Turkish Forum

Category: East Asia & Pacific

  • Islam and democracy can – and do – coexist

    Islam and democracy can – and do – coexist

    logo_csmonitorJust look at successes in Indonesia and Turkey.

    By John Hughes

    from the May 8, 2009 edition

    Provo, Utah – Over the years American presidents have preached the power of freedom to the un-free nations of the world.

    In recent times, the focus has been on the Arab world, where democratic progress has been scant. President George W. Bush’s efforts – from candid speeches to Arab leaders to a costly war in Iraq – have yielded mixed results.

    President Obama is pursuing a different course, using a blend of personal charm abroad and efforts at home to burnish America’s image as a democratic example.

    Throughout all this, skeptics have argued that this is a lost cause, and that democracy and Islam are incompatible.

    So it is heartening to see the integration of democracy and Islam taking place in three huge countries whose Muslim populations make up somewhere between a quarter and a third of the world’s entire Muslim populace.

    Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population (205 million), is undergoing national elections that will strengthen its steady democratic progress. India, which has a minority population of some 150 million Muslims, is finishing up month-long elections for a nation of more than 1 billion people. Turkey, with a Muslim population of 77 million, is a working example of a secular democracy in a Muslim country.

    These examples may not offer a blueprint for the mostly undemocratic Arab world. But their success does offer welcome evidence that Islam and democracy can coexist, maybe even integrate.

    Indonesia’s emergence as a peaceful democracy is notable because its past has not always been free of violence or manipulation. When I worked as a correspondent in Indonesia in the 1960s, the Army put down a communist-triggered coup and wrought terrible vengeance across the Indonesian archipelago.

    Estimates of the death toll rose as high as 1 million people. My own estimate was about 200,000. An investigating commission reporting to President Sukarno listed 78,000 people dead – a dreadfully inaccurate figure that was offered up, a source told me, because “We gave Sukarno the figures we thought he wanted to hear.”

    Indonesia’s travail continued under the man who deposed him, General Suharto. Yet today, Indonesia has become a country of order and promise.

    India is currently conducting its 15th national election since achieving independence in 1947. Indians proudly proclaim the process to be the “world’s biggest exercise in democracy.” Though India is predominantly Hindu, the Muslims who live there tend not to vote as a religious bloc, but spread their votes across a multiplicity of parties with differing policies.

    Months ago, Mr. Obama said he wanted to make a major address in an Islamic capital early in his presidency. He hasn’t done that yet, but it is no surprise that he chose Turkey for his “the US is not at war with Islam” speech. Turkey has proved, as Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, once said, “that you can have a democracy in a Muslim-majority country.” In free elections, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has successfully maintained Turkey as a secular, free-market society since 2003.

    There have been spats between Turkey and the US. Turkey barred US forces from using its territory as a launching pad for the war against Saddam Hussein. Its prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been a blistering critic of Israel over Gaza. But Obama’s visit was well received, and the US considers Turkey a useful potential interlocutor in the various challenges of the Middle East – a role that Turkey appears ready to assume.

    Though Indonesia, India, and Turkey, each in their different ways, present welcome examples of compatibility between Islam and democracy, it is often democracy molded to accommodate local cultures and customs. It is freedom, but not necessarily democracy as defined in Washington or the capitals of western Europe.

    John Hughes, a former editor of the Monitor, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1967 for his coverage of Indonesia. He writes a biweekly column for the Monitor Weekly.

    Source:  www.csmonitor.com, May 8, 2009

  • Armenian Genocide Motion Passed in South Australia

    Armenian Genocide Motion Passed in South Australia

    “That, whereas the genocide by the Ottoman state between 1915-1923 of Armenians, Hellenes, Syrian and other minorities in Asia Minor is one of the greatest crimes against humanity, the people of South Australia and this House –

    (a) join the members of the Armenian-Australian, Pontian Greek-Australian and Syrian-Australian communities in honouring the memory of the innocent men, women and children who fell victim to the first modern genocide;

    (b) condemns the genocide of the Armenians, Pontian Greeks, Syrian Orthodox and other Christian minorities, and all other acts of genocide as the ultimate act of racial, religious and cultural intolerance;

    (c) recognises the importance of remembering and learning from such dark chapters in human history to ensure that such crimes against humanity are not allowed to be repeated;

    (d) condemns and prevents all attempts to use the passage of time to deny or distort the historical truth of the genocide of the Armenians and other acts of genocide committed during this century;

    (e) acknowledges the significant humanitarian contribution made by the people of South Australia to the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide and the Pontian Genocide; and

    (f) calls on the Commonwealth Parliament officially to condemn the genocide.”

