4 May 2005
ACTION ALERT: Urgent
Re: Vandalism of Armenian Genocide Memorial
Plaque
Dear ANC Australia Grassroots Members and Friends
We call upon your urgent response with regard to this matter.
Background:
On 12 April 2005 Ryde City Council unanimously passed a Motion
recognising and condemning the Armenian Genocide and its denial.
On 24 April 2005 Ryde Councial dedicated a Armenian Genocide Memorial
Garden and Plaque at Meadowbank Memorial Park.
We received word yesterday that the Memorial Plaque has been vandalised,
deliberately removed!
Action Required:
Urgently email Ryde City Mayor Perram and Councillors at cityofryde@ryde.nsw.gov.au
and briefly state the following:
- condemn the vandalism of the Memorial Plaque;
- call upon the Council to condemn this criminal act and to replace the Plaque
as soon as possible;
- thank the Mayor and Councillors for passing the historic Armenian Genocide
Memorial Motion and for dedicating the Memorial
Garden and Plaque;
- (if you are a resident of Ryde, make sure to point this out)
Email this action alert to a friend
Resources:
We set out below (or attached) for your guide and reference the following:
ANC Australia's letter to Ryde City Council;
ANC Australia's Media Release
Feedback:
Please "blind copy" or forward your email and any response to info@anc.net.au
PLEASE ACT NOW. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Armenian National Committee of Australia Inc.
The Peak Public Affairs Committee of the Armenian-Australian Community
259 Penshurst Street, P.O. Box 768, Willoughby NSW 2068
Tel: (02) 9419 8264 Fax: (02) 9411 8898
Email: info@anc.net.au Web: www.anc.net.au
4 May 2005
Mayor Terry Perram
and Councillors of Ryde City Council
Ryde Civic Centre
1 Devlin Street
RYDE NSW 2069
Dear Mayor Perram and Councillors
Re: Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque
We assume that by now you have received the standard genocide denial diatribe
from the Turkish Embassy/Consulates and their cohorts. We regret that you have
had to witness first-hand the ugly sight of genocide denial.
Whilst we find such views repugnant, it is the price we are prepared to pay for
the democratic rights and freedoms we have in Australia, which we must all
cherish and up-hold.
The criminal actions of the hitherto unknown individual(s) who vandalised the
Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque at Memorial Park, Meadowbank, however, strikes
at the very heart of our democratic society. In particular, it can only be seen
as a direct attack on the democratic expression of Ryde City Council embodied in
its recent unanimous Motion to recognise and condemn the Armenian Genocide.
Having witnessed the passage of that historic Motion and the spirit in which it
was passed, we are confident that Ryde City Council would never allow itself to
be intimidated or swayed by the cowardly actions of criminals.
We call upon the Council unequivocally to condemn this disgraceful attempt of
denying the Armenian Genocide, and to re-instate the Plaque as soon as possible,
with appropriate measures to prevent a similar occurrence.
We again convey our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Mayor, Councillors
and Officers of Ryde City Council for the passage of the Armenian Genocide
Memorial Motion and the dedication of the Memorial Garden and Plaque on the
occasion of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The
Armenian-Australian Community, in particular those residing in Ryde, will never
forget those historic events.
Yours faithfully
Dr Tro Kortian
President
___________________________________
Armenian National Committee of Australia Inc.
The Peak Public Affairs Committee of the Armenian-Australian Community
259 Penshurst Street, P.O. Box 768, Willoughby NSW 2068
Tel: (02) 9419 8264 Fax: (02) 9411 8898
Email: info@anc.net.au Web: www.anc.net.au
4 May 2005
MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release
Contact: Khajaque Kortian 0418 499413
Armenian National Committee of Aust. Condemns
Vandalism of Armenian Genocide Plaque
The Armenian National Committee of Australia joins the Armenian-Australian
Community in condemning the deliberate removal by vandals of the Commemorative
plaque in Meadowbank Memorial Park marking the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide.
The plaque was dedicated on 24 April 2005, on the 90th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, during a solemn ceremony presided by Archbishop Aghan
Baliozian, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Australia and New Zealand
together the Mayor and Councillors of Ryde City Council, and the State Member
for Ryde, Hon. John Watkins, as well as hundreds of members of the
Armenian-Australian Community.
Two weeks earlier, Ryde City Council unanimously passed a resolution recognising
and condemning the Armenian Genocide, as well as condemning all attempts to deny
it.
“This criminal act of vandalism is a shameless example of the extent to which
certain denialist of the Armenian Genocide will go to eradicate the memory of
the 1.5 million men, women and children who fell victim to the first genocide of
the 20th Century. Such people forget, however, that they live in a democracy
where public officials will not be intimidated or deterred by such criminal
behaviour” said Armenian National Committee of Australia President Dr Tro
Kortian. He added “We are confident that the law enforcement authorities will
bring these criminals to justice”.
The New South Wales Government also today condemned this crime, Jusice Minister
Hatzistergos calling it a "disgraceful and cowardly act".
It has been said that the truth is the final victim of genocide. The Ryde City
Council and the New South Wales Parliament (which in 1997 also unanimously
passed a resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide and all attempts to deny
it) have added their unequivocal voice to the growing international call that
the memory of the Armenian Genocide must never be allowed to be erased so that
another Hiltler will never dare to again utter the words “After all who today
remembers the extermination of the Armenians”.
[END]
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