Century-long struggle for acknowledgment continues for Assyrians, even a century after the Simele Massacre event.
In the picturesque landscapes of northern Iraq's Kurdistan Region, a small, neglected plot in a village holds a dark and painful chapter of history. This is the site of the Simele Massacre, a tragedy that claimed an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 lives of the Assyrian community in 1933.
Ishtar Gabriel Hanna, a participant in the Etuti youth program, was one of many Assyrians who lived near the site without knowing its tragic history until she was 21 years old. Hanna, like many Assyrians, was unaware of the massacre that occurred in her own backyard.
Assyrians are a distinct ethnic group native to parts of what is now Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. Primarily Christians of different denominations, they have a rich history and culture that has been threatened by decades of political turmoil and conflict.
In response to decades of Baathist policy under Saddam Hussein, Assyrians in Iraq began establishing schools of their own to supplement standard curriculums with Assyrian language and history. These schools played a crucial role in preserving Assyrian identity and culture.
The site of the Simele Massacre has been overlooked and neglected. In 2020, a group of NGOs issued a joint statement calling for the protection of the site. The Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) has also been at the forefront of the fight for recognition, calling on Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid to submit a draft law recognizing the Simele Massacre as a genocide against the Assyrian people.
The ruling authority in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq has not yet issued an official recognition of the Simele massacre. However, in 2024, President Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government issued a statement advocating for cultural diversity, coexistence, and mutual acceptance.
The fight for recognition has not been limited to Iraq. Assyrian community organizers in the US diaspora have led persistent efforts for recognition of the Simele Massacre. US Congresswoman Debbie Lesko introduced bipartisan legislation recognizing the Simele Massacre to Congress, which was co-sponsored by representatives from across community hubs.
US Representative Jan Schakowsky, whose Congressional district covers one of the largest Assyrian community hubs in Chicago, has issued multiple statements recognizing the Simele Massacre. The leader of the Babylon Movement, Rayan Al Kildani, has pledged to petition for an amendment to the Iraqi constitution that would include mention of Assyrians and the Simele Massacre.
Despite these efforts, the Simele Massacre has not been recognized by either the Iraqi government or the Kurdistan Region government. The Assyrian community in Iraq has dwindled from about 1.5 million before the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 to an estimated 150,000 in 2024.
In a poignant moment of hope, Simele-native Maryam Isho and her family found members of their lost tribe in a neighboring village in Syria in 2011. Such moments serve as a reminder of the resilience of the Assyrian community and the importance of acknowledging their history.
In 2024, the Etuti Institute, a non-profit organization, organized a clean-up and a visit to the site of the Simele Massacre. This small step towards recognition and remembrance is a testament to the ongoing efforts of the Assyrian community to preserve their history and culture.
As the world continues to grapple with the complexities of ethnic and religious conflicts, the recognition and remembrance of tragedies like the Simele Massacre are crucial. It is a reminder of the importance of cultural diversity, coexistence, and mutual acceptance, values that President Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government advocated for in 2024. The fight for recognition of the Simele Massacre continues, and it is a fight that is not just for the Assyrian community, but for all of humanity.
