Australia’s silence on Armenian genocide reveals shameful political cowardice

Simon Tatz writes that successive governments have refused to recognize the Armenian genocide, despite eyewitness accounts of the Anzacs and repeated calls from MPs; this silence speaks volumes, writes Simon Tatz.

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS continue to reject official recognition Armenian genocideDespite direct intervention by the Anzacs and strong appeals from senior politicians.

The Armenian Genocide (1915-1917) was the systematic mass extermination and deportation of approximately 1,500,000 Armenians. Ottoman EmpireThey are often referred to as the Young Turks.

From 1913 to 1923, Ottoman Christian Genocide (also referred to as the Assyrian and Greek Genocide) occurred. An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 Assyrians (Syriac-speaking Christians, predominantly members of the Assyrian Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox Church, and Chaldean Catholic Church) were massacred, and an estimated 300,000 Pontic and Anatolian Greeks were killed.

Recognition of genocides during the Ottoman period is deeply connected. holocaust.

German Chancellor HitlerOn the eve of the invasion of Poland and the liberation of the Holocaust, said military commanders:

“…I have prepared my death-head formation by ordering men, women and children of Polish origin and language to be sent to death without mercy and mercy – for now only in the East. After all, who is talking about the extermination of the Armenians today?”

Today, 30 countries speak on behalf of Armenians by recognizing the genocide, but not Australia. We are not on the side of France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, the USA or the European Parliament. Turkey (perpetrator state), Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Georgia and Israel refuse to recognize the word “genocide”.

It seems that Australia’s position is “clear”; We ask perpetrators and victims to “resolve” this “sensitive issue” through dialogue.

While genocide experts rightly scrutinize the actions of genocide experts Netanyahu As a government, we must also consider whether Australia’s refusal to recognize the Armenian genocide is due to the lobbying power of the Turkish government.

ABC in 2013 7.30 A story revealing the threats of the Turkish Government was broadcast on the program. ban members The NSW Parliament has been banned from attending centenary commemorations at Gallipoli following the formal recognition of the Armenian genocide by the NSW Parliament.

NSW Christian MP Fred Nile He was an influential force behind motions to recognize the Assyrian and Greek genocides, reaffirming the 1998 NSW Legislative Council. movement Recognizing the Armenian genocide.

Professor Colin Tatzfounder Center for Comparative Genocide Studies and world-renowned genocide expert, he told ABC:

“There is definitive evidence that what happened between 1915 and 1922 was genocide against Armenians, Pontic Greeks and Assyrian communities, involving approximately half of their populations.”

This threat of the Turkish Government had serious consequences. Gallipoli has a profound significance in Australian life; The pilgrimage to the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Lone Pine Cemetery is part of our national identity.

A lesser-known aspect of the unsuccessful Gallipoli campaign against the Ottoman Turks is the observation and recording of acts of genocide by Anzac POWs, including Captain Sir. Thomas Whitelater Member for Balaclava and Minister of Trade and Customs.

As the Armenian National Committee of Australia explains:

‘Shortly after the Gallipoli campaign, Australian soldiers came into contact with Armenian, Greek and Assyrian genocides. More than 300 ANZACs were held as prisoners of war by Ottoman forces. These ANZACs recorded their experiences in detailed diaries and memoirs, with vivid accounts of the genocide. Many of these accounts are now stored in the Australian War Memorial archives.’

For reasons only War Memorial Rightly so, there are no gallery exhibitions or special exhibition spaces related to the Armenian genocide. writing for Guardwriter Paul Daley He noted that it was never officially mentioned at Anzac commemorations ‘Australia’s witness to the Armenian genocide’.

Not only does Australia not recognize the fate of the Armenian people, we also refuse to explicitly mention the Anzacs’ involvement in the ever-expanding War Memorial.

One explanation is that the Turkish Government is a powerful lobbyist and an ardent genocide denier.

While Australia was planning its 100th anniversary celebrations in Gallipoli in 2013, Türkiye’s Consul General to Australia, Gülseren Çelik, he told ABC he was ‘I am sure the Federal Parliament does not intend to follow up’ the “ugly” Motion to recognize genocide in NSW.

Consul general in question:

“…Armenians have never [their claim of genocide] I applied to international courts because there is neither a document nor a piece of evidence. Even the numbers they give are not accurate.”

The Turkish Foreign Minister made a statement stating that anyone who harms the spirit of Gallipoli, including members of parliament, will not be allowed into Türkiye. He confirmed this could later include the NSW Premier. Barry O’Farrell.

Even more disturbing, ABC reported, was that Turkish officials claimed that our Anzac POWs had fabricated their own eyewitness accounts. These expected attacks on the character and actions of the Anzacs were neither refuted nor defended.

Australian governments do not use the word “genocide”; instead they put it down to the “pain” of the Armenian people.

Former Treasurer Joe Hockeywho is of Armenian‑Palestinian heritage, used an Adjournment Speech (20 October 2008) to publicly call on the Government to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Hockey’s speech was powerful:

The Ottomans’ intention was to completely destroy not only the Armenian nation, but also every memory of the Armenian people.

…many countries have officially recognized the Armenian genocide. Australia has yet to do the same. This situation weighs heavily on me, especially since my grandfather was himself a genocide survivor. He never knew the fate of his brothers and friends, as they were probably led to their deaths.

Likewise, this non-recognition has weighed heavily on the hearts of Australian Armenians… I call on this parliament to recognize the Armenian genocide for what it is, not alleged, not assumed, not so-called. This was a deliberate attempt to destroy an entire people.

To refuse to acknowledge this genocide is to ensure that future Hitlers can take advantage of the world’s reticence to take a stand.

in 2011 Malcolm Turnbull and six other deputies declared that the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian Genocides are a historical fact, official recognition By the Australian Government.

Liberal MP TimWilson said Parliament:

“I am fundamentally disappointed that our national parliament has not fully acknowledged the horror and tragedy of the genocide against Armenians. I hope that we will recognize the genocide against all people where it occurred.”

Gallipoli and the Armenian genocide: History and the battle for understanding (Part 1)

Shadow Minister Julian Leeser Moreover was called Government recognition of genocides:

“The deaths of 1.5 million Armenians were disparagingly referred to as ‘war victims’, ‘civilian casualties’ or ‘collateral damage’. These euphemisms were the same ones used by the Nazi perpetrators of the Holocaust.”

A motion was introduced on June 25, 2018. Trent Zimmerman (Liberal), supported by Joel Fitzgibbon (Labor) and John Alexander (Liberal), with support from the Labor Party Chris Bowen And Anne AlyIt was never put to a vote because it lacked government support.

Senator predicting trial in Senate Rex Patrick He asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (May 1, 2018):

“Why did the Federal Government continue to refuse recognition of the Armenian Genocide?”

official response He claimed that there were deep views of these events in Türkiye and Armenia, and in other affected communities, including Australia. The government respects these views and has a long-standing and clear position. Government “We are not intervening in this painful historical debate.” and believes “Dialogue between communities and governments directly involved is the best way to resolve such a sensitive issue.”.

This bears repeating – Australian Government “We are not intervening in this painful historical debate.”. Their words are pain, not genocide.

Every attempt by individual MPs to recognize the genocide was either rejected or invalidated without government support. No Australian government has explained why they did not recognize the fate of the Armenians and the simultaneous genocides against Assyrians, Pontians and Anatolian Greeks.