UNPO - Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organization
May 8 2013
Assyria: NSW Parliament Passes Motion On Recognition Of Assyrian And
Greek Genocides
The result of a two-year collective effort by the Assyrian Universal
Alliance of Australia, the Armenian National Committee of Australia
and the Australian Hellenic Council of NSW in pursuit of the
recognition of the Assyrian, Greek and Armenian Genocides finally
leads to the unanimous passing of a motion of acknowledgment of such
genocides by the NSW Parliament.
Below is the Press Release published by the Assyrian Universal Alliance:
Today, Wednesday 8 May 2013, in a historic move, The Hon Barry
O'Farrell MP, Premier of NSW, rose in the NSW Parliament, Legislative
Assembly (The Lower House) to move a motion calling for the
recognition of the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek Genocides. The motion
was passed unanimously.
The recognition came after a week when a similar motion tabled by the
Hon. Fred Nile MLC, President of the Australian Christian Party was
passed unanimously in the upper house.
This was a result of combined efforts by the Assyrian Universal
Alliance of Australia, the Armenian National Committee of Australia
and the Australian Hellenic Council of NSW. The three organisations
conducted a number of meetings in the past two years with members of
parliament pursuing support for recognition of the Assyrian, Greek and
Armenian Genocides.
Mr Hermiz Shahen, The Deputy secretary General of the Assyrian
Universal Alliance said, `The Assyrian people have fallen victim to
the genocide against Christians in the Ottoman empire and its
aftermaths, and today is facing state sponsored denial and truth
distorting, re-writing of history by the Turkish authorities..... This
recognition will help our Assyrian nation and its organisations in
their attempt to strengthen our national existence in the homeland as
well as in the diaspora. It will help our nation to find its rightful
place among the nations of the world and to creatively make its
special contribution to the universal development of mankind.'
Mr Shahen also thanked The Hon Barry O'Farrell MP, Premier of NSW for
tabling this motion, Mr John Robertson, MP, Leader of the Opposition
for supporting the motion, and for all those esteemed members of NSW
Legislative Assembly who backed the motion.
Let justice be done, souls consoled, broken hearts mended, nations
reconciled, and honour given to all those who perished so needlessly
during a dark hour in mankind's recent history.
The motion was as follow:
Legislative Assembly
Notice of Motion
I give notice that this House:
a) notes that on 17 April 1997 this House recognised and condemned the
Genocide of the Armenians by the then Ottoman Government between
1915 and 1922 and designated 24 April of every year thereafter as a
day of remembrance of the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the
first genocide of the twentieth century,
b) recognises that Assyrians and Greeks were subjected to qualitatively
similar genocides by the then Ottoman Government between 1915 and
1922,
c) reaffirms its condemnation of the genocide of the Assyrians, Armenians
and Greeks, and all other acts of genocide as the ultimate act of
intolerance,
d) recognises the importance of remembering and learning from such
dark chapters in human history to ensure that such crimes against
humanity are not allowed to be repeated,
e) acknowledges and pays tribute to the contribution of the ANZAC
servicemen who aided the survivors of the genocide, and
f) acknowledges the significant humanitarian relief contribution made
by the people of New South Wales to the victims and survivors of the
genocide.
LEST WE FORGET.
http://www.unpo.org/article/15883
May 8 2013
Assyria: NSW Parliament Passes Motion On Recognition Of Assyrian And
Greek Genocides
The result of a two-year collective effort by the Assyrian Universal
Alliance of Australia, the Armenian National Committee of Australia
and the Australian Hellenic Council of NSW in pursuit of the
recognition of the Assyrian, Greek and Armenian Genocides finally
leads to the unanimous passing of a motion of acknowledgment of such
genocides by the NSW Parliament.
Below is the Press Release published by the Assyrian Universal Alliance:
Today, Wednesday 8 May 2013, in a historic move, The Hon Barry
O'Farrell MP, Premier of NSW, rose in the NSW Parliament, Legislative
Assembly (The Lower House) to move a motion calling for the
recognition of the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek Genocides. The motion
was passed unanimously.
The recognition came after a week when a similar motion tabled by the
Hon. Fred Nile MLC, President of the Australian Christian Party was
passed unanimously in the upper house.
This was a result of combined efforts by the Assyrian Universal
Alliance of Australia, the Armenian National Committee of Australia
and the Australian Hellenic Council of NSW. The three organisations
conducted a number of meetings in the past two years with members of
parliament pursuing support for recognition of the Assyrian, Greek and
Armenian Genocides.
Mr Hermiz Shahen, The Deputy secretary General of the Assyrian
Universal Alliance said, `The Assyrian people have fallen victim to
the genocide against Christians in the Ottoman empire and its
aftermaths, and today is facing state sponsored denial and truth
distorting, re-writing of history by the Turkish authorities..... This
recognition will help our Assyrian nation and its organisations in
their attempt to strengthen our national existence in the homeland as
well as in the diaspora. It will help our nation to find its rightful
place among the nations of the world and to creatively make its
special contribution to the universal development of mankind.'
Mr Shahen also thanked The Hon Barry O'Farrell MP, Premier of NSW for
tabling this motion, Mr John Robertson, MP, Leader of the Opposition
for supporting the motion, and for all those esteemed members of NSW
Legislative Assembly who backed the motion.
Let justice be done, souls consoled, broken hearts mended, nations
reconciled, and honour given to all those who perished so needlessly
during a dark hour in mankind's recent history.
The motion was as follow:
Legislative Assembly
Notice of Motion
I give notice that this House:
a) notes that on 17 April 1997 this House recognised and condemned the
Genocide of the Armenians by the then Ottoman Government between
1915 and 1922 and designated 24 April of every year thereafter as a
day of remembrance of the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the
first genocide of the twentieth century,
b) recognises that Assyrians and Greeks were subjected to qualitatively
similar genocides by the then Ottoman Government between 1915 and
1922,
c) reaffirms its condemnation of the genocide of the Assyrians, Armenians
and Greeks, and all other acts of genocide as the ultimate act of
intolerance,
d) recognises the importance of remembering and learning from such
dark chapters in human history to ensure that such crimes against
humanity are not allowed to be repeated,
e) acknowledges and pays tribute to the contribution of the ANZAC
servicemen who aided the survivors of the genocide, and
f) acknowledges the significant humanitarian relief contribution made
by the people of New South Wales to the victims and survivors of the
genocide.
LEST WE FORGET.
http://www.unpo.org/article/15883