News

SYDNEY: Melbourne-based scholar, Dr. Paul Bartrop received a standing ovation from political figures and members of Sydney’s Armenian community after calling on the Australian government to recognise the Armenian Genocide at the tragic event’s 94th Anniversary commemoration evening on Sunday.

Bartrop, a member of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, told the gathered that the lack of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 laid the platform for other genocides to take place throughout the 20th century and even today. He said accurate international representation of such crimes against humanity is essential to fostering a peaceful future.

Bartrop said: “I am a scholar. I am not a politician. I am certainly not a political activist. But with no hesitation, I call on Mr. Rudd and the Australian Federal Government to follow the state governments of NSW and South Australia in recognising the Armenian Genocide.”

The Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP was represented, as was the Leader of the Federal Opposition, the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP. Also represented was the Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales, Mr. Barry O’Farrell MP.

ANC Australia President Mr. Varant Meguerditchian expressed the Armenian-Australian community’s collective disappointment that the statement sent by Prime Minister Rudd and address made on behalf of Mr. Turnbull made no reference to the term ‘genocide’ when describing what took place in 1915.

“Prime Minister Rudd has a strong record on human rights; whether it be his apology to the Aboriginal Stolen Generations, or his outspoken beliefs that the Genocide in Darfur must stop, or his calls for China to improve its treatment of Tibetans,” said Meguerditchian. “However his message today made no mention of the Armenian Genocide and fell short of his own high moral standards.”

Mr. Meguerditchian added: “We call on the Australian government to recall the testimony of our ANZAC soldiers who witnessed these crimes, acknowledge the history of the humanitarian campaign to assist surviving orphans, and to officially recognise the Armenian Genocide."