The 1915 Genocide survivors denounce Victoria Parliament withdrawal from 1915 Genocide proposal
MELBOURNE — Earlier, the Victoria Parliament in Australia has officially withdrawn a proposal of recognition of the 1915 Sayfo Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek peoples.
The withdrawal followed opposition from Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, as reported by the Greek Herald.
This step was also received by stinging criticism by the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek peoples in Australia.
The Greek MP Samantha Ratman had put the project before the Victoria Parliament in Australia and it was scheduled to be discussed on 29 October, but it was stopped on 24 October, due to Allan government’s refusal to support the project.
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.
A joint letter by the politicians of those peoples was sent to Allan to urge for recognizing the 1915 Genocide.
Since the withdrawal decision, demonstrations and letters of denunciation have been continuing.
“How the suffering of innocent women and children can create discord in society. On the contrary, recognition of such atrocities will create unity and a glimmer of hope for the peoples,” the three peoples representatives stated in their joint letter.
“These acts are historical fact and are widely considered by academics as the first genocide of the 20th century as the acts perpetuated on the minorities indeed meet the criteria of a genocide as defined by the United Nations,” they write in a letter sent to Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan, on Friday, and shared with Neos Kosmos.
“As an educational institution we believe it is part of our shared responsibility as ancestors of these victims to call upon yourself, your party and the Victorian Parliament to join South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania to become the fourth state to officially recognise these atrocities as acts of genocide.”