Fairfield Council approves Assyrian memorial which offends Turkish people.
Assyrian monument, artists impression
The Assyrian Universal Alliance[http://aua.net] proposed the monument for the alleged genocide and the Fairfield Council approved this in August 2009 on community land. The issue has now been referred to the New South Wales’ ombudsman, after it was revealed that two Councilors had a conflict of interest.
The alleged genocide supposedly occurred during WWI 1915-1918 when hundreds of thousands of Assyrians were killed in the former Ottoman Empire.
Turkey’s ambassador to Australia, Oguz Özge, called the council’s decision “very offensive."
Adem Çetinay who is of Turkish decent but was born in Australia, organised a petition opposing the monument with 800 signatures. Cetinay also highlighted in a 14- page complaint of the links between the Assyrian community and several Councillors who voted for the monument.
Cetinay says “this is all news to us, I’m 36 years old and played soccer [football] locally all my life with Assyrians and it’s never been mentioned?, and not all Assyrians are behind this.”
Cetinay continued my concerns aren’t over relations between Turkish people and Australians but creating hostilities where there have been none in the past”
The Foreign Minister Stephen Smith wrote to the council expressing his concern over the monument, saying the issue of Genocide was one of great sensitivity.
The Council decided to proceed and there has been wide public criticism over Fairfield Council involvement in History and taking the side of one party is hardly a way to encourage racial tolerance.
Fowler Federal Labor MP Julia Irwin who said ``There are difficulties in supporting memorials on public land which are dedicated to one cultural or ethnic group, no matter how worthy the cause.’’
Comments
BOB VINNICOMBE posts
Congratulations to Fairfield Council for bravely approving this monument. The genocide it commemmorates is not "alleged" it is an established fact of history. Those who insist on calling it "alleged" are holocaust deniers. Australians should take note that the persecution experienced by the Assyrians is always the fate of peace-loving Christians when they become a minority in their own country.
Jan1 posts
This comment is an answer to Bob Vinnicombe. Those peace-loving Christians (in this case Assyrians)were armed and supported by Bolsheviks and Britain to fight against their own country, Ottoman Empire. Now if some group of people gather and attack the others how do you laber in this modern world terminology: Terrorists!
Jan1 posts
If a Christian is killed no matter if he was fighting, armed, whatever, he is always right. Because purely he is a Christian! So if a Christian is killed some label it very easily as genocide or holocaust. Unfirtunatley these are overused terms. People should investigate and read all sides of history first before voicing an opinion.If there was a genocide thing why does it come now after 100 years, where were the Assyrians before? Is it a coincidence when Turkey becomes take democratic initiatives towards all its minorities and try to normalise its ties with Armenia, a small Assyrian group supported by Armenian diaspora invents a `genocide` all of a sudden!!!! Do not be blind, open your eyes people and never forget that we are all Australians now and we should be grateful for everything we have here. Nobody has the right using the freedom Australia offers for their own little agenda.
By submitting your comment you agree to our community agreement / terms of use.