A Yazidi survivor and a Jewish speaker were forced to cancel their eye witness talk on double genocide after receiving serious threats. The talk, which was supposed to take place at the Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands, a poignant location associated with the transfer of Jews to Nazi concentration camps during World War II, aimed to shed light on the value of freedom through the perspectives of two individuals who had survived separate genocides.
Wahhab Hassoo, a 28-year-old Yazidi refugee who arrived in the Netherlands at the age of 17, was set to share his experience during the talk. Hassoo, now the director of the Yazidi Foundation and a candidate in the upcoming Dutch general election, was targeted specifically with death threats, which prompted both him and the organizers to prioritize the safety of the audience and cancel the event. This is not the first time Hassoo has faced threats; he received his first death threats five years ago.
Joining Hassoo in the talk was Emmy Drop-Menko, an 85-year-old Jewish speaker who had been separated from her family during the war. She later discovered that her parents and two siblings had been transferred from Westerbork to the Sobibor concentration camp in Poland, where they died.
The cancellation of the event due to threats is a troubling development. Hassoo expressed his disappointment, stating that he never expected to experience such threats in the Netherlands. However, both he and Drop-Menko are determined to share their stories in the future.
In other related news, the Cheider School, the only orthodox Jewish school in Amsterdam, has closed its doors for the second time in two weeks amidst ongoing violence in Gaza. The school has opted to teach online to ensure the safety of its students.
The mayor of The Hague has also raised concerns about rising tensions, particularly between supporters of Palestine and the anti-Islam organization Pegida.
This unfortunate series of events highlights the need for continued efforts to promote understanding, tolerance, and the importance of freedom in our societies. The threats made against Hassoo and the cancellation of the talk demonstrate the challenges faced by those who seek to share their personal experiences and shed light on the atrocities of genocide. As we navigate these difficult times, it is crucial to foster an environment where open dialogue and education can triumph over fear and hatred.
