A senior federal Liberal Party official has publicly advocated for the recognition of the Greek, Armenian, Assyrian and Maronite genocides.
Shadow minister for housing, social services and the NDIS, Michael Sukkar has called on the Victorian government to support a parliamentary motion to recognise the genocides.
In an open letter, Sukkar encouraged all Victorian MPs “to take a principled and courageous stance and stand with the Greek, Armenian, Assyrian and Maronite communities in recognising this genocide”.
He also called on state parliamentarians to take the initiative.
“If the current Victorian Parliament does not take action, I encourage my state parliamentary colleagues in the Victorian Liberal Party to put forward the motion now and if it is not passed, to commit to enacting this recognition under a future Coalition State Government,” the letter read.
On behalf of the Joint Justice Initiative, Dean Kalimniou shared his gratitude for Sukkar’s statement.
“Our struggle transcends political parties and their ideological frameworks because it is based on human rights,” he said in a statement sent to Neos Kosmos.
“Proof of this is the fact that last year the Greens Party adopted Genocide Recognition as one of its policies.
Now senior Liberals are calling for their party to take the lead in achieving this goal. Conscientious MPs exist across the ideological spectrum of politics.
“This, and Sukkar’s welcome statements, bode well for the official recognition of the Genocide.”
The open letter in full
“I urge the Victorian Parliament to support a motion recognising the 1915-1923 Greek, Armenian and Assyrian Genocides, and the Great Famine of Mount Lebanon (1915-1918).
Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire sought to purge itself of all Christian minorities with a succession of atrocities claiming more than two million innocent lives.
Through a combination of mass deportation, death marches, manipulated famine and mass murder, the Ottoman Empire systemically committed genocide against Christian minorities within its borders. This was largely perpetrated under the cover of the First World War and in the chaos of its immediate aftermath.
As a Victorian Federal Member of Parliament, it is my view that Victoria must honestly recognise the victims of the Ottoman Empire, and honour all those who stood against these horrific events. Such recognition would not be groundbreaking, with similar motions having already passed the New South Wales (2013), South Australian (2009) and Tasmanian (2023) Parliaments.
In 2015, the UN General Assembly established the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide and Prevention of this Crime”, highlighting the importance of sincerely recognising and thereby honouring the victims of genocide. The Victorian Parliament now has a wonderful opportunity to join with the UN in this righteous cause.
I therefore encourage all Victorian Parliamentarians to take a principled and courageous stance and to stand with our Australian Greek, Armenian, Assyrian and Maronite Lebanese communities by recognising this genocide.
If the current Victorian Parliament does not take action, I encourage my state parliamentary colleagues in the Victorian Liberal Party to put forward the motion now, and, if it does not pass, to commit to enacting this recognition under a future Coalition State Government.”
Hon Michael Sukkar MP
