Sydney's Armenian Community Commemorates the Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenians all around the world, both in Armenia and the Diaspora, commemorate the death of 1.5 million Armenians exterminated during the first genocide of the 20th century by Ottoman Turkey, Armenian Rights Council of Australia reports.



This year, the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide has particularly significant meaning because it coincides with the 100th Anniversary of Adana massacres where an estimated 30,000 Armenians in the province were killed in events that coincided with the April 1909 counter-revolution stages by supporters of Sultan Abdul Hamid II who had been forced to restore the Ottoman Constitution as a result of the 1908 Young Turk revolution.



The Sydney Armenian community came together on Sunday 19th of April 2009 for the annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The annual commemoration is organized by the Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization, the Hunchak Social Democratic Organization and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and is supported by Sydney based Armenian religious, cultural, benevolent, educational, media, and sporting organisations.



The key note speaker at this year's commemoration was Melbourne-based scholar, Dr. Paul Bartrop who joined political figures, representatives and members of Sydney's Armenian community in commemorating the 94th Anniversary of the Turkish campaign to annihilate the entire Armenian nation.



Represented at the commemoration were the Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Kevin Rudd MP, as well as the Leader of the Federal Opposition, the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull MP. Also represented at the commemoration were the Leader of the Opposition of New South

Wales, Mr. Barry O'Farrell MP and the New South Wales Greens Party.



Both the statement sent by Prime Minister Rudd and the address made on behalf of Mr. Turnbull referred to what took place in 1915 as `tragic events' and expressed their solidarity and support to the Australian Armenian community.