Simele Massacre Commemorated at Capitol Hill

Congressman Abraham Hamadeh

For the first time, the U.S. Congress officially commemorated the 1933 Simele Massacre, in which thousands of Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian civilians were killed by the Iraqi Army with British involvement. Organized with the support of Congressman Abraham Hamadeh, the Capitol Hill event marked Assyrian Martyrs Day and was attended by members of the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian diaspora, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and religious freedom advocates. Speakers, including Sarah Hermiz and Father George Touma, honored the victims and emphasized the enduring resilience of the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people. The ceremony represents a significant step toward gaining international recognition of the atrocity and broader historical justice.