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FURY ERUPTS OVER ANZAC 'FABRICATION' SLUR
NEOS KOSMOS, HELLENIC PERSPECTIVE, AUSTRALIA
Sept 4 2013
Reverend Fred Nile defends the 'right to memory' as NSW Government
considers its response to Gallipoli ban
Michael Sweet
With the Turkish Government describing witness accounts of the
Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides written by WWI Australian
soldiers as fabrications, NSW MP Reverend Fred Nile has spoken out
condemning the allegation.
Mr Nile moved the original motion recognising the genocides that
was unanimously adopted by the NSW Parliament in May, much to the
consternation of Turkey - who as a result, threatened to ban the
state's parliamentarians from visiting Gallipoli.
Premier Barry O'Farrell last week described recent comments made by
NSW's Turkish Consul General on the matter, as "a terrible indictment
... of the freedom that was fought for on the Gallipoli Peninsula
in 1915".
The Consul, Ms Gulseren Celik, said in a letter to state parliament
that accounts of the Ottoman genocides by Australian soldiers based
in Anatolia at the time were fabricated.
In a speech to the NSW Parliament last week Reverend Nile reaffirmed
the validity of the accounts, quoting from verified historical sources,
including documents from official Anzac records.
Reverend Nile said the crux of the debate was "the individual and
collective right to memory", and said that Turkey's allegations that
his actions were an incitement to hate were baseless.
"Is it recalling hatreds, real or imagined, to commemorate the Shoah,
the Jewish genocide, or Timorese or Papuan suffering under the Japanese
in World War II?" said Mr Nile.
"Historical debate often involves offence being taken by individuals,
especially when entrenched positions are being undermined."
Mr Nile told Neos Kosmos he was shocked by the Turkish Consul's
description of Anzac records as fabrications, and that the NSW
Government was looking at a number of options in order to respond to
Turkey's threat to ban parliamentarians from Gallipoli.
"We should not forget these genocides happened, to ignore them as
historical fact is kicking the relatives and survivors of subsequent
generations," he said.
Having recently returned from a tour of Armenia with a cross-party
delegation, Reverend Nile said Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr
should intervene in the situation.
"It's disappointing that the Federal Government seems to be acting
in a cowardly way, and the threats from Turkey are having an effect
on our Federal Government. It's ridiculous," said Mr Nile.
"The government should do what's right and what's truthful, and not
be blackmailed."
Twenty-one countries around the world have passed formal resolutions
recognising the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides by the Ottoman
empire. Along with Australia, Britain and the United States have not,
although 43 US states have.
Consul Gulseren Celik told reporters she is confident the Australian
Government has no intention of following what she describes as the
"outrageous" NSW motions.
http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/fury-erupts-over-anzac-fabrication-slur
NEOS KOSMOS, HELLENIC PERSPECTIVE, AUSTRALIA
Sept 4 2013
Reverend Fred Nile defends the 'right to memory' as NSW Government
considers its response to Gallipoli ban
Michael Sweet
With the Turkish Government describing witness accounts of the
Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides written by WWI Australian
soldiers as fabrications, NSW MP Reverend Fred Nile has spoken out
condemning the allegation.
Mr Nile moved the original motion recognising the genocides that
was unanimously adopted by the NSW Parliament in May, much to the
consternation of Turkey - who as a result, threatened to ban the
state's parliamentarians from visiting Gallipoli.
Premier Barry O'Farrell last week described recent comments made by
NSW's Turkish Consul General on the matter, as "a terrible indictment
... of the freedom that was fought for on the Gallipoli Peninsula
in 1915".
The Consul, Ms Gulseren Celik, said in a letter to state parliament
that accounts of the Ottoman genocides by Australian soldiers based
in Anatolia at the time were fabricated.
In a speech to the NSW Parliament last week Reverend Nile reaffirmed
the validity of the accounts, quoting from verified historical sources,
including documents from official Anzac records.
Reverend Nile said the crux of the debate was "the individual and
collective right to memory", and said that Turkey's allegations that
his actions were an incitement to hate were baseless.
"Is it recalling hatreds, real or imagined, to commemorate the Shoah,
the Jewish genocide, or Timorese or Papuan suffering under the Japanese
in World War II?" said Mr Nile.
"Historical debate often involves offence being taken by individuals,
especially when entrenched positions are being undermined."
Mr Nile told Neos Kosmos he was shocked by the Turkish Consul's
description of Anzac records as fabrications, and that the NSW
Government was looking at a number of options in order to respond to
Turkey's threat to ban parliamentarians from Gallipoli.
"We should not forget these genocides happened, to ignore them as
historical fact is kicking the relatives and survivors of subsequent
generations," he said.
Having recently returned from a tour of Armenia with a cross-party
delegation, Reverend Nile said Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr
should intervene in the situation.
"It's disappointing that the Federal Government seems to be acting
in a cowardly way, and the threats from Turkey are having an effect
on our Federal Government. It's ridiculous," said Mr Nile.
"The government should do what's right and what's truthful, and not
be blackmailed."
Twenty-one countries around the world have passed formal resolutions
recognising the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides by the Ottoman
empire. Along with Australia, Britain and the United States have not,
although 43 US states have.
Consul Gulseren Celik told reporters she is confident the Australian
Government has no intention of following what she describes as the
"outrageous" NSW motions.
http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/fury-erupts-over-anzac-fabrication-slur