    South Australia Passes Armenian Genocide Motion

    Soykırım Tasarısı Güney Avustralya’da Kabul Edildi

  • Barack Obama Is No Jimmy Carter. He’s Richard Nixon.

    Barack Obama Is No Jimmy Carter. He’s Richard Nixon.

    THE NEW REALISM

    By Michael Freedman | NEWSWEEK

    Published Apr 25, 2009
    From the magazine issue dated May 4, 2009

    Republicans have been trying to link Barack Obama to Jimmy Carter ever since he started his presidential campaign, and they’re still at it. After Obama recently shook hands with Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez, GOP ideologue Newt Gingrich said the president looked just like Carter—showing the kind of “weakness” that keeps the “aggressors, the anti-Americans, the dictators” licking their chops.

    But Obama is no Carter. Carter made human rights the cornerstone of his foreign policy, while the Obama team has put that issue on the back burner. In fact, Obama sounds more like another 1970s president: Richard Nixon. Both men inherited the White House from swaggering Texans, whose overriding sense of mission fueled disastrous wars that tarnished America’s image. Obama is a staunch realist, like Nixon, eschewing fuzzy democracy-building and focusing on advancing national interests. “Obama is cutting back on the idea that we’re going to have Jeffersonian democracy in Pakistan or anywhere else,” says Robert Dallek, author of the 2007 book, “Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power.”

    Nixon met the enemy (Mao) to advance U.S. interests, and now Obama is reaching out to rivals like Chávez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the same reason. “The willingness to engage in dialogue with Iran is very compatible with the approach Nixon would have conducted,” says Henry Kissinger, the architect of Nixon’s foreign policy. “But we’ll have to see how it plays out.” Hillary Clinton has assured Beijing that human rights won’t derail talks on pressing issues like the economic crisis, another sign of Nixonian hard-headedness. And echoing Nixon’s pursuit of détente, Obama has engaged Russia, using a mutual interest in containing nuclear proliferation as a stepping stone to discuss other matters, rather than pressing Moscow on democracy at home, or needlessly provoking it on issues like missile defense and NATO expansion, which have little near-term chance of coming to fruition and do little to promote U.S. security. Thomas Graham, a Kissinger associate who oversaw Russia policy at the National Security Council during much of the younger Bush’s second term, says this approach by Obama, a Democrat, resembles a Republican foreign-policy tradition that dates back to the elder George Bush and Brent Scowcroft, and then even further to Nixon and Kissinger.

    It’s hard to know if such tactics will work, of course. But Obama has made clear he understands America’s limitations and its strengths, revealing a penchant for Nixonian pragmatism—not Carter-inspired weakness.

    © 2009

    Source: Newsweek, Apr 25, 2009

  • 23-24-25 April

    23-24-25 April

    The April 23 International Children’s Day Festival, April 25 Anzac Day Celebrations and the sad and baseless April 24 Commemorations

                                                      April 20, 2009     

    On April 23rd, as the Turkish World and their friends will celebrate the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day holiday, as they have done since 1920 when the Turkish Grand National Assembly was established, over a thousand young students from 50 countries will come to Turkey for the 31th International Children’s day celebrations in Izmir, joining their hosts commemorating an event in a spectacular show of peace and friendship. While annual allegations that perpetuate hatred are made by the Armenians in April every year, Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) invites children from all over the world to promote love and understanding, with hope that the children of the world live in peace. It is sad that the children from the Republic of Armenia will not be among them, enjoying the wonderful bond with students from Turkey and other countries, denied by the government of a nation which supports terrorism and perpetuates hatred. There is also a  school from the US participating this year , as there was one representation last year.

    On April 25, the Australians and the New Zealanders will travel to Gallipoli , Turkey , and hold another commemoration and dawn services at the Anzac Cove, as they do every year, and will celebrate the establishment of their states. As they pay their respects to their fallen comrades in 1915, they will read the message of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk to the parents of the Anzac soldiers, engraved in the Turkish Memorial.

    ”Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives..you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in Peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours.. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace after having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well” (1934)

    On April 24th, most Armenians in the United States and around the world will commemorate a mythical genocide, invented for the sole purpose of creating hatred against the Turks everywhere as a revenge and catalyst for the continuation of their identities and raising money for their poor country. Armenia has become the second leading per capita recipient of U.S. foreign aid, behind Israel . Many of their supporters will join them, not knowing the real truth behind their motives and without realizing that the Armenian Diaspora in the U.S. and other countries were established by the thousands who left the Ottoman Turkish lands willingly, long before the conflict and the relocation in 1915. If, as claimed 1.5 million Armenians were annihilated, the number close to the total population of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the time, where did all the people in the Diaspora come from, especially close to half a million in California?

