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ASSYRIAN INTERNATIONAL NEWS AGENCY (AINA)
Assyrians Observe Martyrs Day
Aug 9, 2011
Sydney -- On Friday 5th August, 2011, a seminar commemorating Assyrian
Martyrs and Genocide Day was organised by the Assyrian Universal
Alliance-Australian Chapter in cooperation with the Australian
Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS) at the Parliament
House of New South Wales. The evening was hosted by Reverend the Hon.
Fred Nile MLC. Representatives of Armenian, Greek and Assyrian
organisations were present.
The Assyrian Martyrs Day which is commemorated on the "Seventh of
August" was designated by the Assyrian Universal Alliance as the
international Memorial Day for victims of the Assyrian Genocide. Over
750,000 innocent Assyrian victims were slaughtered by the Ottoman
Turkish army during and after World War I because of their ethnicity
and faith. On this day Assyrians also memorialise those Assyrians
who were heartlessly martyred by the Iraqi Army in August 1933,
only a year after Iraq declared its independence.
The Master of Ceremonies, Miss Edora David, started the program by
calling on Mr Hermiz Shahen, the Regional Secretary of the Assyrian
Universal Alliance for Australia and New Zealand. Mr Shahen welcomed
the audience and thanked Rev. the Hon. Fred Nile MLC for hosting
the conference and for all his help and support during the past
several years. He also welcomed Dr Anahit Khosroeva, An Assyrian
born in Armenia, who is a member of the International Association of
Genocide Scholars along with Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, Director, of the
Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. He commended
them both for their courageous stance which has resonated throughout
the world to fight the evils of genocide. Mr Shahen indicated that
because of the continued persecution and intimidation by the successive
dictators and brutal regimes that have ruled the occupied Assyrian
lands till this day, unlike the Armenians, the helpless Assyrians have
been late in lobbying for recognition of the Genocide perpetrated
against them by the Ottoman Turks in 1914-1918. Equally is the fact
that the government of modern Turkey has continued in ignoble denial
and refusal to acknowledge its Ottoman predecessor's involvement in
these crimes against humanity.
Mr. Shahen talked about the Turkish Government's aggression and
intervention to stop the construction of the Assyrian genocide
monument last year; "We are pleased to say that the action of
the Turkish government resulted in a strong coalition between the
Assyrian Universal Alliance, the Armenian National Committee and the
Australian Hellenic Council in Australia in opposition to genocide
and its subsequent denial. We value this friendship and we pledge to
broaden and deepen this relation until we get the proper recognition".
Mr Shahen concluded his remarks by calling on the Federal and the
State Parliament of New South Wales to recognise and condemn the
genocide perpetrated against the Assyrian, Armenians, and Hellenes.
Next, Rev the Hon. Fred Nile followed with a notable and
inspiring speech, pledging his support to the recognition of the
Assyrian genocide when tabled in Parliament. This was followed by
reassuring speeches and supportive messages by; Senator Concetta
Fierravanti-Wells, Senator for New South Wales, The Hon. Victor
Dominello MP, Minister for Citizenship and Communities and Minister
for Aboriginal Affairs, The Hon. Marie Ficarra, MLC, representing
the Premier of New South Wales the Hon. Barry O Farrel MP, Mr Varant
Meguerditchian, Executive Director, Armenian National Committee
of Australia , Mr Craig Kelly MP, Federal member of Hughes (NSW),
Dr John Kaye, MLC and The Hon. David Clarke, MLC., Parliamentary
Secretary for Justice.
Following the members of Parliament, the international keynote
speaker, Dr Anahit Khosroeva delivered her paper titled "The Assyrian
Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey (Late 19th Earlier 20th Century)". Dr
Anahit presented a great deal of weighty evidence about the Assyrian
genocide. She mentioned that "at the end of the 19th and the early
20th century, according to the criteria of international law, a real
genocide was implemented in Ottoman Turkey toward the Assyrian nation.
With the criminal connivance of the Great Powers, and taking the
opportunity presented by the martial law, Turkey committed the gravest
crime against humanity - genocide. The criminal policy of Sultan Abdul
Hamid II and the Young Turks against Assyrians permits to conclude that
during this period the Ottoman state developed into a genocidal state
and became the cradle of genocide. The sources show that before 1895
the Assyrians living in Turkish-controlled and adjacent territories
during Ottoman times to be about one million. During 1895-1896
massacres up to 55,000 Assyrians were killed by the hands of Sultan
Abdul Hamid II and 750,000 Assyrians were subjected to genocide by
the Young Turks cruel government. Assyrians lost 2/3 of their people
during this period."
Dr Anahit was followed by the next guest speaker, Dr. Panayiotis
Diamadis, Director, of the Australian Institute for Holocaust and
Genocide Studies. Dr. Diamadis' presentation was titled "Australian
Rescuers of Assyrian Genocide Survivors". He highlighted the roles of
Australians in the Assyrian Genocide. He brought to light the heroic
and benevolent stories of the Australian servicemen who rescued an
estimated 40,000 Assyrians and Armenians in 1918. Dr. Diamadis showed
irrefutable facts of genocide against the Assyrian people recorded
meticulously and precisely in the National Archives of Australia. Dr
Diamadis encouraged the members of Parliament to follow the lead of the
International Association of Genocide Scholars and the South Australian
Parliament to recognise the Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic genocide,
and to pressure Turkey to acknowledge and apologise for the genocide
committed against these three nations.
Notably, a moving speech was delivered by 7 years old, Miss Breteil
Tigris David, student of the Assyrian Diglat School, which deeply
touched the hearts of all attendees. A short film was also screened
titled "The Forgotten Pages of One Nation" produced by the late Miss
Lena Yakubova.
