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ANC AU: Ellison Discusses Armenian Genocide In Australian Senate

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  • ANC AU: Ellison Discusses Armenian Genocide In Australian Senate

    Armenian National Committee of Australia
    259 Penshurst Street, Willoughby NSW 2068
    PO Box 768, Willoughby NSW 2068
    T: (02) 9419 8264 | F: (02) 9411 8898
    E: [email protected] | W: www.anc.org.au

    BREAKING NEWS

    ANC AUSTRALIA ADVOCACY WEEK

    Ellison Discusses Armenian Genocide In Australian Senate



    CANBERRA: Following meetings with the Armenian National Committee of
    Australia (ANC Australia) in Canberra, Senator for Western Australia
    Chris Ellison called on the national Senate to formally recognise the
    Armenian Genocide.

    In what is a major development, the Armenian Genocide has been
    discussed in both houses of Australia's Parliament within three
    weeks. Senator Ellison's remarks on 11 November follow the Hon. Joe
    Hockey's on 20 October, when he called for the Australian House of
    Representatives to formally recognise the Armenian Genocide.

    Senator Ellison told the Senate: `A number of senators and members
    would no doubt have met representatives from the [Armenian] community
    who visited the parliament this week... [and] ...the issue of the
    Armenian genocide in 1915 is a matter which weighs heavily with them.'

    He added: `...this is a very important issue and one which needs to be
    recognised by Australia.'

    In addition, Senator Ellison brought to the attention of the Upper
    House recently-uncovered information of Australia's significant relief
    effort aiding victims of the Armenian Genocide.

    Senator Ellison said: `...what is important is Australia's role, and
    in fact there was a thing called the Armenian Relief Fund of
    Australia, which operated from 1915 to 1929.

    `This relief fund of Australia provided humanitarian assistance to
    victims of the Armenian genocide. These relief efforts became known as
    the first major international humanitarian project provided by
    Australia and set a precedent for continued support for areas and
    people in need throughout the world, and that is quite extraordinary
    when one looks at the history...'

    The Senator, who is also a member of the `Australia Armenia
    Parliamentary Friendship Group', urged his colleagues to `acknowledge
    this as a matter of history', because `bad things happen when good men
    and women do nothing'.

    ANC Australia President Mr. Varant Meguerditchian, who led a
    delegation of colleagues along with visiting guest Raffi Hamparian of
    ANC America, welcomed Senator Ellison's advocacy and said it proves
    his organisation's inaugural Advocacy Week was delivering fruitful
    results.

    `ANC Australia Advocacy Week is all about educating legislators about
    the reality of the Armenian Genocide and the importance of its
    recognition internationally,' he said.

    `Senator Ellison's statement in the Upper House is the start of what
    we expect will be his integral involvement in our efforts to have
    Australia recognise the Armenian Genocide.'
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