North Shore Times (Wed) (Australia)
May 11, 2005 Wednesday

Genocide plaque is stolen

A PLAQUE commemorating the Armenian genocide has been stolen from
Meadowbank.

The plaque was dedicated at Memorial Park on April 24, marking the
90th anniversary of the genocide, which claimed 1.5 million lives.

Local Armenians suspect the Turkish community is to blame for its
disappearance.

Carol Aghajanian said the plaque’s disappearance made her “terribly
disappointed”.

“It serves as a clear reminder the Turks are still denying it, even
in Sydney, Australia,” she said.

The Turks denounced the unveiling of the plaque.

“It’s really not the place of Ryde Council to approve things like
this,” Turkish News Weekly editor Arzu Agacakyak said.

Mrs Agacakyak agreed a Turk would have stolen the plaque but she did
not support vandalism.

“There were a lot of deaths but there was never a genocide,” she
said.