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NSW Government officially recognizes Assyrian genocide
May 16, 2013 - 13:03 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Smithfield state Liberal MP Andrew Rohan has paid
tribute to an Australian soldier who rescued his Assyrian parents from
a massacre after the Assyrian genocide was formally recognized by the
NSW Government, Daily Telegraph reported.
On Wednesday, May 8 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 organizations
campaigned to have genocides formally acknowledged by government.
From: Baghdasarian
May 16, 2013 - 13:03 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Smithfield state Liberal MP Andrew Rohan has paid
tribute to an Australian soldier who rescued his Assyrian parents from
a massacre after the Assyrian genocide was formally recognized by the
NSW Government, Daily Telegraph reported.
On Wednesday, May 8 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 organizations
campaigned to have genocides formally acknowledged by government.
From: Baghdasarian