WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) introduced a resolution to commemorate the Semele Massacre of 1933 when the Iraqi armed forces brutally massacred an estimated 3,000 unarmed Assyrian men, women, and children. During this tragedy, Iraqi forces looted and destroyed over 60 Assyrian villages. The resolution also rejects any efforts to associate the U.S. Government with the denial of the Semele Massacre and encourages the education of the public to increase understanding of the massacre.

“I am pleased to introduce this important resolution to recognize the Semele Massacre,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “The Assyrian community has undergone immense hardships throughout the years, including the Semele Massacre. I hope through bringing awareness to the atrocities of 1933, we can prevent anything like this from happening ever again.”

In 1916, Great Britain and France signed the Sykes-Picot Agreement detailing how the Ottoman Empire was to be split, dividing the land into Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and other nations. The Assyrian people, however, were not addressed in the agreement, and were left as refugees in the newly formed Iraq.

Over the years, the Iraqi government became increasingly hostile toward the Assyrian people. Over 600 Assyrians attempted to seek asylum in Syria but were turned away. To make matters worse, the Iraqi government encouraged the spread of false rumors of Assyrians revolting, burning bridges, and poisoning water sources, which triggered the Iraqi government to disarm the Assyrians in the town of Semele where the Iraqi armed forces carried out much of the massacre in August 1933.

Lesko was joined by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), Anna Eshoo (D-CA-16), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), and Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) in the introduction of this legislation.