THE PEAK PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE ARMENIAN-AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY

Assyria Times
ews/article.php?storyid=3407
March 4 2010

ADELAIDE: Senator Alan Ferguson has apologised for calling the
Armenian and Pontian-Greek Genocides "debatable". In a speech made to
the Federal Parliament’s upper house two weeks ago, Senator Ferguson
brought into question the historical truth of the Armenian and Greek
Genocides by stating they "cannot be accurately depicted" today.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) and
leaders of the Greek and Assyrian communities immediately presented
objective academic material regarding the Armenian Genocide and
demanded that Senator Ferguson apologise for casting doubt over the
accuracy of these crimes against humanity, which have been condemned
by the International Association of Genocide Scholars.

Senator Ferguson subsequently reviewed his position and in his letter
of apology, stated that he was "deeply sorry" as his speech was never
intended to cause "distress".

It continued: "I accept the findings of the International League for
the Rights and Liberation of Peoples in relation to the atrocities that
were committed against the Armenians, Assyrians and Pontian Greeks…"

ANC Australia President, Mr. Varant Meguerditchian said that the
community accepts Senator Ferguson’s apology and looks forward to
establishing a strong working relationship with him.

"We accept the Senator’s remorse as genuine and believe that the
Senator now realises the great impact this crime against humanity
has played in the lives of so many descendants of the Armenian and
Pontian-Greek Genocides who now consider Australia their home.,"
said Mr. Meguerditchian.

FULL LETTER FROM ANC AUSTRALIA TO SENATOR FERGUSON

ATT: Senator the Hon. Alan Ferguson Commonwealth Parliament Offices
100 King William Street Adelaide SA 5000

RE: SENATE SPEECH – 18 MARCH 2009

Dear Senator Ferguson,

We refer to your speech in the Australian Senate on the 18th of March
2009, titled ‘The Turkish-Australian Community’. That day, you took
offence at a statement made by South Australia’s Attorney General,
the Hon. Michael Atkinson regarding the genocide campaigns of Ottoman
Turks against its Christian minorities – including Armenians, Pontian
Greeks and Assyrians – in the early 1900s.

You stated that you shared the concern of your "personal friend", the
Turkish ambassador at Mr. Atkinson’s remarks, and that the Armenian
and Pontian cases were "debatable" and "cannot be accurately depicted"
today.

Senator, you continued your support for modern Turkey’s internationally
condemned denialist agenda by stating "we should not be passing
judgment when we do not know the full facts".

The full facts of the Armenian Genocide are undeniable. Any scholar
denying that 1.5million of our ancestors were massacred, starved
and death marched from their homes in 1915 is discredited by the
‘International Association of Genocide Scholars’.

The word ‘Genocide’ was coined by Mr. Rafael Lemkin in 1948, when he
used the Armenian Genocide and Jewish Holocaust as references when
sharing examples of organised attempts to exterminate an entire people.

Senator, your speech on 18th of March was ironically followed seven
days later by your home state, South Australia’s Legislative Council
recognising and condemning the Armenian Genocide. The motion, which
was introduced by Mr. David Ridgway (Liberal MLC and Opposition Leader
of the Legislative Council) and passed unopposed, also recognised a
key component in South Australia’s history.

South Australians, along with Australians from other states, took
part in Australia’s first ever international relief effort by donating
clothing, money and infrastructure (orphanage for child survivors in
Lebanon) to the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

Not recognising the Armenian Genocide means not recognising the great
efforts of Australians to come to the aid of this oppressed people.

Further, Australian World War I prisoners of war (POW) accounts
reveal testimonies of the horrors being committed against Armenians
and other Ottoman Christian minorities.

Not recognising the Armenian Genocide means not recognising the
accounts of our Australian soldiers.

Senator, your statement has deeply offended Armenian-Australians,
Greek-Australians and Assyrian-Australians. The Armenian National
Committee of Australia and the Armenian-Australian community joins
the Greek and Assyrian communities in requesting you retract your
statement with an appropriate apology.

We offer to meet with you to discuss this further and provide material
to assist with your research towards correction.

Yours Sincerely,

Varant Meguerditchian President