Tweet
TURKEY GENOCIDE CLAIM
Peter Begg With AP
Geelong Information
May 17 2006
GEELONG Province MP John Eren yesterday declined to comment on a
colleague who accused Turkish people of ignoring acts of genocide
early last century.
Parliamentary secretary for justice, Jenny Mikakos, who is of Greek
heritage, told the Upper House that more than 300,000 Pontic Greeks
died in Turkey early last century as a result of genocide.
Mr Eren, who is from Turkey, and another MP with a Turkish background,
Adem Somyurek, reportedly interjected during the speech, but failed
to stop Ms Mikakos.
The female MP claimed more than a million Pontic Greeks were forced
into exile early last century, and in the preceding years, 1.5
million Armenians and 750,000 Assyrians in various parts of Turkey
also perished.
Mr Eren was born in Turkey and immigrated to Australia with his family
when he was six years old.
Earlier yesterday Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said the MP's
parliamentary speech was a sign of free speech at work.
In a short speech to the Victorian Upper House during the last session
of parliament, Ms Mikakos reportedly said: "On May 19, the Pontian
community in Victoria and around the world will commemorate the
87th anniversary of the Pontian genocide that occurred in present-
day Turkey.
"Between 1916 and 1923, over 353,000 Pontic Greeks living in Asia
Minor and in Pontus, which is near the Black Sea, died as a result of
the 20th century's first but less-known genocide," Fairfax reported
her as saying.
"Over a million Pontic Greeks were forced into exile. In the preceding
years, 1.5 million Armenians and 750,000 Assyrians in various parts
of Turkey also perished."
Two Labor MPs of Turkish descent, Mr Somyurek and Mr Eren, interjected
but Ms Mikakos continued speaking.
"The Turkish government must begin the reconciliation process by
acknowledging these crimes against humanity. The suffering of the
victims of the Pontian genocide cannot and will not be forgotten,"
she said.
The comments, made under a system of 90-second free statements for
MPs established by the Bracks Government, have outraged Turkish and
Jewish groups.
But Mr Bracks yesterday said Ms Mikakos, one of two members for
the safe Jika Jika province in Melbourne's north, was free to make
the speech.
http://www.geelonginfo.com.au/readarticle .asp?articleid=19791
Peter Begg With AP
Geelong Information
May 17 2006
GEELONG Province MP John Eren yesterday declined to comment on a
colleague who accused Turkish people of ignoring acts of genocide
early last century.
Parliamentary secretary for justice, Jenny Mikakos, who is of Greek
heritage, told the Upper House that more than 300,000 Pontic Greeks
died in Turkey early last century as a result of genocide.
Mr Eren, who is from Turkey, and another MP with a Turkish background,
Adem Somyurek, reportedly interjected during the speech, but failed
to stop Ms Mikakos.
The female MP claimed more than a million Pontic Greeks were forced
into exile early last century, and in the preceding years, 1.5
million Armenians and 750,000 Assyrians in various parts of Turkey
also perished.
Mr Eren was born in Turkey and immigrated to Australia with his family
when he was six years old.
Earlier yesterday Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said the MP's
parliamentary speech was a sign of free speech at work.
In a short speech to the Victorian Upper House during the last session
of parliament, Ms Mikakos reportedly said: "On May 19, the Pontian
community in Victoria and around the world will commemorate the
87th anniversary of the Pontian genocide that occurred in present-
day Turkey.
"Between 1916 and 1923, over 353,000 Pontic Greeks living in Asia
Minor and in Pontus, which is near the Black Sea, died as a result of
the 20th century's first but less-known genocide," Fairfax reported
her as saying.
"Over a million Pontic Greeks were forced into exile. In the preceding
years, 1.5 million Armenians and 750,000 Assyrians in various parts
of Turkey also perished."
Two Labor MPs of Turkish descent, Mr Somyurek and Mr Eren, interjected
but Ms Mikakos continued speaking.
"The Turkish government must begin the reconciliation process by
acknowledging these crimes against humanity. The suffering of the
victims of the Pontian genocide cannot and will not be forgotten,"
she said.
The comments, made under a system of 90-second free statements for
MPs established by the Bracks Government, have outraged Turkish and
Jewish groups.
But Mr Bracks yesterday said Ms Mikakos, one of two members for
the safe Jika Jika province in Melbourne's north, was free to make
the speech.
http://www.geelonginfo.com.au/readarticle .asp?articleid=19791