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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
Karabakh rights discussed in Australian State Parliament
MEDIA RELEASE
May 17, 2010
SYDNEY: The Member for Davidson Jonathan O'Dea has spoken in NSW State
Parliament about the right to self-determination of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh.
His address followed the Armenian National Committee of Australia's poster
exhibition in Parliament House last week, which was held days after the 18th
anniversary of the Liberation of Shoushi, a victory which led Nagorno
Karabakh on a path to freedom from a long-oppressive Azerbaijan.
O'Dea told the Legislative Assembly: "I attended an excellent exhibition in
the Jubilee Room of the New South Wales Parliament on various aspects of
Armenian life, culture and history. There I was introduced to the long and
epic story of Nagorno Karabakh.
"The exhibition coincided with the eighteenth anniversary commemoration of
what is known as the liberation of Shoushi, which came at the end of a
battle that means much to the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and around the
world, just as Gallipoli does to Australians."
O'Dea added: "Today, mindful of the principles outlined by Woodrow Wilson, I
note my support for self-determination of all peoples, including Armenians.
"I honour those Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and others around the world
who, in spite of continued threats and a commitment to fight for
self-determination, ultimately seek peace."
ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian thanked O'Dea for
bringing light to such an important chapter in Armenia's history.
"It is our responsibility to inform our legislators on what is important to
Armenian-Australians, and Nagorno Karabakh is very important to Armenians
the world over," Meguerditchian said.
"We thank Mr. O'Dea for his address in Parliament and we expect this will go
some way toward achieving formal universal recognition of the Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh."
FULL ADDRESS OF JONATHAN O'DEA BELOW:
Mr JONATHAN O'DEA (Davidson) [12.24 p.m.]: There are many people of Armenian
descent in my electorate of Davidson, including executive members of the
Armenian National Committee of Australia. On Tuesday this week, at the
invitation of the Armenian National Committee, I attended an excellent
exhibition in the Jubilee Room of the New South Wales Parliament on various
aspects of Armenian life, culture and history. There I was introduced to the
long and epic story of Nagorno Karabakh. The exhibition coincided with the
eighteenth anniversary commemoration of what is known as the liberation of
Shoushi, which came at the end of a battle that means much to the Armenians
of Nagorno Karabakh and around the world, just as Gallipoli doces to
Australians. Today I will talk about the area of Nagorno Karabakh and how
the liberation of Shoushi came to be.
Nagorno Karabakh is currently recognised as a de facto independent state
with a population of 190,000, mainly ethnic Armenians, lying directly east
of Armenia within the internationally recognised country of Azerbaijan.
Historically, Nagorno Karabakh constituted a part of Greater Armenia from as
early as 600BC, but subsequently fell under the rule of the Persians,
Caucasian Albanians, Mongols, Seljuks and Ottomans, until it was finally
conquered by the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century. Throughout this
period Nagorno Karabakh remained a stronghold of Christendom, where
Armenia's culture and civilization resisted the ruling alien pressures.
Armenians have been living in this region since Roman times.
By 1920 the Soviet Red Army had occupied Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh and
Armenia; and while both the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and
Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic placed claims on Nagorno Karabakh, it
was for a short time returned to Armenia. However, Joseph Stalin reversed
this decision on 5 July 1921. He altered the boundaries so that Nagorno
Karabakh was cut off from Armenia and was smaller in size, and the
Armenian-populated region became an autonomous enclave of the Azerbaijani
Soviet Socialist Republic. During the next 70 years the majority of the
Armenian population was persecuted by the ruling Azeris in an attempt to
drive them from the region. This treatment intensified in the late 1980s and
led to violent outbreaks against Armenians in Sumgait, Kirovabad-Gandja,
Baku and Nagorno Karabakh proper, until finally the Azeris began an outright
military assault on the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.
The Azeris were met with fierce opposition from an ancient people in their
historic homeland. In the early 1990s the native Armenians took up arms to
defend their homes, their land, their ancient culture and their ideals of
freedom. In the battles that followed it is reported that the native
Armenians defended their homes and secured much of the current territory of
Nagorno Karabakh. However, the historic capital of Karabakh, named Shoushi,
which had been cleansed of its Armenian population, was still in Azeri
control. Located on a mountaintop, Shoushi overlooks the highly populated
capital of Stepanakert from an elevation of 600 metres. This geographical
positioning made it a perfect location for Azerbaijani shelling of
Armenian-populated Stepanakert. Armenian military commanders targeted the
capture of this strategic city. On the evening of 8 May 1992, under
bombardment and in thick fog, the Nagorno Karabakh Armenians began an
assault up the difficult mountain, determined to capture Shoushi. They
finally succeeded on 9 May 1992.
Victory at the battle of Shoushi marked a turning point in the war and
started a series of military victories that eventually led to the
declaration of Nagorno Karabakh's independence. Each year on 9 May Armenians
throughout the world remember the liberation of Shoushi and honour those who
paid the ultimate price in the hope of lasting peace. The Armenians of
Nagorno Karabakh, along with supporters around the world, honour those who
lost their lives. They honour their courage, their bravery and their
struggle for freedom. Today, mindful of the principles outlined by Woodrow
Wilson, I note my support for self-determination of all peoples, including
Armenians. I honour those Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and others around
the world who, in spite of continued threats and a commitment to fight for
self-determination, ultimately seek peace.
