should as the clinton family and the -- introduce them as the clinton family and the kaine family. [applause] ♪ ♪

mountain high sen. kaine:ing] ♪

philadelphia. wow. man. wow.

i was tired after last night, but i'm awake now. [applause] sen. kaine: listen. what a warm welcome. hello to philadelphia. we come from virginia and we think we have this hospitality thing down pat but philadelphia really showed up this week. [applause] sen. kaine: so some thank you's. i want to thank my great friend and senate colleague bob hastings. what a wonderful host. and we are so excited to have another great pennsylvanian joining us in the senate, katie mcginty. [applause] sen. kaine: you have heard earlier today already from two of the people that are absolutely key to making this convention work.

congressman bob brady. thank you for all your great work. [applause] sen. kaine: governor ed rendell, we share mayors, governors, and dnc chairs. we get to go right by purgatory and through the golden gate's because of what we've done. ed rendell, great service. we heard from councilwoman parker and bobby hill, josh schapiro. so many public servants. it has been an incredible week. i cannot be prouder to be here in philadelphia and accept the request of a spectacular public servant, hillary clinton. [cheers and applause]

[chanting "hillary"] sen. kaine: i shared the other night at the convention how kind of weird i feel being here. i just grew up in such a nonpolitical household. mom and dad are somewhere in this room. i don't know if there are any

irish-americans here, but they are standing with a buddy from county clerk fleming that flew over to surprise me. we are here as strong family. all of us. i worked in my dad's business and that is what family businesses do. i know a lot of you come from that. i learned a lot from working from my dad. i went to a jesuit high school. [applause] sen. kaine: jesuits aren't that big an applause line in every city, but glad to know in philadelphia -- pope francis. [applause] sen. kaine: but those values of hard work were my guiding principles. that is one of the reasons i

developed such an admiration and friendship for hillary clinton. those of the same values. those are her values. she has been living and fighting for families. putting them first her entire career. [applause] kaine: in my on life, i took the lessons from my parents and from the jesuits that i worked with. something virtually all of you guys have done. mearue what -- measure what i do by how it helps others. what i have done, i have do help someone else. can you serve others? it's not about title, money, prestige, popularity, or anything other than serving other people. [applause]

sen. kaine: so we are starting this bus tour today. the big events are fun. i don't like wearing a tie that much. i would just go out and pound the pavement so we're starting a bus tour today. this is the first rally. [applause] sen. kaine: and it's no accident. this is the first rally. we are going across pennsylvania. secretary clinton will be laying out such a fantastic president, a fantastic president. [applause] sen. kaine: we are going to be drawing that contrast between hillary clinton's plans for our

country and donald trump's empty promises and no plans for the country. you know her plans. is are anybody a temple that like the idea of free college? [applause] sen. kaine: she has pledged in the first 100 days to make a massive investment in new jobs, education, work training, rebuilding the nation's infrastructure, fighting the battles she has fought time and time again. and it's not just what she said. i know you watched as she talked about getting health insurance for kids when she was first

lady. you can get things done for regular people. [applause] sen. kaine: we talk about creating jobs. we'll talk about raising wages. we will talk about leadership based on alliances, building bridges, and just using the relationships we have to defeat forces of terrorism, prejudice, anti-semitism. we can do that when we work together. [applause] sen. kaine: and finally, this

matters to me as a former civil rights lawyer, we have a community of respect. a beloved community. not just because they are somebody with a disability or they are lgbt or coming from another country or their skin color is different or they speak another language. don't you guys call yourself a commonwealth like we in virginia do? [applause] sen. kaine: that's different than saying your a state. anybody that says we are a commonwealth, you say that the wealth we hold we hold in common. it's got to be about bringing everybody together. and those are hillary clinton's values. [applause] sen. kaine: the last thing i will say before we bring up our champion and the main event is, i've noticed a few differences

between hillary clinton and donald trump. what is today, friday? i will boil it down. you have seen trump pitch in a negative convention a very different view of this country. weren't you proud of how optimistic, upbeat, and positive? [applause] sen. kaine: absolutely. absolutely. the republican convention was like a twisted negative tour. it wasn't a tour of this country, it was a journey through donald trump's mind. it is a very frightening place. [laughter] [applause]

sen. kaine: when it comes to the economy, we are at a college. we have a you are hired president. it would you rather have that or a you're fired president? that's not that hard. in hillary, you have a bridge builder. would you rather have that or a trash talker? [applause] . kaine: and in hillary, you've got that character from before she was ever in office to put kids and families first. this is really important. if you want to know about trustworthiness and character, look to see -- audience member: trust hillary! [applause] sen. kaine: he got to the punch line. [applause]

sen. kaine: i like it. i like it. all right, now look. if you want to know how you can view somebody in public life, look to see if they had a passion before they got an office and if they have continued that passion consistently throughout their entire time. and you know that hillary clinton, in good times and tough times, victory and defeat, hell or high water, in office or out of office, it's she was a teenager, she has been putting kids and families first. and you know donald trump has had a passion. and that passion is donald trump. donald trump. kids first, or me first? i am so glad to be on this ticket. it is a history ticket.

anything i can do to help us succeed in anything i can do to help this administration be a fantastic one from first day to last will be my humble honor to do. give a great philadelphia, pennsylvania, welcome to hillary clinton. [cheers and applause] ms. clinton: hey. thank you. thank you all so much. thank you. [chanting "hillary"] ms. clinton: thank you very, very much. i have to begin by thanking our hosts, the people of philadelphia. [applause]

ms. clinton: you know a little something about history and about making history. and i am so grateful to everyone in the city that pulls such a great convention together. we are so gracious, welcoming, hospitable. i am thrilled that so many americans from everywhere got a chance to see philadelphia. to see what is in this great city. [applause] ms. clinton: people kept coming back from going for walks, going to museums, going to other sites, telling me how much they were impressed. i want to thank your mayor. thank you, mayor kenny. i want to thank your congressman.

