The Beekeeper of Sinjar is the first non-fiction book by Dunya Mikhail, an award-winning Iraqi poet and journalist. Mikhail spent her first 30 years in Iraq and worked as a journalist for the Baghdad Observer. She immigrated to the United States of America after facing censorship and personal threats from the Iraqi regime. 

In the Beekeeper of Sinjar, Mikhail shares her personal journey of exile, as well as similar stories of others forced from the Sinjar region of Iraq. Daesh invaded Sinjar in 2014, resulting in the genocide of the minority Yzaidi population. Over 2,000 Yazidi men were killed, and thousands of Yazidi women forced into slavery, leading to a mass exodus of Yazidi residents. According to a United Nations report, 5,000 Yazidi civilians (and other minorities) were killed during this time, before Sinjar was liberated in November 2015. The Beekeeper of Sinjar tells the stories of this invasion, directly from those who experienced it.  

The title character, Abdullah, a former beekeeper, runs rescue operations to bring back women who have been captured by Daesh. In the book, Mikhail captures both her conversations with Abdullah as well as the female survivors from Daesh’s captivity. It is an emotional journey of the conflicting sides of humanity, extreme horrors, and extreme compassion.

The stories told in the book are filled with unimaginable horror. Villagers having to make a decision overnight to leave behind everything they have. Men and women shot and buried in mass pits, whilst younger women are sold in markets. Individuals surviving gunshots in the pit, and seeing their childhood friends still living, but unable to help them. Being sold from one man to another followed by endless rape. Hearing your brainwashed son talk about Daesh being his family now. Seeing no one spared from the rape and torture, not even nine year old girls. The work of Daesh. 

The stories throw some light on the working of Daesh. The brainwashing camps for young boys, teaching them about beheading, and giving “special passes” to heaven on completing the training. Considering rape a form a worship and praying before raping the women. The deceit of first offering peace in exchange of all wealth and weapons and then reneging on that promise. Systematically marking homes of Christians and Yazidis with the letters ‘N’ or ‘Y’.

In every story, hidden at times by the trauma and horror, there are gems of humanity. Stories of unbelievable courage and compassion. Stories such as a female tailor, who hid a woman and her children for six months in her house, despite her father being part of Daesh. A woman finding shelter in a poor household, who not only fed her, but also went door to door to collect $7000 to pay a bribe to help her escape. Survivors contributing to pay for another person to be rescued. Every escape was possible due to some ordinary people who at great risk to themselves played a role to help, with absolutely no gain or benefit for themselves. The people running the rescue operations are ordinary people undertaking great risks at personal costs to reunite families and rescue people so they can start a new life. “I must respond to his death by saving more people from the hands of killers.” This quote from the book captures the beauty of humanity that shines through. 

Mikhail’s soulful poetry intersperses the stories. The language is simple and interacts beautifully with the complexity of the emotions contained in each story. The book forces a reader into complicated and conflicting emotions - being rescued and free also means leaving your home, belongings, and often most of your loved ones to start in a new place from scratch. Where a city being liberated from Daesh also means the discovery of the mass graves and the destruction of your home. 

This is not an easy read, but an essential read. These voices need to be heard to raise our collective awareness and consciousness of the human impact of the atrocities committed by Daesh. 

Venil is a development professional from India. She has experience in Education, Ed-tech and Employability. She has worked in startups and nonprofits like Teach For India. She has a Masters in Biochemistry and is passionate about justice and equity.

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