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
Karabakh rights discussed in Australian State Parliament
MEDIA RELEASE
May 17, 2010
SYDNEY: The Member for Davidson Jonathan O'Dea has spoken in NSW State
Parliament about the right to self-determination of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh.
His address followed the Armenian National Committee of Australia's poster
exhibition in Parliament House last week, which was held days after the 18th
anniversary of the Liberation of Shoushi, a victory which led Nagorno
Karabakh on a path to freedom from a long-oppressive Azerbaijan.
O'Dea told the Legislative Assembly: "I attended an excellent exhibition in
the Jubilee Room of the New South Wales Parliament on various aspects of
Armenian life, culture and history. There I was introduced to the long and
epic story of Nagorno Karabakh.
"The exhibition coincided with the eighteenth anniversary commemoration of
what is known as the liberation of Shoushi, which came at the end of a
battle that means much to the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and around the
world, just as Gallipoli does to Australians."
O'Dea added: "Today, mindful of the principles outlined by Woodrow Wilson, I
note my support for self-determination of all peoples, including Armenians.
"I honour those Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and others around the world
who, in spite of continued threats and a commitment to fight for
self-determination, ultimately seek peace."
ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian thanked O'Dea for
bringing light to such an important chapter in Armenia's history.
"It is our responsibility to inform our legislators on what is important to
Armenian-Australians, and Nagorno Karabakh is very important to Armenians
the world over," Meguerditchian said.
"We thank Mr. O'Dea for his address in Parliament and we expect this will go
some way toward achieving formal universal recognition of the Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh."
FULL ADDRESS OF JONATHAN O'DEA BELOW:
Mr JONATHAN O'DEA (Davidson) [12.24 p.m.]: There are many people of Armenian
descent in my electorate of Davidson, including executive members of the
Armenian National Committee of Australia. On Tuesday this week, at the
invitation of the Armenian National Committee, I attended an excellent
exhibition in the Jubilee Room of the New South Wales Parliament on various
aspects of Armenian life, culture and history. There I was introduced to the
long and epic story of Nagorno Karabakh. The exhibition coincided with the
eighteenth anniversary commemoration of what is known as the liberation of
Shoushi, which came at the end of a battle that means much to the Armenians
of Nagorno Karabakh and around the world, just as Gallipoli doces to
Australians. Today I will talk about the area of Nagorno Karabakh and how
the liberation of Shoushi came to be.
Nagorno Karabakh is currently recognised as a de facto independent state
with a population of 190,000, mainly ethnic Armenians, lying directly east
of Armenia within the internationally recognised country of Azerbaijan.
Historically, Nagorno Karabakh constituted a part of Greater Armenia from as
early as 600BC, but subsequently fell under the rule of the Persians,
Caucasian Albanians, Mongols, Seljuks and Ottomans, until it was finally
conquered by the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century. Throughout this
period Nagorno Karabakh remained a stronghold of Christendom, where
Armenia's culture and civilization resisted the ruling alien pressures.
Armenians have been living in this region since Roman times.
By 1920 the Soviet Red Army had occupied Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh and
Armenia; and while both the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and
Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic placed claims on Nagorno Karabakh, it
was for a short time returned to Armenia. However, Joseph Stalin reversed
this decision on 5 July 1921. He altered the boundaries so that Nagorno
Karabakh was cut off from Armenia and was smaller in size, and the
Armenian-populated region became an autonomous enclave of the Azerbaijani
Soviet Socialist Republic. During the next 70 years the majority of the
Armenian population was persecuted by the ruling Azeris in an attempt to
drive them from the region. This treatment intensified in the late 1980s and
led to violent outbreaks against Armenians in Sumgait, Kirovabad-Gandja,
Baku and Nagorno Karabakh proper, until finally the Azeris began an outright
military assault on the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.
The Azeris were met with fierce opposition from an ancient people in their
historic homeland. In the early 1990s the native Armenians took up arms to
defend their homes, their land, their ancient culture and their ideals of
freedom. In the battles that followed it is reported that the native
Armenians defended their homes and secured much of the current territory of
Nagorno Karabakh. However, the historic capital of Karabakh, named Shoushi,
which had been cleansed of its Armenian population, was still in Azeri
control. Located on a mountaintop, Shoushi overlooks the highly populated
capital of Stepanakert from an elevation of 600 metres. This geographical
positioning made it a perfect location for Azerbaijani shelling of
Armenian-populated Stepanakert. Armenian military commanders targeted the
capture of this strategic city. On the evening of 8 May 1992, under
bombardment and in thick fog, the Nagorno Karabakh Armenians began an
assault up the difficult mountain, determined to capture Shoushi. They
finally succeeded on 9 May 1992.
Victory at the battle of Shoushi marked a turning point in the war and
started a series of military victories that eventually led to the
declaration of Nagorno Karabakh's independence. Each year on 9 May Armenians
throughout the world remember the liberation of Shoushi and honour those who
paid the ultimate price in the hope of lasting peace. The Armenians of
Nagorno Karabakh, along with supporters around the world, honour those who
lost their lives. They honour their courage, their bravery and their
struggle for freedom. Today, mindful of the principles outlined by Woodrow
Wilson, I note my support for self-determination of all peoples, including
Armenians. I honour those Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and others around
the world who, in spite of continued threats and a commitment to fight for
self-determination, ultimately seek peace.