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Assyrian Organization Awards Australian MPs
Posted GMT 6-1-2013 1:57:32
Awards were presented by the Assyrian Universal Alliance to two
Australian leaders who moved a motion on May 1 and 8, 2013 at the
legislative Council and the legislative Assembly of NSW State
Parliament, recognising the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek genocide
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Christians of Anatolia
during WWI.
The ceremony took place on 30 May, 2013 at the NSW Parliament House
during a special reception organized by the chairman of Assyria
Parliamentary Friendship Group, Mr. Andrew Rohan, MP, State Member for
Smithfield. The event was attended by many members of both upper and
lower houses of the NSW Parliament along with representatives from the
Assyrian, Armenian, Greek and Jewish organizations, and many prominent
people.
Several speeches were delivered during the event including Mr. Andrew
Rohan, MP, followed by both deputies of the Assyria Parliamentary
Friendship Group; Mr. Guy Zingari, MP, Shadow Minister for Citizenship
and Communities and the Hon. David Clarke, MLC, Parliamentary
Secretary for Justice. A moving speech was delivered by the Hon.
Gladys Berejiklian, MP, Minister for Transport, followed by Rev. the
Hon. Fred Nile, MLC, and the Hon. Marie Ficcara, MLC, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Premier.
The Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) was represented by Mr. Hermiz
Shahen, AUA's Deputy Secretary General, together with Mr. David M.
David, Regional Secretary of AUA in Australia, Mr. Ninos Aaron,
chairman of Young Assyrians of AUA, Mrs. Suzy David, AUA advisor, and
Mr. George Dadisho, an Assyrian youth.
"The 1st and 8th of May, 2013 will mark very important days in the
Assyrian calendar in Australia and abroad, it is an extraordinary
moment in the history of the Assyrian nation, who have been struggling
for years to gain the international recognition of the genocide
perpetrated against them by the Ottoman government. This recognition
will act as a powerful counter to those, especially in present-day
Turkey, who still ignore or deny outright the genocides of the Ottoman
Christian minorities. Assyrians in Iraq, Syria and Turkey are
continuously paying the price as a consequence of the denial of their
genocide. Our people are being systematically driven out from our
ancestral lands in Iraq and Syria. Assyrians have been subject to
gross violations of their rights. Murder, rape, assault, and forced
conversions to Islam have become commonplace as armed death squads
attempt to force Assyrians out of their habitats," Mr. Hermiz Shahen
said in his speech.
Mr. Shahen continued, "The Three nations that suffered this horrific
genocide will always remember with pride and honour the Australian and
New Zealand's heroes who were eyewitnesses to the genocides. Anzacs
had rescued survivors of the massacres and deportations across the
Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1918, making the Armenian, Assyrian
and Greek genocides a part of the Australian story. This great justice
that we are celebrating today would not have been possible without the
courageous stand again of two great leaders who moved this motion in
both houses, mainly, Rev. the Hon. Fred Nile, MLC and the Hon. Barry
O'Farrell, Premier of New South Wales, and of course together with the
contribution and support of all the esteemed parties in this
parliament."
In his final remarks, Mr. Shahen thanked the Parliament members who
were the driving force behind this success, the Hon. Gladys
Berejiklian, MP, The Hon. Amanda Fazio, MLC, Dr. John Kaye, MLC, Mr.
John Robertson, MP, Mr. Guy Zangari, MP, Mr. Andrew Rohan, MP, and
many others who stood with the Armenian national Committee, the
Assyrian Universal Alliance and the Hellenic Council of NSW.
Along with other AUA activists, Mr. Shahen presented two awards to
Rev. the Hon. Fred Nile, MLC and the Hon. Barry O'Farrell, Premier of
New South Wales, who moved this historical motion in both houses.
The reception concluded with other speeches delivered by
representatives of the Armenian national Committee, the Australian
Hellenic Educators, Mr Wilson Younan of the SBS Radio and Mr. Emmanuel
Sada of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM).
