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Australian parliamentarians condemn visit of Armenian Genocide denier
Justin McCarthy
15:06, 21 December, 2013
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. John Alexander, the Liberal Member
for Bennelong, and Michelle Rowland, the Labor Member for Greenway,
have both risen in Australia's Federal Parliament to speak against
visiting Armenian Genocide denier, Professor Justin McCarthy.
The Armenian National Committee of Australia informed `Armenpress'
that McCarthy, who is a well funded denier of the Armenian Genocide,
earlier this week had two planned events in Sydney and Melbourne
cancelled on the grounds of his unwelcome denialist views.
McCarthy spoke in a room at Parliament House on Thursday, at an event
attended by reportedly only "two or three politicians" after the
Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) wrote to all
Members of Parliament and Senators about McCarthy's denialist
views. Among the attending politicians were Laurie Ferguson and Mehmet
Tillem, who had helped organise the event.
While this event took place, on the same day, MPs Alexander and
Rowland made addresses in the national Parliament, unequivocally
confirming the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide to a far
greater audience of politicians, media and members of the public.
Alexander said: "... revisionist Justin McCarthy has used
parliamentary facilities to promote his well-documented views
questioning the systematic slaughter of Armenians, Assyrians and
Pontian Greeks from 1915 to 1923."
"The International Association of Genocide Scholars has discredited
McCarthy's work as selective and grossly distorting history."
"ANZAC soldiers verify the Genocide as an irrefutable historical fact
through their eyewitness accounts."
"Denial of this Genocide is an attack on those who perished, those who
survived, and their descendants."
He added: "This institution should never again be used to express
doubt over the scope of suffering experienced by the victims of a
historical atrocity nor to justify these actions as merely part of a
civil war."
Rowland, adding her voice, said: "I can also understand the heightened
frustration that many Australian-Armenians feel on this matter because
of the venue at which this event is scheduled to take place."
"My views on this are well known. I have joined in the past with
members of parliament and community leaders from all sides of the
political spectrum including the members for Berowra and Bennelong,
and the New South Wales Liberal Minister Gladys Berejiklian, to
recognise the Armenian genocide..."
"Australian POWs recorded the marches, the massacres and the complete
destruction of Armenian churches, villages and city quarters. ANZAC
servicemen also rescued survivors across the Middle East."
"Today I acknowledge the tragic events of 1915 and affirm my
commitment to never forget what happened to the Armenian people who
were effectively eliminated from the homeland they had occupied for
nearly 3,000 years."
She added: "This week I noted a humanitarian plea to assist people in
the Philippines who were the victims of natural disaster, and I want
to end this speech by noting that Australia's first major
international humanitarian relief effort was in fact to help Armenian
orphans from the genocide."
ANC Australia extended their appreciation to Alexander and Rowland for
bringing to light that Armenian Genocide denial, like Holocaust
denial, is unacceptable.
Executive Director Vache Kahramanian said: "Mr Alexander and Ms
Rowland are champions of human rights and champions of just
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. We once again appreciate their
support."
Meanwhile, to ensure the support against Armenian Genocide denialism
is truly bi-partisan, Greens spokesman on multiculturalism Richard Di
Natale told the Sydney Morning Herald that the event should not have
been held in Parliament.
`Justin McCarthy is a rallying point for those who deny the Armenian
genocide,' the Senator said.
`The Australian Parliament should not be providing Professor McCarthy
with a platform because that just lends legitimacy those views." `To
deny the fact that genocide occurred is to disrespect those people who
lost their lives and to cause further pain for those who lost loved
ones.'
During McCarthy's visit, the cancellations of certain events followed
mass media coverage by the ABC, Fairfax, News Limited, Macquarie and
SBS.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry also released a powerful
statement expressing their deep concerns of McCarthy's visit and
denialist views.
