"It is believed that in Turkey between 1913 and 1922, under the successive regimes of the Young Turks and of Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk), more than 3.5 million Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Christians were massacred in a state-organized and state-sponsored campaign of destruction and genocide, aiming at wiping out from the emerging Turkish Republic its native Christian populations. This Christian Holocaust is viewed as the precursor to the Jewish Holocaust in WWII. To this day, the Turkish government ostensibly denies having committed this genocide." — Prof. Israel Charney, President of the International Genocide Scholars Association Long live Assyrians! God bless Australia!!

Well done to Fairfield City Council and Thank you.

Regardless of the history of this issue, it is concerning that Fairfield Council is spending rate payers money to essentially appease one particular ethnic group within the Fairfield LGA. A public amenity like a local park should not contain monuments to any particular nationalist group, as they are provided for all residents to use equally. It is also concerning that a large number of councilors (of both political stripes) hold strong allegiances to the Assyrian Universal Alliance didn't feel that this was a good enough reason to abstain from voting on this proposal. The Fairfield LGA has huge problems like unemployment and poor business retention in the CBD. Perhaps Fairfield Council should focus more on these bread and butter issues which affect rate payers in their daily lives, rather than entering into a cultural and historical argument which will only serve to further divide our community.

I agree with the comments made by 'Concerned Resident'. Once again the views of the majority are ignored in order to appese a minority group. Perhaps we should rename Fairfield City Council as the the Assyrian Universal Allance. Fairfield Council have once again shown that they are not working in the best interests of all residents of Fairfield and that they will do anything they need to ensure that the interests of their ''mates'' in the Assyrian community are met.

thanks to fairfield city council people in the Turkish and Assyrian community have been living in harmony for years, and this is about come to an end because of a minority of peolple that what to bring war and distubance to our community.. this is something that happened nearly a hundred years ago.. so just wake up and smell the roses we want PEACE NOT WAR...

What other outcome did we expect from Fairfield Council: with a large number of Councillors being of Assyrian descent, of course the monument was going to be approved just like the Assyrian High School to be built in Horsley Park!!!

The Assyrian Community, does not want war, we only want to recognise the injustice felt by our ancestors. Normally it would be fine to say well do it in your own country, however in our case our homeland has been ripped away from us by force. Now you imagine if that was to happen to you, and might I add for no other reason then we are Christians living in a muslim region, how would you react? The Assyrian community makes up 10% of the population of Fairfield and that in normal terms may be considered a minority but when you consider the fact that most of Fairfield is made up of other minority groups that 10% is rather a large proportion of the Fairfield community. if you were there on the night you will know that this monument will do more to bring the Assyrian people closer to the rest of the community than any other gesture ever could. I instead of trying to justify why this should be built would rather be thanking the community for allowing us to build it. It makes me even prouder to be an Australian and apart of the Great City of Fairfield. Please dont turn this joyous feeling into a bitter one, and Merry Christmas to you all

Thanks to GOD first , to fairfield cauncil and Assyrian community all for great gift we have on christmas time . Merry christmas & happy new year to every one , GOD bless you all .

Why can't the Turks just accept their past? The Germans did far worse things, and they don't deny that. The Americans had slavery and segregation. The South Africans had Apartheid. Australia mistreated the Aborigines. The British treated countless colonies (Indians, Africans, Malaysians, and so on) as second class citizens. Why is that all these countries can accept their past, but Turkey can't? They argue its not proven, just like how Holocaust deniers claim the Holocaust isn't proven. If its nearly 100 years ago, why does the Turkish government care so much? I think the Turkish government, and the Turkish community, need to accept that what their ancestors did is not a slight on them today - everyone's ancestors did bad things. Its just that Turkey seems extremely unwilling to face up to the fact that its done the same sort of things everyone else has.

So also my Turkish ancestors have been massacred by Armenian militia supported by Russians, so shall I propose a Genocide Memorial to honour who were killed during WWI by Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians who betrayed their country (Ottoman Empire) and fought along British, Russian troops.