    We should all protest this meaningless Armenian commemoration and urge everyone to speak against the meaningless Resolutions full of distortions and fabrications and convince their congressmen not to bring this to the House of Representatives or the Senate. The Armenians should read some of the books written by Greeks on the establishment of friendship and business relations between the two peoples. The Greek writer Dido Sotiriyu tells the following in her book  ”Send My Greetings to Anatolia ”: 

    ”And you, the son-in-law of  Blind Mehmet! Especially you. Why are you looking at me with revulsion on your face? Yes, I killed you, so what? And again I am crying….You killed too!  Brothers, friends, fellow countrymen… A huge generation killed each other for no reason!. The son-in-law of Blind Mehmet, send my greetings to my homeland! Send my greetings to Anatolia !. You should not feel hatred against us because we soaked your land with blood. God damn the executioners that allowed the brother kill his brother:” 

    Greeks invaded Anatolia in 1919 with the support of the Western powers, killed thousands of civilians and destroyed many villages and towns. They were defeated by the Turks under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal who spared the life of the Greek Commander Trikopis and established good relations with Venizelos, who later became the Prime Minister of Greece and nominated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk for the Nobel Peace Prize. Turks and Greeks have been able to create a sense of reconciliation and peace that benefits the people of both countries.

    Armenians rebelled against their own government following the 1878 Berlin Treaty to establish a state of their own on lands where they were not the majority and joined the Russians in the fight against the Ottomans. William Saroyan, the Armenian-American writer, the son of an Armenian from Bitlis, wrote about this episode that came closest to the above statement by his Greek colleague when he said that ‘‘The real enemy of the Armenians were the Russians, not the Turks”. Saroyan wrote many books, received the Pulitzer prize for his book on the second world war ”The Human Comedy” and told the story of the Armenian Tragedy in his short story  ”Antranik of Armenia ”. 

    The war was with the Turks of course. The other enemies were less active than the Turks, but watchful. When the time came one of these, in the name of love, not hate, accomplished in no time at all what the Turks, who were more honest, whose hatred was unconcealed, could not accomplish in hundreds of years. These were the Russians. 

    What happened between 1878 and  April 24, 1915, the day that the Armenians commemorate as Genocide Day, claiming falsely that the Turks massacred 1.5 million Armenians, was the consequences of Armenian uprisings in the eastern Anatolia while the Armenians in the western Anatolia were continuing their lives as an integral part of the Ottoman society. The Armenians, deceived by the British who promised support for esteablishing a state of their own in the east started killing Turks long before 1915 when they formed armed committees and started wholesale massacre of defenseless Turkish villagers and revolted against their own government. Some members of their committees also carried terrorist activities in Istanbul . The Ottoman Government, which had many Armenian members, retaliated and issued an order for their relocation from the sensitive areas. Many Armenians died for different reasons. These are all well documented and told by the Armenian authors in their never ending ”Memoirs”, totally ignoring the atrocities committed by themselves and the killing of innocent Moslems. Books written by the Turks and Americans like Samuel Weems tell the other side of the tragedy, which is ignored by the Armenian authors.

    Please look beyond the Armenian propaganda, first started during the late nineteenth century wave of nationalism and the first world war by the outside powers, just as Sotiriyu and Saroyan tell in their books. British Arnold Toynbee and American Ambassador Morgenthau produced misinformed and misguided documents with false statements and fabricated facts on the Armenian issue to induce the United States to enter the war on the side of the Allies, and authors like Aram Andonian and Franz Werfel wrote books based on distorted facts, admitting later that they had erred. The US Holocaust memorial Museum exhibits a fabricated quotation from Hitler on the Armenians, which is a disgrace.

    Extremist Armenians around the world and their supporters should heed the April 23rd and April 25th celebrations and stop deceiving the people of the world with fabricated Armenian Genocide commemorations on April 24, instead honor the death of everyone. Turkey and Armenia should be friends. The only path for this is through a declaration to the world that they have been lied to and that they were also responsible for the tragedy, which resulted in  killings on both sides, not by pressuring the US Congress and State Assemblies to pass resolutions proclaiming a mythical genocide. They should admit their share in the tragedies, just like Sotiriyu does in her book. Perhaps the new President of the U.S. Barack Obama will heed the truth and declare on April 24 that both sides suffered and that the past should be remembered as it actually evolved, not as it has been reconstructed by some selfish Armenians, and let its lessons guide us as we seek to build a better future for all the children of the world.

