Assyrians want Congress to recognize Christian genocide in the 20th century.

A congregation of Assyrians gathered in Washington, D.C., on June 6 to give their backing to a bill that would recognize a massacre of their people by Iraqi Muslims during the mid-20th century.

Assyrians are one of the oldest cultures in the world, responsible for world wonders like the Gates of Nineveh and renowned classics like “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” However, the political upheavals of the 20th and 21st centuries shattered their comfort. Following the end of World War 1, the Ottoman Empire was dissolved, and territories of the former Ottoman Empire were split apart, often without much regard for the ethnic, cultural, and religious differences of peoples. Because of this division, Assyrians found themselves placed in the same country with Shia and Sunni Muslims still fuming over their previous defeat.

In 1933, tensions between the two religions boiled over, leading to the Simele massacre, a Muslim-backed massacre of Christian Assyrians who had fled to the small town of Simele to escape Muslim incursions against them. Historical accounts vary, but between 3,000 and 6,000 Assyrians were killed in the massacre, leading ultimately to a diaspora that has only accelerated amid the escalated threats of the 20th century.

A Resolution for Recognition

Now, a bipartisan duo is seeking passage of a resolution recognizing the massacre, and Assyrians from around the world gathered in Washington to express their support for the measure. The measure is sponsored by Reps. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). It would recognize the genocide for legal purposes.

“The resilience and endurance of the Assyrian people is commendable and praiseworthy, despite being victims of an ethnocide that is being continued by the Islamic State,” the resolution reads. Thus, the measure would “commemorate the Assyrian Genocide through official recognition and remembrance; reject efforts to enlist, engage, or otherwise associate the United States Government with denial of the Assyrian Genocide or any other genocide; call upon the Republic of Turkey to officially recognize the Assyrian Genocide; and encourage education and public understanding of the facts of the Assyrian Genocide, including the United States’ role in the humanitarian relief effort, and the relevance of the Assyrian Genocide to modern-day crimes against humanity.”

Lesko told The Epoch Times that she was sponsoring the measure because “I think it’s important for people to know what happened to the Assyrian people. And I think it’s important to recognize it so that it doesn’t happen again.” Speaking at the event, Schakowsky echoed this sentiment, saying, “We have to name it, and we have to pass it.”

Though the resolution is not controversial, it has previously languished in committee after being introduced during previous Congresses. “It’s been 90 years that we’ve been trying to get worldwide recognition about this atrocity against unarmed women and children,” said Sam Darmo, an Assyrian American who was instrumental in pushing Lesko to back the resolution. He thanked Lesko for her support and urged Congress to pass the resolution.