U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko introduces resolution to commemorate the Simele Massacre of 1933

WASHINGTON – U.S. Congresswoman for the Republican Party Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) on Tuesday introduced to the US House of Representatives a resolution to commemorate the 1933 Simele Massacre on the Suraye (Chaldeans-Syriacs-Assyrians). Lesko was joined by Democratic Representatives Anna Eshoo (of Suraya descent), Josh Harder, Brad Sherman, and Republican Scott Perry in the introduction of the resolution.

Over the course of the month of August 1933, Iraqi armed forces and local Arab and Kurdish allies brutally massacred an estimated 6,000 Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian men, women, and children, tens of villages were looted and destroyed, with the massacre in the town of Simele being the most heinous.

In her press statement Representative Debbie Lesko states:

“The Assyrian community has suffered immense hardship throughout history, including the horrific Semele Massacre,”

“It is my hope that this resolution will bring attention to the atrocities that occurred in 1933 so that we can avoid the actions and policies which led to them in the past.”

I am introducing a resolution to commemorate the Semele Massacre of 1933 and encourage public understanding of the hardships the Assyrian community has faced throughout history. I hope this resolution will help us prevent such atrocities in the future.https://t.co/idIlaLRCiS

— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) December 3, 2020

The Lesko bipartisan supported resolution “rejects any efforts to associate the U.S. Government with denial of the Semele Massacre, and encourages the education of the public to increase understanding of the massacre.”

In August 2020, in the run up to the US elections against Suraya competitor for the Republicans Sargis Sangari, U.S. Congresswoman Janice Schakowsky (D-IL 9th District) issued a statement on the anniversary of the 1933 Simele Massacre.

Despite many urgent calls by Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian political parties and organisations the Simele massacre is not recognized by the Iraqi state and is not recorded in Iraqi school books.

Also Read: Bethnahrain Patriotic Union: The blood of the Simele martyrs will be the continuous motivation in our national struggle