    Respectfully,

    Yuksel Oktay
    Washington, NJ

  • Global Commitments vs. Regional Balances

    Global Commitments vs. Regional Balances

    Deglobalizing U.S. military commitments will require the “civilianization” of defense policy.

    Judah Grunstein | Bio | 09 Apr 2009
    WPR Blog

    More smart stuff from Sam Roggeveen, who points out that alert is not the same thing as alarmed, but nevertheless admits to a case of nerves:

    The thing to remember is that China does not have to match the U.S. in global capability terms for U.S. allies in the Pacific to start getting nervous about the strategic balance. All China has to do is be a credible competitor in the region, and that is already the case.

    Roggeveen goes on to argue that “. . . we have already passed the point at which the U.S. could militarily intervene in a Taiwan conflict at acceptable risk,” and that the coming years/decades will witness an inexorable expansion of that perimeter.

    Click through to see what he’s got to say about whether the budget priorities as signaled by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, compared to the alternatives, are a good thing or not for Australia. You might be surprised.

    The broader point here is that while the “American unipolar moment” might be drawing to a close, we’re still the only country that is forced to calculate in terms of global, as opposed to regional, military capability. That reflects the magnitude of our power, influence and interests. But while an advantage in a scenario of geologic resource scarcity, it becomes potentially problematic in a scenario of political resource scarcity and a distinct disadvantage in times of financial resource scarcity.

    This reinforces the need for scaling down our commitments by involving regional powers more prominently in advancing our foreign policy objectives, what I call Middle Power Mojo™. France and Turkey were my illustrative examples before they both started acting out. But part of the initial concept was the idea of identifying regional players that have got their mojo working, so that’s inevitably going to evolve with time.

    Perhaps most significantly, this provides a political context for U.S. defense policy. The limitations of discussing the U.S. defense budget without the context of a strategic vision have been pointed out elsewhere. But so far, that’s mainly been shorthand for, “Wait until the Quadrennial Defense Review comes out next year,” and reinforces the militarization of foreign policy. Deglobalizing America’s defense commitments, on the other hand, will require filling gaps with both friendly capability and stable regional security architectures. And that’s more of a long-term interagency project that will “civilianize” defense policy.

    Source:  www.worldpoliticsreview.com, 09 Apr 2009

  • South Australia Passes Armenian Genocide Motion

    South Australia Passes Armenian Genocide Motion

    MEDIA RELEASE March 25, 2009

    The Peak Public Affairs Committee of the Armenian-Australian Community
    ADELAIDE: An Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) delegation was present as South Australian Parliament’s Legislative Council passed a motion recognising the Armenian Genocide as “one of the greatest crimes against humanity”.

    The motion, introduced by the Hon. David Ridgway MLC (Leader of the Liberal Opposition in Legislative Council) and seconded by the Hon. Bernard Finnigan (Member of the Labor Government in Legislative Council) went through unopposed, and sees the Upper House of South Australia’s parliament join the New South Wales parliament in condemning “the genocide of the Armenians and all other acts of genocide”.

    However this motion is unique, as it is the first to include recognition of recently-uncovered material detailing the significant humanitarian effort by the people of South Australia who aided the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide almost a century ago.

    South Australians, as part of the global Near East Relief effort, answered to calls for aid by donating clothing, money and infrastructure – an orphenage in Lebanon which housed the child survivors of the attempt by Ottoman Turkey to exterminate its Christian-Armenian minority.

    When introducing the motion a fortnight ago, a proud Mr. Ridgway said: “I would like to recognise South Australia’s role in the first major international humanitarian relief effort. As was the case for the genocide itself, that effort was not broadly publicised.”

    Mr. Ridgway added: “It goes without saying that such acts as the Armenian genocide epitomise prejudices against race, religion and culture. For most Australians those attitudes are difficult to comprehend but, unfortunately, they remain commonplace in many societies today.”

    Mr. Finnigan also addressed the house in seconding the motion: “In light of growing international awareness of the Armenian genocide – and given the horrific nature of the genocide itself – it is time for we South Australians to do our part.”

    ANC Australia Political Relations Officer, Mr. Vache Kahramanian commended Mr. Ridgway, Mr. Finnigan and their Legislative Council colleagues for recognising what he described a “proud intertwining of histories for Armenian-Australians”.

