Serious momentum builds for future vote on genocide recognition in Victoria

·

A wave of over 35 letters from Armenian, Assyrian, Greek, Kurdish, Cypriot, Tamil, Tigray, Lebanese, Indian Hindu, Christian and Islamic community leaders have been addressed to the Victorian Premier and Members of Parliament supporting a future motion to recognise the 1915 Genocides, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia.

Support for the initiative has been expressed through formal letters from:

  • Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
  • Armenian Apostolic Church of Australia
  • Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU)
  • Australian Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Advocacy Network
  • Assyrian Australian Social Development Club
  • Assyrian Church of the East Australia
  • Assyrian Democratic Movement
  • Assyrian Democratic Organisation
  • Assyrian National Council – Australia
  • Australian Assyrian Arts and Literature Foundation
  • Australian Hellenic Council
  • Australian Tigray Alliance
  • Beth Nahrain Assyria Association
  • Cypriot Community of  Melbourne and Victoria
  • Darebin Ethnic Communities Council
  • Educational Institution Hellenism of Anatolia
  • Federation of Pontian Associations Australia
  • Federation of Greek Elderly Citizens
  • Food For Thought Network
  • Greek Australian Cultural League of Melbourne
  • Hellenic Writers Association
  • Jewish Hellenic Association of Victoria
  • Maronite Eparchy of Australia New Zealand and Oceania
  • Pan Australian Justice For Cyprus
  • Pansamian Brotherhood of Melbourne Pythagoras
  • Pan Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria
  • Phoenix the New Generation
  • Pontic Educational and Cultural Association of Melbourne Victoria “Akrites Tou Pontou”
  • The Australian Federation of Pontian Associations
  • The Greek community of Victoria
  • The Pan-Epirotic Federation of Australia
  • The United Australian Lebanese Movement
  • The Young Assyrians
  • Return to Anatolia
  • Victorian Council of Churches

The letter from the Victorian Council of Churches President, Rev. Deacon Dr Joseph Leach and Executive Officer, Rev Dr Sandy Boyce called on members of parliament to take a “principled stance” on this issue.

The letter read: “Recognition of these Genocides is not only important to affirm history but also serves as a means to reconcile the past and provide a sense of closure to the descendants of genocide survivors. In a broader sense, recognition also plays an integral part in preventing future genocides – a view that genocide scholars widely support.”

Armenian National Committee of Australia Michael Kolokossian said, “We are confident that such a motion has overwhelming support in both houses from all sides of politics and that the motion’s passage is simply a matter of time.”

Australian Hellenic Council – Victoria President Peter Stefanidis said: “We know the Victorian Parliament stands for truth and justice and promotes tolerance through banning the use of Nazi insignia and fostering an environment of reconciliation for Indigenous Australians. However, there are certain forces pushing it is a parliament of Genocide denial. It can not be both.’’

Kos Samaras, former assistant state secretary of the Victorian Labor Party, has come out in defence of the motion slamming attacks against the Victorian Greens from ‘certain sections’ of the community.

Chris Crewther, the Member for Mornington has also publicly written on X to highlight the broad support for the motion and said, “There are times in politics and life, that one has to have the moral courage to do the right thing, regardless of political considerations or self-interest. That’s why Parliament needs to support the upcoming motion to recognise the genocide of Greeks, Armenians and Assyrians.”

The Joint Justice Initiative, spearheading a future motion, was launched in February 2020 at Australia’s Parliament House and featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian National Council – Australia (ANC) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), which declares Australia’s recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides as a priority on behalf of their communities.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

‘From Genocide to Regeneration’ book launched in Perth

A moving Perth event celebrated the launch of 'From Genocide to Regeneration: The Photographs of George Devine Treloar.'

Keira Sarris selected for Junior Matildas squad ahead of AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers

Rising star Keira Sarris has been named in the CommBank Junior Matildas squad for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers in Singapore.

Athens faces water crisis as reservoirs drop to one-year supply

A decade ago, Athens’ reservoirs were overflowing. In 2019, reserves could cover four years, totaling nearly 1.2 billion cubic meters.

Military to establish new drone school in Southern Greece

Defence Minister Nikos Dendias announced Sunday the creation of a new drone and anti-drone training school in Tripolis, southern Greece.

First stingray hatched and released in Greece marks conservation milestone

A stingray egg just 6 centimeters long developed into a 10.5-centimeter newborn, later released into the sea.

You May Also Like

Finance executive Spiro Premetis supports raising test thresholds for investors

Executive Director for Policy and Advocacy of FSC, Spiro Premetis, expressed his support for raising the wholesale investor test thresholds.

Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney unites generations at vibrant Ypapanti Dance

The Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney held its second inter-generational Ypapanti Dance in traditional paniyiri style at the Greek Community Club.

Greek flag to fly in Canterbury-Bankstown City to honour OXI Day

Canterbury-Bankstown Councillors have voted to fly the Greek flag in recognition of the annual OXI Day celebrations.