The Australian has published a powerful comment by Robert Kaplan (University of Wollongong), in which he says:
“NSW politicians surprised at the hostile Turkish response to their recognition of the Armenian genocide (“NSW Premier in diplomatic spat with Turkey over Gallipoli”, 16-17/11) are learning the response experienced by those around the world who dare to state the historical truth: that starting on the eve of Anzac Day and continuing over the next four years, the Turkish government of Enver Pasha carried out an organised genocide of 1.5 million Armenians, added to which were many thousands of Assyrians.
The Turkish government uses all the resources of its embassy staff to attack those who dare to proclaim the injustice of this atrocity, always using the same threadbare evasions.
In Australia there is tolerance of free speech and the Turkish bullying will only bring it closer to the day that there is federal recognition of the first genocide of the 20th century. Hopefully this will occur before the first centenary of Anzac Day.
