Assyria: Delegation Brings Issues to Federal Parliament in Canberra
New constitutional options have been put on the table by members of the Assyrian Universal Alliance in the wake of violence that claimed the lives of almost one hundred Christians in Iraq.
Below is a press release published by the Assyrian Universal Alliance:
On Tuesday, 16 November 2010, a delegation representing the Assyrian Universal Alliance – Australian Chapter (AUA) and the Assyrian Australian National Federation (AANF) headed to Canberra for a full day visit to meet with Australian Federal Parliament to convey the Assyrian community‘s anger and concerns about the latest development in Iraq, the waging of sectarian violence and systematic abuses by Islamic extremists against the entire Christian population, the neglect and silence of the western governments including Australia about these crimes against humanity. As a matter of urgency and importance, the delegates called upon the Australian Government to condemn these terrorist attacks and to take some immediate action and lasting measures to address the major humanitarian crisis suffered by the Assyrian.
We are pleased to announce that the delegation managed to meet with Mr. Chris Hayes MP, The Hon Bronwyn Bishop MP, The Hon. Senator Marise Payne, and with Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, The Hon Chris Bowen MP. The delegates included ; Mr. Hermiz Shahen , The Regional Secretary of the AUA for Australia and New Zealand , David M. David, Chapter Secretary of AUA Australian Chapter, Mr. Simon Essavian , president of the AANF and Mr. Paul Azzo, Senior Advisor to the AUA .
During the meetings the AUA leaders appealed to the Australian government to consider a resolution supporting the plight of the Assyrians in Iraq by lobbying the Iraqi government to immediately establish an Assyrian autonomous region in the ancestral homeland. The Delegates called upon the Minister for Immigration to provide assistant to the Assyrian refugees, to condemn the latest attacks against the Assyrians of Iraq and to adopt the AUA motion in the Federal Parliament ―House of representatives‖ on the 23 May 2005 calling on the Australian Government to urge the Iraqi Government to create a protected administrative area for the Assyrians which was signed by three thousands Assyrians from Sydney and Melbourne. Mr. Chris Bowen MP moved successfully the AUA motion during March 2005 in the Federal Parliament of Australia.
The Assyrian delegation also met with Ms. Karen Bos from Christian Faith and Freedom and thanked her for her hard work and support for the Assyrian struggle in Iraq
