The Turkish government has now focused on preventing the construction of a proposed Assyrian genocide monument in Fairfield, Australia. The proposed monument would honor the Assyrian victims of genocide in the 20th century, particularly the Turkish genocide of Assyrians in World War One, in which 750,000 (75%) Assyrians were killed between 1915 and 1918, as well as Armenians and Greeks, and the massacre of 3000 Assyrians in Simmele, Iraq in August, 1933.
Turkey’s Consul General in Australia, Mr. Renan Sekeroglu has expressed opposition to the erection of the monument and denied the genocide of Assyrians in World War One by claiming that there were ‘tragedies’ on ‘both’ sides during the period in question. In fact, Mr. Renan Sekeroglu goes on to say, “if such proposals bear fruit then it will create a climate of hostility and it will also contradict the environment of historically friendly relations between Turkey and Australia”. If given a chance, I would love to have Mr. Sekeroglu clarify what he meant by “it will create a climate of hostility”?
It may seem very bizarre that a Country as large as Turkey continues to involve itself in small trivial matters on the other side of the world, but this hasn’t been the first time and won’t be that last. It is obvious that this latest attempt of suppression of history is futile, especially in the internet age. Long gone are the days when a nation can suppress and re-write history.
FYI – Click here for more info about the ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE
Rody
The problem with the turks is that they are trying to keep charted historical evidence from the Balkan War period (1910’s to mid 1920’s) from ever reaching the public sphere. Be it the Smyrna disaster, the Armenian or Assyrian Genocide, Turkey will not admit fault to their very violent past.
Hence the Cyprus stubbornness barring them entry into the European Union. If you ask me “Outer Mongolia” (turkey) doesn’t even belong on a world map.