    He said: “It is fitting that South Australia is the first to honour this significant moment in Australian history – the first time this great nation came to the aid of a needy people a whole world away.”

    Mr. Kahramanian added: “It is important for nations like Australia to recognise and condemn all acts of genocide, as some – like the Armenian Genocide – remain unpunished.”

    Mr. Ridgway commended the Armenian-Australian community and ANC Australia for their excellent leadership.

    “I am grateful to be in an ongoing working relationship with the Armenian community,” he said. “The Armenian National Committee is dedicated to a campaign which advocates recognition of the genocide, and today’s motion is also a tribute to its tireless efforts on behalf of the Armenian community.”


    THE MOTION IN FULL

    That this Council recognises that the Armenian Genocide is one of the greatest crimes against humanity and –

    I. joins the members of the Armenian-Australian community in honouring the memory of the innocent men, women and children who fell victim to this genocide;

    II. condemns the genocide of the Armenians and all other acts of genocide as the ultimate act of racial, religious and cultural intolerance;

    III. recognises the importance of remembering and learning from such dark chapters in human history to ensure that such crimes against humanity are not allowed to be repeated;

    IV. acknowledges the significant humanitarian contribution made by the people of South Australia to the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide; and

    V. calls on the Commonwealth Government to officially condemn the genocide of the Armenians.


    ———-YORUM – RESPONCE BY SUKRU SERVER AYA ————————-

    To: [email protected]; [email protected]
    Subject: Counter Comments For The Genocide Motion
    Att: Hon David Ridgway and Hon Bernard Finnigan,

    We’ll publish your response in full, if you care to respond

    Kind Regards

    ———————————————————-

    AVUSTRALYA ‘YA  İLK  DİREKT  CEVAP  SAHİPLERİNE  ULAŞTI –  BAKALIM CEVAP  VEREBİLECEKLER Mİ?

    Reply By Sukru Aya (Bold & Blue)

    Armenian National Committee of Australia, March 25, 2009

    ADELAIDE: An Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) delegation was present as South Australian Parliament’s Legislative Council passed a motion recognising the Armenian Genocide as “one of the greatest crimes against humanity”.

    The motion, introduced by the Hon. David Ridgway MLC (Leader of the Liberal Opposition in Legislative Council) and seconded by the Hon. Bernard Finnigan . . (Member of the Labor Government in Legislative Council) went through unopposed, and sees the Upper House of South Australia’s parliament join the New South Wales parliament in condemning “the genocide of the Armenians and all other acts of genocide”.

    However this motion is unique, as it is the first to include recognition of recently-uncovered material detailing the significant humanitarian effort by the people of South Australia who aided the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide almost a century ago.

    * Armenians in the city of Van Revolted and declared their own Republic in mid April 1915. Their (235) leaders in Istanbul was rounded up on April 24th (the day they commemorate as Genocide) and ANZAC landing started next day, on April 25th! Law of temporary relocation was enforced in late May and people in war zones or sections causing fifth column activities were sent to Southern provinces where there was no war. None was sent as south as Beirut where there was no war! Hence, Armenians in Beirut cannot claim any connection with relocation or victimization! There is no verdict or even a court case to name this past drama “genocide”. The parliament is fabricating a verdict by self-given authority!

    “The administration committee at Beirut, until the recent Cilician exodus, has been free from the more pressing problems of general relief until has been able to place large numbers of orphans in homes, thereby reducing the number of orphans in Near East Relief institutions in Syrian area to 6.775.” ( p.9 Near East Relief Report, US Congress 22.04.1922 No.192)

    South Australians, as part of the global Near East Relief effort, answered to calls for aid by donating clothing, money and infrastructure – an orphanage in Lebanon which housed the child survivors of the attempt by Ottoman Turkey to exterminate its Christian-Armenian minority.

    * There were several RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS, the largest one being U.S. Near East Relief Organization. Excerpt proves that the orphans at Beirut, were those of the Armenians who were sent to Syria-Palestine, who did not die, and went back with the British and later French troops in 1919, some in soldier uniforms. New atrocities met resistance of the people and French armies had to make peace and evacuate the lands in Sept. 1920 signing peace with Nationalist Government. The orphans in Beirut are those mentioned in the Relief Report. They have no connection whatsoever with the relocation; they were the children of those who went back to resettle again to Turkey (estimated 150 to 300.000) but decided to leave with the French army. Beirut was the transfer port of those to several countries, Egypt, Greece, France, USA etc.

