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NSW Parliament Formally Recognises Assyrian Genocide

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  • NSW Parliament Formally Recognises Assyrian Genocide

    Assyrian International News Agency AINA
    May 15 2013


    NSW Parliament Formally Recognises Assyrian Genocide

    Posted GMT 5-15-2013 2:15:19

    Australia -- Smithfield state Liberal MP Andrew Rohan has paid tribute
    to the an Australian soldier who rescued his Assyrian parents from a
    massacre after the Assyrian genocide was formally recognised by the
    NSW Government.

    On Wednesday, State Parliament unanimously passed a motion by Premier
    Barry O'Farrell calling for the official recognition of the Assyrian,
    Armenian and Greek genocides.

    It is estimated 1.5 million Armenians, 750,000 Assyrians and 500,000
    Greeks were massacred by Ottoman Empire forces between 1915 and 1922
    during their attempts to eradicate the Christian minorities.

    In a speech to Parliament last week, Mr Rohan said his parents were
    among the 90,000 Assyrian Christian refugees who fled their ancestral
    home to escape persecution by the Ottoman regime in 1918.

    The refugees were protected by 28-year-old Australian Army Captain
    Stanley Savige.

    "Reasoning that a Turkish commander would concentrate on killing him
    before harming the refugees, he strategically placed his command at
    the rear of the refugee procession and deliberately drew enemy fire,"
    Mr Rohan said.

    "By offering his command as a target, even though he was outnumbered
    one hundred to one, Captain Savige managed to slow the enemy advance
    long enough for most of the refugees to flee.

    "My parents survived the genocide because of the heroic actions of Sir
    Stanley George Savige."

    Captain Savige, who later rose to the military rank of Lieutenant
    General, was decorated with a Distinguished Service Order for his
    bravery.

    For years local Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic organisations
    campaigned to have genocides formally acknowledged by government.

    "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," Assyrian Universal Alliance deputy
    secretary-general Hermiz Shahen said.

    "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."

    By Lauren McMah
    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au

    http://www.aina.org/news/20130514211519.htm



    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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