The Majority of UK Members of Parliament from Scotland and Northern Ireland have recognised the Genocide

Dear Readers,
I received the following e-mail from Mr. Eilian Williams from Wales-Armenia Solidarity. Mr. Williams had an Appeal in the past to help the Armenians of Iraq (http://ara-ashjian.blogspot.com/2008/10/wales-armenia-solidarity-appeal-to-help.html). He is a man of honour who has been exerting great efforts to support the Armenian Cause (http://ara-ashjian.blogspot.com/2009/07/welsh-shepherd-does-more-for-armenian.html) and (http://ara-ashjian.blogspot.com/2009/07/eilian-williams-welsh-shepherd_15.html).



Hrant Dink Society
c/o The Temple of Peace, Cathays Park,Cardiff
eilian@nantperis.wanadoo.co.uk
07718982732

The Majority of UK Members of Parliament from Scotland and Northern Ireland have recognised the Genocide

These develpments , which will increase the moral pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown, took place this week after lobbying from Armenia Solidarity, a Welsh-based organisation supported , by Nor Serount Cultural Association. Dr Bob Spink kindly acceeded to their request in December for a motion in the UK parliament on the Holocaust, which included this part:: "This House....condemns unreservedly denial and denigration of the memory of the Holocaust, as well as of the 1915 Genocide of Armenians and Assyrians in Turkey, and the politics of hatred and division which led to these events"
Of the 59 Scottish MPs in the UK parliament, 37 have recognised the genocide, 13 have not, and the remaining 8 are not allowed ro sign, being part of the Labour Government.

Of the 18 elected Northern Irish MPs , the 6 Sinn Fein Members do not take their seats. Of the remaining twelve, eleven of them have signed now or in the past

These follow the example of MPs from Wales, the majority of which have recognised the Genocide in 2006 and 2007. By now 26 Welsh MPs have recognised the genocide, 9 have not, and the remaining 5 are not allowed, being in the government. The progressive attittude of Welsh politicians is explained, in our view, by an empathy with other countries who have also endured centuries of foreign occupation.

In addition, the First Ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have all recognised the Genocide. The Welsh First Minister did so in 2001, while the Scotish and Northern Irish First Ministers have both signed motions in the UK parliament to this effect
In the other Celtic country of the UK , all the MPs from Cornwall have recognised the Genocide in 2007.

It is regrettable that Genocide Denial is a problem of only one country in the UK, namely England ,where nearly all UK Armenians live. It is regrettable also that the Armenian government has no diplomatic representation in any of these Celtic countries of the UK, which have staunchly supported the cause.

UK Armenians are encouraged to write to their MPs asking them to the current Early Day Motion, number 287.