he loves this city. i am always happy to be here for friend who has been a for bill and me over the years. former governor and mayor ed randel. [applause] ms. clinton: i served with senator bob casey. i appreciated his tenacity, his attention to detail, the work he did for you every single day. so i want to thank bob and i want to recognize who i hope will be his partner in the

senate, katie mcginty. [applause] sec. clinton: and i hope the next attorney general for the commonwealth of pennsylvania john shapiro. [applause] sec. clinton: this has been such an invigorating and exciting week. we heard from the man from hope, bill clinton. [applause] sec. clinton: and we heard from the man of hope, barack obama. [applause] sec. clinton: and i was so excited to introduce to america our partners. it is going to be fun to travel with them because they are going

to demonstrate to the country what the people of virginia already know. there is no better people to have in your corner then tim kaine and anne holton. [applause] sec. clinton: i don't know about you, but i stayed up really late last night. [laughter] sec. clinton: it was hard to go to sleep. thank you. it was so exciting. it was also kind of overwhelming. i take deeply and with great humility the responsibility that this campaign imposes on us. there is no doubt in my mind that every election and our democracy is important in its own way. but i can't think of an election

that is more important in my lifetime. and it's not so much that i'm on the ticket. it is because of the stark choice that is imposed to america -- that is posed to america the selection. when i did wake up this morning -- thank you. when i did start moving and bill and i started drinking our coffee or asking for it to be administered through an iv, as of tomorrow, we have 100 days to make our case to america. [applause]

sec. clinton: so what better place to kickoff this campaign than right here in philadelphia where it all started 240 years ago. [applause] sec. clinton: i believe that our founders came together to create one nation because they understood what we understand. we are stronger together. [applause] sec. clinton: as we pointed out, we heard something very different from the republicans, didn't you? we might as well have been talking about two different countries or as someone said to me, two different planets. donald trump painted a picture. a negative, dark, divisive picture of a country in decline.

he insisted that america is weak . and told us all after laying out this very dark picture that i, alone, can fix it. as i watched and heard that, it set off alarm bells because, just think about what happened here 240 years ago. the founders coming together, a declaration of independence. writing a constitution. they set up the longest lasting democracy in the history of the world. [applause] sec. clinton: they did it. they did it because they knew they didn't want one person or one man to have all the power

like a king. think of george washington. after he served, he stepped down voluntarily. people around him couldn't believe it. he said this is the example we should set. a democracy requires something from all of us. not just people we elect, but from every single one of us. i don't know any founder, how strong or smart they were, that believe that only they could solve our problems. [applause] sec. clinton: and i will tell you something else. "hillary"]

sec. clinton: i will tell you something else. they also are expected a kind of raucous debate in america. but at the end of the debate, we have to come together and get things done, don't we? [applause] sec. clinton: as tim said, we're going to get on a bus and drive-through pennsylvania. i spent every summer in my life up in northeast pennsylvania. my father and brother went to penn state, so i know how beautiful this commonwealth is and how wonderful the people are. i am not satisfied with the status quo. i'm not telling you everything

is peachy keen. i'm telling you we've made progress but we have work to do if we are going to make sure everybody is included. [applause] sec. clinton: i think we've got to have more good jobs. we've got to raise wages and tackle inequality. we've got to make this economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. [applause] sec. clinton: and if you listen really closely to the republican convention, you know that donald trump talked for 75 minutes and did not offer one solution. in fact, his speech and convention seemed more about insulting me instead of helping the american people.

here is what i said i will do. i will get to work on the very first day. we will break through the gridlock in washington and make in biggest investment well-paying job since world war ii. [applause] sec. clinton: we will do it with infrastructure, technology, clean energy, advanced manufacturing. and i am also going to pay special attention to those parts of our country that have been left out and left behind. from communities ravaged by addiction and hollowed by plant closures.

planning ahead and staying ahead. that's my goal. [applause] sec. clinton: so on our bus tour, we will visit places where people will be making things. donald trump talks about make america great again. he doesn't make anything in america, except bankruptcy. there is a lot to be done, my friends. i'm excited to be part of this team and i'm excited to have the 42nd president of the united states as part of this team. [applause]

sec. clinton: the four of us are going to barnstorm the country. as a smart president once said, there is nothing wrong with america that cannot be cured by what's right with america. [applause] sec. clinton: we had a great convention, and we're going to fight for our vision of the future. and i can't do it alone. i need each and every one of you. here is what i ask you to do. please join us. hillaryclinton.com.

be part of this campaign. and we are hiring organizers here. [applause] sec. clinton: between now and election day. we are going to register 3 million more people. [applause] sec. clinton: we are not just going to register them, we are going to get them to commit to vote. we feel deeply the responsibility for continuing the work that started down the road from here. nobody that looks like me was thought to be possible to run for president back then. no one who looks like barack

obama was thought to be possible. [applause] sec. clinton: but contrary to donald trump, i believe every time we knocked down a barrier in america, it liberates everyone in america. [applause] sec. clinton: i have to say, last night, after the end of our convention, i knew that every parent in this country could look at their son or their daughter and say the very same thing. you, too, can be president of the united states. thank you all, god bless you. [applause] mountain higho

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