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Assyrian Parties in Iraq Announce Plans for Monument for Simmele Massacre
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Nohadra, Iraq -- The Simele massacre remains an open wound in the collective memory of the Chaldean--Syriac--Assyrian people. Since 1933, the tragedy has lived on in the hearts of descendants who hold annual memorials in churches, local communities, and international forums across Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) and the diaspora, continuing to call for official recognition by the international community and the United Nations of what they regard as a dark chapter in their history.

Related: The 1933 Massacre of Assyrians in Simmele, Iraq

To honor the victims, memorials have been erected in around the world, from Hasakah in North and East Syria to Chicago in the United States. Now, Chaldean--Syriac--Assyrian political parties and institutions in Iraq have jointly resolved to build a permanent Martyrs' Monument in Simele itself, where the massacre took place.

In a statement issued after a meeting in Nohadra (Duhok), Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), nine parties and institutions, including the Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union (Huyodo d'Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA), declared: "With a sense of national responsibility, we announce the creation of a monument in Simele to commemorate Assyrian Martyrs' Day. This monument will serve as a permanent site of remembrance and an annual gathering place to honor the martyrs of the Chaldean--Syriac--Assyrian people."

The statement explained that a specialized committee will be formed, drawing expertise from the homeland and the diaspora in technical, engineering, financial, and legal fields. The committee will be tasked with reviewing the site allocated by local authorities in 2019, raising funds through a special account open to donations from individuals and institutions, organizing a design competition to be decided by popular vote, securing official approvals if necessary, and contracting experts to oversee the project. The goal is to complete the monument before Assyrian Martyrs' Day in August 2026 so that the commemoration can be held at the new site.

The parties emphasized their commitment to continue the project in coordination with diaspora institutions and invited other national parties and organizations to join the initiative. Another meeting will be held soon to refine the process.

The Simele massacre, carried out by the Iraqi army on 7 August 1933, claimed the lives of thousands of Chaldean--Syriac--Assyrian civilians. Many survivors fled toward the Khabur River Valley in Hasakah, where they began new lives while carrying with them the memory of their martyred people.



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