Assyrian Universal Alliance
View photos at http://www.aina.org/news/2011089050506.htm
Assyrians Observe Martyrs Day
Aug 9, 2011
Sydney -- On Friday 5th August, 2011, a seminar commemorating Assyrian
Martyrs and Genocide Day was organised by the Assyrian Universal
Alliance-Australian Chapter in cooperation with the Australian
Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS) at the Parliament
House of New South Wales. The evening was hosted by Reverend the Hon.
Fred Nile MLC. Representatives of Armenian, Greek and Assyrian
organisations were present.
The Assyrian Martyrs Day which is commemorated on the "Seventh of
August" was designated by the Assyrian Universal Alliance as the
international Memorial Day for victims of the Assyrian Genocide. Over
750,000 innocent Assyrian victims were slaughtered by the Ottoman
Turkish army during and after World War I because of their ethnicity
and faith. On this day Assyrians also memorialise those Assyrians
who were heartlessly martyred by the Iraqi Army in August 1933,
only a year after Iraq declared its independence.
The Master of Ceremonies, Miss Edora David, started the program by
calling on Mr Hermiz Shahen, the Regional Secretary of the Assyrian
Universal Alliance for Australia and New Zealand. Mr Shahen welcomed
the audience and thanked Rev. the Hon. Fred Nile MLC for hosting
the conference and for all his help and support during the past
several years. He also welcomed Dr Anahit Khosroeva, An Assyrian
born in Armenia, who is a member of the International Association of
Genocide Scholars along with Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, Director, of the
Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. He commended
them both for their courageous stance which has resonated throughout
the world to fight the evils of genocide. Mr Shahen indicated that
because of the continued persecution and intimidation by the successive
dictators and brutal regimes that have ruled the occupied Assyrian
lands till this day, unlike the Armenians, the helpless Assyrians have
been late in lobbying for recognition of the Genocide perpetrated
against them by the Ottoman Turks in 1914-1918. Equally is the fact
that the government of modern Turkey has continued in ignoble denial
and refusal to acknowledge its Ottoman predecessor's involvement in
these crimes against humanity.
Mr. Shahen talked about the Turkish Government's aggression and
intervention to stop the construction of the Assyrian genocide
monument last year; "We are pleased to say that the action of
the Turkish government resulted in a strong coalition between the
Assyrian Universal Alliance, the Armenian National Committee and the
Australian Hellenic Council in Australia in opposition to genocide
and its subsequent denial. We value this friendship and we pledge to
broaden and deepen this relation until we get the proper recognition".
Mr Shahen concluded his remarks by calling on the Federal and the
State Parliament of New South Wales to recognise and condemn the
genocide perpetrated against the Assyrian, Armenians, and Hellenes.
Next, Rev the Hon. Fred Nile followed with a notable and
inspiring speech, pledging his support to the recognition of the
Assyrian genocide when tabled in Parliament. This was followed by
reassuring speeches and supportive messages by; Senator Concetta
Fierravanti-Wells, Senator for New South Wales, The Hon. Victor
Dominello MP, Minister for Citizenship and Communities and Minister
for Aboriginal Affairs, The Hon. Marie Ficarra, MLC, representing
the Premier of New South Wales the Hon. Barry O Farrel MP, Mr Varant
Meguerditchian, Executive Director, Armenian National Committee
of Australia , Mr Craig Kelly MP, Federal member of Hughes (NSW),
Dr John Kaye, MLC and The Hon. David Clarke, MLC., Parliamentary
Secretary for Justice.
Following the members of Parliament, the international keynote
speaker, Dr Anahit Khosroeva delivered her paper titled "The Assyrian
Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey (Late 19th Earlier 20th Century)". Dr
Anahit presented a great deal of weighty evidence about the Assyrian
genocide. She mentioned that "at the end of the 19th and the early
20th century, according to the criteria of international law, a real
genocide was implemented in Ottoman Turkey toward the Assyrian nation.
With the criminal connivance of the Great Powers, and taking the
opportunity presented by the martial law, Turkey committed the gravest
crime against humanity - genocide. The criminal policy of Sultan Abdul
Hamid II and the Young Turks against Assyrians permits to conclude that
during this period the Ottoman state developed into a genocidal state
and became the cradle of genocide. The sources show that before 1895
the Assyrians living in Turkish-controlled and adjacent territories
during Ottoman times to be about one million. During 1895-1896
massacres up to 55,000 Assyrians were killed by the hands of Sultan
Abdul Hamid II and 750,000 Assyrians were subjected to genocide by
the Young Turks cruel government. Assyrians lost 2/3 of their people
during this period."
Dr Anahit was followed by the next guest speaker, Dr. Panayiotis
Diamadis, Director, of the Australian Institute for Holocaust and
Genocide Studies. Dr. Diamadis' presentation was titled "Australian
Rescuers of Assyrian Genocide Survivors". He highlighted the roles of
Australians in the Assyrian Genocide. He brought to light the heroic
and benevolent stories of the Australian servicemen who rescued an
estimated 40,000 Assyrians and Armenians in 1918. Dr. Diamadis showed
irrefutable facts of genocide against the Assyrian people recorded
meticulously and precisely in the National Archives of Australia. Dr
Diamadis encouraged the members of Parliament to follow the lead of the
International Association of Genocide Scholars and the South Australian
Parliament to recognise the Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic genocide,
and to pressure Turkey to acknowledge and apologise for the genocide
committed against these three nations.
Notably, a moving speech was delivered by 7 years old, Miss Breteil
Tigris David, student of the Assyrian Diglat School, which deeply
touched the hearts of all attendees. A short film was also screened
titled "The Forgotten Pages of One Nation" produced by the late Miss
Lena Yakubova.
Assyrian Universal Alliance
View photos at http://www.aina.org/news/2011089050506.htm