Assyrian Universal Alliance
http://www.aina.org/news/20130531205732.htm
Posted GMT 6-1-2013 1:57:32
Awards were presented by the Assyrian Universal Alliance to two
Australian leaders who moved a motion on May 1 and 8, 2013 at the
legislative Council and the legislative Assembly of NSW State
Parliament, recognising the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek genocide
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Christians of Anatolia
during WWI.
The ceremony took place on 30 May, 2013 at the NSW Parliament House
during a special reception organized by the chairman of Assyria
Parliamentary Friendship Group, Mr. Andrew Rohan, MP, State Member for
Smithfield. The event was attended by many members of both upper and
lower houses of the NSW Parliament along with representatives from the
Assyrian, Armenian, Greek and Jewish organizations, and many prominent
people.
Several speeches were delivered during the event including Mr. Andrew
Rohan, MP, followed by both deputies of the Assyria Parliamentary
Friendship Group; Mr. Guy Zingari, MP, Shadow Minister for Citizenship
and Communities and the Hon. David Clarke, MLC, Parliamentary
Secretary for Justice. A moving speech was delivered by the Hon.
Gladys Berejiklian, MP, Minister for Transport, followed by Rev. the
Hon. Fred Nile, MLC, and the Hon. Marie Ficcara, MLC, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Premier.
The Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) was represented by Mr. Hermiz
Shahen, AUA's Deputy Secretary General, together with Mr. David M.
David, Regional Secretary of AUA in Australia, Mr. Ninos Aaron,
chairman of Young Assyrians of AUA, Mrs. Suzy David, AUA advisor, and
Mr. George Dadisho, an Assyrian youth.
"The 1st and 8th of May, 2013 will mark very important days in the
Assyrian calendar in Australia and abroad, it is an extraordinary
moment in the history of the Assyrian nation, who have been struggling
for years to gain the international recognition of the genocide
perpetrated against them by the Ottoman government. This recognition
will act as a powerful counter to those, especially in present-day
Turkey, who still ignore or deny outright the genocides of the Ottoman
Christian minorities. Assyrians in Iraq, Syria and Turkey are
continuously paying the price as a consequence of the denial of their
genocide. Our people are being systematically driven out from our
ancestral lands in Iraq and Syria. Assyrians have been subject to
gross violations of their rights. Murder, rape, assault, and forced
conversions to Islam have become commonplace as armed death squads
attempt to force Assyrians out of their habitats," Mr. Hermiz Shahen
said in his speech.
Mr. Shahen continued, "The Three nations that suffered this horrific
genocide will always remember with pride and honour the Australian and
New Zealand's heroes who were eyewitnesses to the genocides. Anzacs
had rescued survivors of the massacres and deportations across the
Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1918, making the Armenian, Assyrian
and Greek genocides a part of the Australian story. This great justice
that we are celebrating today would not have been possible without the
courageous stand again of two great leaders who moved this motion in
both houses, mainly, Rev. the Hon. Fred Nile, MLC and the Hon. Barry
O'Farrell, Premier of New South Wales, and of course together with the
contribution and support of all the esteemed parties in this
parliament."
In his final remarks, Mr. Shahen thanked the Parliament members who
were the driving force behind this success, the Hon. Gladys
Berejiklian, MP, The Hon. Amanda Fazio, MLC, Dr. John Kaye, MLC, Mr.
John Robertson, MP, Mr. Guy Zangari, MP, Mr. Andrew Rohan, MP, and
many others who stood with the Armenian national Committee, the
Assyrian Universal Alliance and the Hellenic Council of NSW.
Along with other AUA activists, Mr. Shahen presented two awards to
Rev. the Hon. Fred Nile, MLC and the Hon. Barry O'Farrell, Premier of
New South Wales, who moved this historical motion in both houses.
The reception concluded with other speeches delivered by
representatives of the Armenian national Committee, the Australian
Hellenic Educators, Mr Wilson Younan of the SBS Radio and Mr. Emmanuel
Sada of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM).
Assyrian Universal Alliance
http://www.aina.org/news/20130531205732.htm