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GreekReporter.comAustraliaSA 'yes' to genocide motion

SA ‘yes’ to genocide motion

L-R Peter Jasonidis, Alternate President of the Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia (FPAA), Attorney General of SA Michael Atkinson and Haralambos Tavlaridis, President of FPAA.

The South Australian Parliament recognised unanimously on Thursday the Genocide of Armenians, Pontian Greeks, Syrian Orthodox, Assyrian and other Christian minorities.
It is the first such recognition by any State or Federal Parliament in Australia. The resolution was proposed by South Australia’s Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Multicultural Affairs and Veterans’ Affairs, Michael Atkinson.
The resolution states: “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 – 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; 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; 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; 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; 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 calls on the commonwealth parliament officially to condemn the Genocide.”
The issue of the Pontian Genocide had recently stirred a contentious political debate in South Australia with the Liberal Senator Alan Ferguson accusing Mr Atkinson of playing politics on the issue.
In a speech he delivered at the Senate on March 18 Mr Ferguson went so far as to dispute the validity of historical evidence regerarding the Armenian and Pontian Genocides.
The South Australian State Opposition Leader did not hesitate to proclaim his allegiance by stressing, “As a man married to a Greek, with a son who is half Greek, who is Orthodox, this has very much touched me and my family. Let there be no doubt in the mind of any South Australian about my view and the view of the state Liberals of these terrible and tragic events.” He continued by chastising Mr Atkinson for politically taking advantage of that situation by sending to his Greek constituents the speech made by Senator Ferguson.

(source: Neos Kosmos)

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