Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union marks 92nd anniversary of Simele Massacre with renewed calls for passage of laws protecting minorities

ANKAWA, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — On Thursday, 7 August 2025, the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people commemorate the solemn anniversary of the Simele Massacre — an atrocity committed by Iraqi Army in 1933 which claimed the lives of thousands and forced tens of thousands to flee, many of whom sought refuge in the Khabur River Valley across the border in Syria.

Each year, political parties and members of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community commemorate the Simele Massacre through official statements, peaceful demonstrations, and memorial events held across the countries in which they reside. Marking this solemn occasion, the Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union issued a statement reflecting on the historical tragedy and its enduring impact on the community.

“On the seventh of August each year, the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people solemnly observe Martyrs’ Day, commemorating the 92nd anniversary of the Simele Massacre — a tragic event in which over 5,000 unarmed civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, were brutally killed,” began the statement. “In addition to the loss of life, dozens of villages, monasteries, and churches were burned and destroyed. The community not only mourned the loss of innocent lives but also the destruction of more than 65 inhabited villages in the Duhok Governorate.

Tens of thousands of people were forcibly displaced simply for claiming their rightful freedom and dignity in their ancestral homeland of Beth Nahrain. HBA group noted that this year’s Martyrs’ Day also marks the anniversary of the mass displacement and atrocities committed against their communities in Nineveh Plains, Mosul, and surrounding areas by the Islamic State (ISIS) — a group the HBA described as carrying forward the same genocidal ideology behind the Simele Massacre. The statement also commemorated the 11th anniversary of what it called a brutal crime aimed at erasing their people and seizing their historic lands.

The HBA called on the Iraqi government to deliver justice by officially recognizing the Simele Massacre, ensuring accountability, compensating the victims and displaced persons, and restoring Iraqi citizenship to the descendants of the massacre’s victims in accordance with the Iraqi Constitution.

The HBA also demanded justice for the descendants of victims of various atrocities, including the 1915 Sayfo Genocide, the Simele Massacre of 1933, the Soriya Massacre of 1969, the infamous Anfal campaign of 1988, the crimes of terrorist organizations following the fall of the former regime in Baghdad, the attack on Our Lady of Salvation Church in 2010, and the ISIS invasion of Mosul and Nineveh Plains in 2014.

The Union emphasized that such measures represent the bare minimum required of modern governments to prevent the recurrence of these atrocities — crimes that continue to stand as an indelible stain on the conscience of their perpetrators, both in legal and constitutional terms.

The statement emphasized that “unless Nineveh Plains is elevated to the status of a governorate that safeguards the unique identity of our people, repeated incursions under various pretexts will continue unabated.” It issued a strong rebuke of the Iraqi government, as well as the political parties and blocs that have monopolized authority, systematically marginalized the role of indigenous national and religious communities, curtailed their decision-making capacity, and eroded their rightful representation within state institutions.

The HBA demanded an end to demographic changes and encroachments on the lands and properties of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people in Nineveh Plains and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), including areas such as Nahla, Barwar, Zakho, Sapna, and others. It called for resolving this longstanding issue, restoring rights to their rightful owners, and halting practices aimed at imposing a fait accompli on these regions, contrary to the interests and future aspirations of their inhabitants.

The Union called on the Iraqi Parliament to enact legislation that upholds the rights and dignity of all citizens, prevents atrocities rooted in ethnic or religious discrimination, ensures justice and equality, and reinforces the rule of law as a foundation for security, stability, and national prosperity. It further urged the adoption of laws guaranteeing the right of return for those displaced by the Simele Massacre, including provisions for adequate compensation, the reconstruction of their villages, and the establishment of a memorial in Simele to honor the memory of the innocent martyrs.

The HBA issued an appeal to the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people, both within Iraq and across the diaspora, to actively support this national and patriotic endeavor as a tribute to the martyrs who gave their lives in defense of the freedom and dignity of their people on their ancestral lands.

It further called upon the community — along with its national and religious institutions — to unify their political and national discourse, intensify collective efforts in pursuit of the common good, and refrain from engaging in partisan alliances motivated by narrow, short-term interests that risk repeating the painful mistakes of the past. Instead, the Union urged coordinated action within a unified and resilient national framework dedicated to the defense of the community’s legitimate rights.

It also announced the launch of a “national initiative to establish a Simele Martyrs’ Memorial through self-funded efforts, supported by our people and institutions both in Iraq and the diaspora.” A broader committee will be established, including representatives from various institutions, to carry out the memorial project with full transparency. The organization expressed its aim to complete the memorial by next year, when a commemoration will be held in Simele to honor the martyrs and celebrate the lasting significance of their sacrifices.