Assyrian International News Agency AINA
Sept 4 2010
(AINA) — A number of Melbourne’s Assyrian and Hellenic organizations
issued a joint statement today condemning recent acts of vandalism
against two Sydney memorials dedicated to the Assyrian Genocide and
the Assyrian Levies (AINA 8-30-2010). The six signatories included two
Greek federations and a number of Assyrian political, social and
cultural organizations. The six signatories to the letter affirmed
their opposition to all acts of vandalism and voiced a call for
worldwide recognition of the Assyrian, Armenian and Pontian-Greek
Genocide.
The statement follows:
We the undersigned Melbourne-based Assyrian and Greek organizations
express our deep concern at recent events which have seen two Assyrian
memorial sites vandalised. Sydney’s Assyrian Genocide Monument
(recently dedicated by the Assyrian Universal Alliance) and the
Assyrian Levies Plaque (dedicated by the Assyrian Levies Association)
were both vandalised with physical damage and the painting of
anti-Assyrian profanities in the preceding week.
Both the mentioned monuments stand in tribute to millions of
Assyrians, Armenians and Pontian-Greeks who were ruthlessly murdered
in a calculated campaign of extermination by the Ottoman Empire.
Historians have termed this the first genocide of the twentieth
century. The Assyrian-Australian community, like other communities
residing in Australia, is entitled to remember these victims of
genocide with dignity and without hindrance from vandals. We
explicitly condemn the vandalism of the monument and memorial plaque
and call upon the relevant authorities to investigate the matter
hastily.
While the perpetrators of both these incidents are as yet unknown, and
police investigations are continuing, it is clear from the content of
the vandalism, on the Assyrian Genocide Monument in particular, that
those involved hold a strong level of enmity towards the Assyrian
people.
The struggle for the recognition of the Assyrian, Armenian and
Pontian-Greek Genocide is a continuing one. The historical truth of
the genocide is not in question, as suggested by the forces of
genocide denial. The school of scholarly evidence is overwhelming. In
fact, the world’s leading group of genocide scholars, the
International Association of Genocide Scholars has affirmed that the
Assyrian, Armenian and Pontian-Greek was indeed perpetrated by the
Ottoman Empire during its dying days. This recognition is in addition
to dozens of federal, state and local governments around the world who
have also recognized the Assyrian, Armenian and Pontian- Greek
genocide.
We renew our call for worldwide recognition of the Assyrian, Armenian
and Pontian-Greek Genocide. In particular, we call upon the Australian
federal government, in addition to state governments, to join their
counterparts around the world and add their voice to truth and justice
by recognising the genocide.
We the undersigned organisations extend our support to all
organizations that have contributed to the Assyrian Genocide
recognition movement, affirm our rejection of acts designed to insult
the memories of those who were murdered and condemn any attempt to
distort the truth of the Assyrian, Armenian and Pontian Greek
Genocide.
Australian Assyrian Arts and Literature Foundation
Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia
Panepirotic Federation of Australia
Assyrian Democratic Movement
The Popular Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Council
Beth-Nahrin Cultural Club
By Joseph Haweil
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