Darebin Ethnic Communities Council

Darebin Ethnic Communities Council Supports Recognition of the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian Genocides

admin — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 06:34:44 +0000

DECC Letter to the Victorian State Parliament

Dear Members of the Victorian State Parliament,

On behalf of the Darebin Ethnic Communities Council, we write to each of you to
demonstrate our unyielding support and solidarity with Greek-Australians, Assyrian-
Australians and Armenian-Australians in calling upon the Victorian Parliament to recognise
the Greek, Assyrian and Armenian genocides of 1915-1923.

We are informed that a motion to recognise the 1915-1923 Genocides will be introduced in
the Victorian Legislative Council and we strongly recommend all members elected to the
Upper House stand shoulder to shoulder with these three communities and stand on the side
of truth and justice in recognising the first genocide of the 20th century.

Between 1915-1923, the Ottoman Empire, led by Talaat Pasha, carried out numerous forced
deportations, death marches and massacres against Christian minority communities in the
Empire as part of a scheme to eradicate these groups from the region – communities which
had inhabited Asia Minor (today’s modern Turkey) for over three thousand years.

This was undeniably an attempt by the Ottoman Turks to entirely eradicate three distinct
ethnic groups – a view which is widely held amongst scholars, academics and institutions,
who all argue that this constitutes genocide as per its definition under the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948). Furthermore, the International
Association of Genocide Scholars passed resolutions in 1997 and 2007 reaffirming that the
mass murder of Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians committed by the Ottoman Empire
constitutes Genocide.

As a result of these genocidal policies, over 2.5 million Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians
perished, which has undoubtedly changed the lives of millions today. Descendants of
survivors have lost their ancestral homeland, their language and their history – these losses
are all compounded by the fact that their new home refuses to recognise the true reality of
their history. The reality is that the Ottoman government was not held to account for its
crimes against humanity over 110 years ago.

Recognition of the Genocides of 1915-23 are not intended to cast blame on Turkish-
Australians, hence from our understanding the motion does not even mention Turkey.
However, it sets the right precedent that crimes in human history, no matter who or where
they are perpetrated, will be called out.

We believe it is time to stand with the Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks living in Victoria
who have waited long enough to have their history recognised.

Therefore, on behalf of my members and our broader community, we urge all Victorian
Parliamentarians to join their parliamentary colleagues from New South Wales, Tasmania
and South Australia in recognising the Greek, Assyrian and Armenian Genocides. We hope
the motion will be supported unanimously as it was in these state parliaments.

Thank you for your attention to this issue, and I trust you will make the right decision when
this motion is presented to the Legislative Council.

Regards,

Darebin Ethnic Communities Council

Sustainability and us – an Open Mic event

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 12:05:23 +0000

Sustainability and us – an Open Mic event

The Open Mic event titled Sustainability and Us conducted by the Darebin Ethnic Communities Council.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON, 22nd May 2021,

Dharma in Daily Life

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 10:36:16 +0000

DECC Reflection of Auschwitz genocide

admin — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 12:01:16 +0000

On Monday 27th January 2020 DECC held a Solemn Reflection to honour the victims of the holocaust.

Reflection of Auschwitz

Open Mic Darrebin Sep 2017

admin — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 10:59:59 +0000

COMMEMORATING THE GREAT FIRE OF SMYRNA

admin — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 09:48:56 +0000

THE ROHINGYA VICTIMS OF ATROCITY CRIMES IN MYANMAR & THEIR ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE TO BANGLADESH

admin — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 07:57:54 +0000

THE ROHINGYA VICTIMS OF ATROCITY CRIMES IN MYANMAR & THEIR ATTEMPTS TO
ESCAPE TO BANGLADESH

Memorial Service for All The Victims of Genocide and Genocidal Acts.

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 16:05:02 +0000

Conversation on Genocide and Genocidal Acts

Throughout history, colonisation, occupation and wars have resulted in genocide and genocidal acts against people, cultures and civilizations.

On 9th December 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. This Convention came into effect in 1951. Following on from last year’s Remembrance and Forum for All the Victims of Genocide, the Darebin Ethnic Communities Council (DECC) invites you to:

A Reflection Service In Memory of All Victims of Genocide and Genocidal Acts Sunday 7th December 2014

11am- 12noon – Ray Brahman Gardens

Corner St Georges Road and Bell Street, Preston

Followed by Lunch

A Panel of Speakers and Discussion 1pm-5pm

Darebin Intercultural Centre – 59A Roseberry Ave, Preston

Racial Discrimination Act

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 15:21:26 +0000

SUBMISSION BY THE DAREBIN ETHNIC COMMUNITIES COUNCIL (DECC)
IN RESPONSE TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S EXPOSURE DRAFT
OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO
THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975 –
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH (REPEAL OF SECT. 18.C) BILL 2014

Download PDF

Darebin Asylum Seeker Support Project (DASSP)

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 14:13:31 +0000

The Darebin Asylum Seeker Support Project (DASSP) is a partnership between the Darebin City Council and the Darebin Ethnic Communities Council (DECC) with the aim of ensuring the social inclusion of asylum seekers into the wider Darebin Community. The first step towards this is by providing each asylum seeker with the Darebin Community Passport – a directory of local agencies willing to support asylum see

Collaboration has been achieved with the following local community agencies to ensure support for asylum seekers as our most vulnerable newest migrants:

The Darebin Neighbourhood Houses Network:
- Reservoir Neighbourhood House
- Jika Jika Community Centre
- SPAN Community House
- Preston Neighbourhood House
- Thornbury Women’s Neighbourhood House
- Alphington Community Centre
- Preston Reservoir Adult Community Education (PRACE) at Merrilands

Darebin Information, Volunteers, Referral Service (DIVRS)
Darebin Community Health
NEAMI
Darebin Men’s Shed and Bicycle Recycling Program
YMCA Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre
Reservoir Leisure Centre
Baptcare Sanctuary
The Salvation Army and Salvos Store
St Vincent de Paul and the Vinnie’s Shop
Victoria Police Darebin and the Darebin Community Policing

We are joined by many of the local Faith communities and Places of Worship in Darebin, across denominations, as we extend our welcome to the stranger who is seeking our help. Our Darebin community response enhances the efforts of case managers from the Red Cross, AMES, Spectrum MRC and other service providers which are contracted by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) to provide the Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme (ASAS) and the Community Assistance Scheme (CAS).

DASSP is supported through the commitment of many Darebin residents, gladly volunteering their time to assist our most vulnerable newest migrants. We also acknowledge the generous support from many Darebin Council officers and the Darebin City Councillors. DASSP operates the Darebin Asylum Seeker Welcome Lounge at the Darebin Intercultural Centre as a drop-in and information hub each day of the week from 10am.

All Darebin residents are welcome to join DASSP as volunteers!