AUSTRALIA: Victoria Parliament withdraws Sayfo Genocide recognition proposal amid political opposition

MELBOURNE — Amid growing international calls for the recognition of the 1915 Sayfo Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek peoples, the Victoria Parliament in Australia has officially withdrawn a proposal to acknowledge the atrocity. The withdrawal followed opposition from Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, as reported by the Greek Herald.

Earlier, several candidates from the Australian Liberal Party, running in the federal elections, issued a joint statement advocating for the recognition of the Sayfo as genocide. However, the proposal lacked sufficient support in Parliament, leading to its withdrawal.

An Australian government spokesperson commented on the decision, stating, “Many people have strong feelings about this issue, but now is not the right time for such a proposal.” The spokesperson pointed to the current conflict in the Middle East, which has heightened social divisions, and emphasized the need to focus on uniting communities rather than creating further discord.

The announcement follows a series of letters from Melbourne’s Greek community and the Federation of Pontian Societies in Australia, urging Premier Allan to align Victoria with other Australian states that have recognized the genocide of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek peoples.

Bill Papastergiadis, President of the Greek Community in Melbourne, remarked that the parliamentary discussion and vote would have been a pivotal moment for those seeking recognition and justice for the victims of the genocide. He noted that how members voted on the issue would not go unnoticed.

Premier Allan’s opposition has stirred frustration among Greek Australians, many of whom are staunch supporters of the Labor Party.