Monday, January 24 2022 14:37

ArmInfo.The Young Liberal Movement of Australia has unanimously adopted a motion at its National Convention recognising the 1915 Armenian, Assyrian and  Greek Genocides, as well as acknowledging the rights to self-determination of the indigenous Armenian people of the Republic of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The Young Liberal Movement is the youth wing of the Liberal Party of Australia, which is one of two  major political parties in Australian politics and currently the party in Government federally, led by Prime  Minister Scott Morrison.

The adoption of the motion demonstrates the growing discourse in Australian society supporting national  recognition of the 1915 Genocides, which contrasts with the policy of the Morrison Government, who have  continued to placate the denialist Turkish Government with the use of euphemisms instead of the word  "genocide" when referring to the Ottoman massacres against the Empire's Christian minorities. Significantly, the motion also ensures the Young Liberals support the rights to self-determination of the  Republic of Artsakh, which is currently under occupation by Azerbaijan following their attacks on the  independent Armenian-populated state in 2020 during the Nagorno Karabakh War.

The 2022 Young Liberal Federal Convention was held from January 21 - 23, 2022 at the Hobart  Convention and Exhibition Centre at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, with 44 voting delegates participating  from six states and the Australian Capital Territory.

The motion was moved by ACT Young Liberal President Connor Andreatidis and seconded by one of his  colleagues from the ACT Young Liberal delegation.

Andreatidis' motion not only recognised the 1915 crimes committed by the Ottoman Empire, but also  called on the "Federal Government to recognise and condemn the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek  Genocides".

His motion also linked the Armenian Genocide to contemporary acts of aggression, notably Azerbaijani  hostilities against the Armenian nation witnessed in September 2020 and the pan-Turkic attempts to  ethnically cleanse the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) region of Armenians.

Andreatidis' motion called on the Federal Young Liberals to "recognise the right to self-determination of  the Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh, and that the recent and ongoing attacks against the Republic of  Artsakh by Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, are part of an ongoing legacy of Genocide and genocide denial". Prominent members of the Australian Liberal Party were also present at the Federal Convention and  witnessed the unprecedented motion, including longtime friend and ally of the Armenian-Australian  community Senator Eric Abetz, fellow Tasmanian Senators Claire Chandler and Senator Jonathon Duniam,  and Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein.

ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian welcomed the support of the Australian Young Liberal  Movement and thanked them for adopting the motion.

"This motion saw future leaders of our nation call out their current leaders by taking a unanimous stand in  solidarity with the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities by  addressing past and current injustices that remain unpunished," Kayserian said.

"Thanks to the leadership of Mr Connor Andreatidis, some of the most politically active youth from around  the country and members of our Prime Minister's own party have sent a collective, clear and unequivocal  message that we must face our future challenges by recognising and condemning past injustices wherever  they may take place," Kayserian added.

"We thank Mr Andreatidis and past and present Young Liberal members who have supported this and  similar motions which continue to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to advancing issues important to  our communities."

In August 2020, the ACT Young Liberals passed a similar resolution recognised and condemning the 1915  Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides and the right to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh  (see here: http://www.anc.org.au/Media-Releases/Australian-Capital-Territory-Young-Liberals-Recognise- Armenian-Genocide-and-Republic-of-Artsakh).