NEOS KOSMOS, Australia
June 6 2020
26 May 2020 4:34pm
File image of Senator Pat Dodson. Photo: AAP
On Monday prominent Aboriginal leader Senator Pat Dodson became the latest high profile signatory of an Affirmation of Support to back the Joint Justice Initiative for national recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides.
Sen Dodson is the latest parliamentarian to announce support for the Joint Justice Initiative formed in February. Others to date include federal members of parliament Jason Falinski , Josh Burns, John Alexander , Bob Ketter and Senator Andrew Bragg.
READ MORE: Why is it so hard to properly acknowledge the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocide?
“Senator Pat Dodson has an unimpeachable record in defence of the human rights of indigenous Australians, and we are honoured to have his support as we strive for Australian recognition of the genocides committed by Ottoman Turkey against the region’s indigenous Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.
Sen Dodson was elected to the federal senate in 2016 having played a leading role in defending the human rights of indigenous Australians including as the chair of the Council of Aboriginal Reconciliation and on the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
The Joint Justice Initiative was launched on 25 February at the Australian Parliament House with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between members of the Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), the ANC-AU and the Assyrian Universal Alliance.
♦ For more details of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the peak bodies of the Greek, Armenian and Assyrian communities.