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/744596/australian-parliamentarians-condemn-visit-of-armenian-genocide-denier-justin-mccarthy.html
Justin McCarthy
15:06, 21 December, 2013
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. John Alexander, the Liberal Member
for Bennelong, and Michelle Rowland, the Labor Member for Greenway,
have both risen in Australia's Federal Parliament to speak against
visiting Armenian Genocide denier, Professor Justin McCarthy.
The Armenian National Committee of Australia informed `Armenpress'
that McCarthy, who is a well funded denier of the Armenian Genocide,
earlier this week had two planned events in Sydney and Melbourne
cancelled on the grounds of his unwelcome denialist views.
McCarthy spoke in a room at Parliament House on Thursday, at an event
attended by reportedly only "two or three politicians" after the
Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) wrote to all
Members of Parliament and Senators about McCarthy's denialist
views. Among the attending politicians were Laurie Ferguson and Mehmet
Tillem, who had helped organise the event.
While this event took place, on the same day, MPs Alexander and
Rowland made addresses in the national Parliament, unequivocally
confirming the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide to a far
greater audience of politicians, media and members of the public.
Alexander said: "... revisionist Justin McCarthy has used
parliamentary facilities to promote his well-documented views
questioning the systematic slaughter of Armenians, Assyrians and
Pontian Greeks from 1915 to 1923."
"The International Association of Genocide Scholars has discredited
McCarthy's work as selective and grossly distorting history."
"ANZAC soldiers verify the Genocide as an irrefutable historical fact
through their eyewitness accounts."
"Denial of this Genocide is an attack on those who perished, those who
survived, and their descendants."
He added: "This institution should never again be used to express
doubt over the scope of suffering experienced by the victims of a
historical atrocity nor to justify these actions as merely part of a
civil war."
Rowland, adding her voice, said: "I can also understand the heightened
frustration that many Australian-Armenians feel on this matter because
of the venue at which this event is scheduled to take place."
"My views on this are well known. I have joined in the past with
members of parliament and community leaders from all sides of the
political spectrum including the members for Berowra and Bennelong,
and the New South Wales Liberal Minister Gladys Berejiklian, to
recognise the Armenian genocide..."
"Australian POWs recorded the marches, the massacres and the complete
destruction of Armenian churches, villages and city quarters. ANZAC
servicemen also rescued survivors across the Middle East."
"Today I acknowledge the tragic events of 1915 and affirm my
commitment to never forget what happened to the Armenian people who
were effectively eliminated from the homeland they had occupied for
nearly 3,000 years."
She added: "This week I noted a humanitarian plea to assist people in
the Philippines who were the victims of natural disaster, and I want
to end this speech by noting that Australia's first major
international humanitarian relief effort was in fact to help Armenian
orphans from the genocide."
ANC Australia extended their appreciation to Alexander and Rowland for
bringing to light that Armenian Genocide denial, like Holocaust
denial, is unacceptable.
Executive Director Vache Kahramanian said: "Mr Alexander and Ms
Rowland are champions of human rights and champions of just
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. We once again appreciate their
support."
Meanwhile, to ensure the support against Armenian Genocide denialism
is truly bi-partisan, Greens spokesman on multiculturalism Richard Di
Natale told the Sydney Morning Herald that the event should not have
been held in Parliament.
`Justin McCarthy is a rallying point for those who deny the Armenian
genocide,' the Senator said.
`The Australian Parliament should not be providing Professor McCarthy
with a platform because that just lends legitimacy those views." `To
deny the fact that genocide occurred is to disrespect those people who
lost their lives and to cause further pain for those who lost loved
ones.'
During McCarthy's visit, the cancellations of certain events followed
mass media coverage by the ABC, Fairfax, News Limited, Macquarie and
SBS.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry also released a powerful
statement expressing their deep concerns of McCarthy's visit and
denialist views.
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/744596/australian-parliamentarians-condemn-visit-of-armenian-genocide-denier-justin-mccarthy.html