    When introducing the motion a fortnight ago, a proud Mr. Ridgway said: “I would like to recognise South Australia’s role in the first major international humanitarian relief effort. As was the case for the genocide itself, that effort was not broadly publicised.”

    It is ironic that Mr. Ridgway, does not remember why the ANZACS went to Gallipoli -to fight people they had no connection,- and die there, yet building a reciprocal sentiment of chivalry, respect and decency even under warfare. The Armenians successfully collected money from all countries, to buy arms, ammunition under excuse to save victims. (Reno Evening Gazette, Oct.15, 1915: “Professional beggars who have bled their own countrymen for years and now trying to induce kindly Americans to support them, not caring whether United States would or should not be embroiled with Turkey…” . The Armenian contribution to WW1 was to be one of the largest trouble mongers, exploiting the benevolence of all other Christian nations. ANZACS did not only donate money, but they lost their lives there for unjust cause, and not this vital part but the money part of the episode is remembered!

    Mr. Ridgway added: “It goes without saying that such acts as the Armenian genocide epitomise prejudices against race, religion and culture. For most Australians those attitudes are difficult to comprehend but, unfortunately, they remain commonplace in many societies today.”

    The speaker has not read anything on the subject, other than what has been drafted to him by lobbyists and in doing so, he forgets the dramas and genocide executed to the Aborigines in their own homeland. The speaker is in no position to lecture other nations tens of thousands kilometers away. There was never any genocide or racial hatred! These charges are lie!

    Mr. Finnigan also addressed the house in seconding the motion: “In light of growing international awareness of the Armenian genocide – and given the horrific nature of the genocide itself – it is time for we South Australians to do our part.”

    Mr. Finnigan speaks of “international awareness” but not of international law and justice and right of defense. He does the mistake of supporting a huge slander, to please some politicians of Armenian ethnicity who bring their old mythological grudges all the way to Australia, to provoke societies, spreading hatred instead of compassion and tolerance.

    ANC Australia Political Relations Officer, Mr. Vache Kahramanian commended Mr. Ridgway, Mr. Finnigan and their Legislative Council colleagues for recognising what he described a “proud intertwining of histories for Armenian-Australians”.

    He said: “It is fitting that South Australia is the first to honour this significant moment in Australian history – the first time this great nation came to the aid of a needy people a whole world away.”

    These are cheap salesmanship talk. Did this person offer any condolence or respect for those ANZACS who lost their lives for no serious justification? No! Their concern has always been benefit – money for their own. Let others die, but pay!

    Mr. Kahramanian added: “It is important for nations like Australia to recognise and condemn all acts of genocide, as some – like the Armenian Genocide – remain unpunished.”

    Mr. Kahramanian is selling a fabricated lie, not even scholarly argued for the truth essence in it. This person, like his forefathers is “selling victimization”, buttering others with polished words, as long as they serve ANC’s interests only!

    Mr. Ridgway commended the Armenian-Australian community and ANC Australia for their excellent leadership.

    “I am grateful to be in an ongoing working relationship with the Armenian community,” he said. “The Armenian National Committee is dedicated to a campaign which advocates recognition of the genocide, and today’s motion is also a tribute to its tireless efforts on behalf of the Armenian community.”

    Armenian Communities are famous for their Monuments and Museums for blood and hatred. Did they ever think of contributing anything or participating one of the remembrance days held every year in Gallipoli for the ANZAC martyrs? [From Reno Evening Gazette Oct.15,1915: “. . by apocryphal tales of outrages, have procured contributions from their Armenian countrymen abroad and in this country and have lived in luxury on the proceeds for the past 30 years.”

    THE MOTION IN FULL
    That this Council recognises that the Armenian Genocide is one of the greatest crimes against humanity and –

    I. joins the members of the Armenian-Australian community in honouring the memory of the innocent men, women and children who fell victim to this genocide;

    II. condemns the genocide of the Armenians and all other acts of genocide as the ultimate act of racial, religious and cultural intolerance;

    III. recognises the importance of remembering and learning from such dark chapters in human history to ensure that such crimes against humanity are not allowed to be repeated;

    IV. acknowledges the significant humanitarian contribution made by the people of South Australia to the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide; and

    V. calls on the Commonwealth Government to officially condemn the genocide of the Armenians.

    The details and justifications shown in this selfish motion, serves nothing to the interest of Australia. On the contrary it injects feud and hatred in the minds of “peaceful, well-wishing people” and exploits the Australian society’s sense of benevolence and fairness.,


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