To Mr.Hermiz Shahen,
Regional Secretary
Assyrian Universal Alliance -Australia & New Zealand
Most valued brother Hermiz,
In the countries where we live in, we long for a place where at least once a year we can go and take our flowers in our hands and shed our tears in honour of our parents and grandparents. We wanted to damn those who murdered our people in our homeland and drove us out of it into Diaspora. Our intent is not to create hatred and hostility amongst nations nor take avenge! Unfortunately they hold it as grudge against us. They see it as a big grudge. They will not take lessons from their past; nor face up with their own history. They don’t feel ashamed from the genocide and crimes they committed. They won’t shy out! Whereas our intent is genocides are never to be repeated again.
From the beginning we were following up the matters leading to erection of a memorial in honour of the victims of the Assyrian genocide in Sydney, Australia. Within that we also followed up the events of how both Turkish authorities in Turkey and there (Sydney) and other several Turkish organizations in Sydney trying hard in objecting the Council’s decision in order to prevent the erection of the monument as well as denying the genocide claiming that we are fabricating it.
Despite of their false initiatives they did not succeed in their objection. At the end you have succeeded it. You have achieved a big achievement! You have given the most valuable Christmas and New Year’s present to our people all over the world and there. While congratulating you all on your achievement, we are overwhelmed and overjoyed at the decision granted.
Of course this was not an easy achievement. We know you had to have a difficult task, sacrifice and altruism. In this sense, from Seyfo Center we thank you and those who supported you all the way as well as the friends of our nation. We wholeheartedly, thank everyone who supported the project from the beginning as well as the ones who will be labouring to make it real.
The decision granted by the Fairfield City Council will not be limited to Sydney-siders’ only; it will echoed all over around the world. It will be a leading exemplary to other places in other countries. There are other city councils waiting to grant similar decisions particularly in Turkey where these ones will be the most substantive and more important ones. We are anxiously waiting upon Diyarbakır -Amid and Hakkari City Councils to follow suit.
Once again, on behalf of Assyrian Genocide Research Centre, the Seyfo Center, I congratulate you all there.
Sabri Atman
Seyfo Center
SWEDEN
15 December 2009
