Demonstration against the torture of the Yezidis in 2014REUTERS / Denis Balibouse
Steve Maman is a Canadian businessman with a passion for cars. He did his job. But for several months, this Montrealer devotes himself to another cause, that of the Yezidi and Christian minorities, persecuted and captured by the terrorist group Islamic State.
Steve Maman decides to act for the Yezidi and Christian minorities by viewing “Schindler’s list”. The film tells the story of this German industrialist who saved 1,200 Jews during the Second World War. Before his exile, Oskar Schindler received a ring bearing the inscription: “He who saves a life saves all mankind”. This maxim from the Talmud will mark Steve Maman.
This father of family of Moroccan origin and Jewish confession realizes that it is necessary to act against the horror. The Spielberg film acts like a real electroshock for this 42-year-old man. Overwhelmed by this barbarity – the women and children prisoners of Daech are sold as slaves to the combatants – he will engage his personal fortune to release a maximum. According to him, he would have saved 128 women and children since the end of 2014. But money is not the only solution, without contact, he can do nothing.
Steve Maman then uses his address book. His job led him to travel around the world, and especially in Iraq. Reverend Canon Andrew White, a friend of Steve Maman, opened the doors for him. With the help of a local network, it takes the necessary steps to implement this project. He provides the necessary money and his team on site takes care of the negotiations with the fighters and the civilians who hold the slaves. Thanks to the relations of this friend, Steve Maman decides first of all to help three Christian families, threatened by the Islamic State. Last January, he managed to get them out of Iraq to secure them in Turkey.
A costly operation
Despite his will, his personal savings no longer suffice to free these minorities. According to a UN survey, these hostages are sold between 40 and 150 euros. But to recover their freedom the price climbs ostensibly, at this stage, the organization requires a ransom whose amount varies between 2000 and 3000 dollars. The solution is therefore to ask for outside help. Steve Maman then decides to launch a call for donations on the Internet through his site. The foundation: The Liberation of Christian and Yazidi Childrens of Iraq was launched on June 25th. The goal is to raise $ 2 million to continue the liberation of slaves. So far, $ 855,000 has been raised. They are a dozen volunteers to work daily for the cause. A long-term job, for two months, Only 28 people were released. According to the foundation, “some weeks are easier than others. Some releases allow us to leave entire families while others allow us to go out only one or two people at a time. ”