HOBART: On Thursday, 11th May 2023, the Tasmanian Parliament became the third state jurisdiction in Australia to recognise the 1915 Armenian Genocide and representatives speaking on the motion utilised the opportunity to highlight the importance of remembering and preventing future atrocities against all peoples, including the occupied and blockaded Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).
Cassy O’Connor, Leader of the Greens, spoke directly to the situation in Artsakh, calling on Azerbaijan to end its illegal occupation and current siege on Artsakh, standing with her Federal Australian Greens’ counterparts, Senators Jordon Steele-John and Janet Rice, who criticised Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade earlier in the year.
As the blockade enters over 160 days, the Member for Clark said: “Mr Speaker, recognition of genocides is also essential to ensure that the crimes of the past are never again repeated, but as we know, Mr Speaker, they have been repeated.”
Ms O’Connor went on to speak about the persecution of Rwandans, Uighurs, Palestinians, Tibetans and many others before shining a heavy spotlight on Azerbaijan’s crimes against indigenous Armenians in Artsakh.
O’Connor added: “Mr Speaker, even today, 108 years after the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian people continue to face an existential crisis of survival the same ideological forces that tried to eradicate them have resurfaced, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars has alerted that the Armenian people are at risk once again.”
“Today, as I speak, that aggression continues right now. Azerbaijan has placed the entire 120,000 people under siege. This genocide motion before our parliament today is not simply recognising the crimes of the past but is a way to support all people worldwide currently suffering from terrible injustice and persecution, including the people of Artsakh.”
Cassy O’Connor, Leader of the Greens, spoke directly to the situation in Artsakh, calling on Azerbaijan to end its illegal occupation and current siege on Artsakh, standing with her Federal Australian Greens’ counterparts, Senators Jordon Steele-John and Janet Rice, who criticised Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade earlier in the year.
As the blockade enters over 160 days, the Member for Clark said: “Mr Speaker, recognition of genocides is also essential to ensure that the crimes of the past are never again repeated, but as we know, Mr Speaker, they have been repeated.”
Ms O’Connor went on to speak about the persecution of Rwandans, Uighurs, Palestinians, Tibetans and many others before shining a heavy spotlight on Azerbaijan’s crimes against indigenous Armenians in Artsakh.
O’Connor added: “Mr Speaker, even today, 108 years after the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian people continue to face an existential crisis of survival the same ideological forces that tried to eradicate them have resurfaced, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars has alerted that the Armenian people are at risk once again.”
“Today, as I speak, that aggression continues right now. Azerbaijan has placed the entire 120,000 people under siege. This genocide motion before our parliament today is not simply recognising the crimes of the past but is a way to support all people worldwide currently suffering from terrible injustice and persecution, including the people of Artsakh.”
O’Connor was joined by five speakers, including the State’s Premier Jeremy Rockliff MP, Opposition Leader Rebecca White MP, Lara Alexander MP, Rosalie Woodruff MP and Shane Broad MP, who spoke of the importance of remembering the past to ensure that the crimes of the past are never repeated again.
Opposition Leader White said: “Both the passage and time and the passing of people who lived through such dark times inevitably diminishes the immediate memory of these events. But they must never diminish the horror or historical significance of these events, and we must strive to keep them in our minds and to learn from them as we go forward to help stamp out such crimes against humanity and stop them from happening again.”
Broad added: “I think it's important that we do remember history because, as it is said before, if we don’t remember history we will repeat it.”.
ANC-AU Executive Director Michael Kolokossian welcomed the statements from all members of the Tasmanian Parliament.
Kolokossian said: “The adoption of this historic motion comes at a pivotal moment in Armenian history, as the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh remain under threat, occupied and blockaded. It is essential that the crimes of the past are condemned, sending a clear message to Azerbaijan that their actions will not be tolerated by the international community.”
Members of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) National Office and Board, alongside leaders from the local Greek Community in Tasmania, were present to witness the historic motion.
Read more about the passing of the historic motion here.
Watch more videos of speeches, including from Premier Rockliff and Opposition Leader White, as well as the champion of the motion, Ms Alexander, by clicking here.
Opposition Leader White said: “Both the passage and time and the passing of people who lived through such dark times inevitably diminishes the immediate memory of these events. But they must never diminish the horror or historical significance of these events, and we must strive to keep them in our minds and to learn from them as we go forward to help stamp out such crimes against humanity and stop them from happening again.”
Broad added: “I think it's important that we do remember history because, as it is said before, if we don’t remember history we will repeat it.”.
ANC-AU Executive Director Michael Kolokossian welcomed the statements from all members of the Tasmanian Parliament.
Kolokossian said: “The adoption of this historic motion comes at a pivotal moment in Armenian history, as the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh remain under threat, occupied and blockaded. It is essential that the crimes of the past are condemned, sending a clear message to Azerbaijan that their actions will not be tolerated by the international community.”
Members of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) National Office and Board, alongside leaders from the local Greek Community in Tasmania, were present to witness the historic motion.
Read more about the passing of the historic motion here.
Watch more videos of speeches, including from Premier Rockliff and Opposition Leader White, as well as the champion of the motion, Ms Alexander, by clicking here.