THE SAE OCEANIA NEWS for NOVEMBER and DECEMBER.
www.Apodimos.com
Wanting the Apodimos.COM, it presents the makes that concern apodimoi in Australia and New Zealand, to you it will present the movements that become from the Sae Oceania of with a view all apodimoi world around they know also this Region what offers in the space Greek emigrant for the subjects of Greek emigrant and for the national subjects. SAE has been successful in amending legislation that has substantial benefits for Apodimoi with respect to military service. The term has been reduced to 3 months whilst men over 35 years of age can buy out their obligations. Other provisions relate to allowing Apodimoi to study in Hellas without losing their status and the issue of passports in previously prohibited cases. SAE’s intervention and lobbying in this instance demonstrates the important and unique role that can be played to uphold or protect the rights of the omogeneia.
This movement him it will make in regular intervals. So we informing you the below aspects:
ENABLING LAW
The main item for discussion at the recent Presidium Meeting held in Thessaloniki was the proposed enabling law to allow SAE to effectively exercise its constitutional rights and obligations. Each region submitted written proposals and Deputy Foreign Minister Skandalakis indicated that the new law will be enacted early in 2006. As a result Regional Conferences will be held in May and the World Conference has been put back to the end of 2006. One issue that the Presidium agreed upon was the need to ensure that the new law obliges the Government to refer all bills relating to Apodimoi to SAE before their enactment. There was also agreement that SAE should not only be an advisory and consultative body to the Hellenic Government but also a co-ordinating body for Hellenism and one that was capable of instigating projects and programmes in its own right. After the conclusion of the meeting the Presidium had successive meetings in Athens with the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. The writer was also privileged to participate in the delegation that attended Jerusalem for the enthronement of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III and to speak at a session of the Interparliamentary Committee for Hellenes Abroad in the Hellenic Parliament. An issue raised at all levels and all venues was the need to stage the Elliniada in 2006.
ETHNIKA THEMATA
During Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s business trip to Australia it would be proper that he be reminded Costa Vertzayias that
- Turkey continues to occupy 38% of Cyprus, an independent Commonwealth nation in blatant disregard of UN Resolutions. In the occupied territory Turkey has ethnically cleansed the majority Greek Cypriot population and has settled colonists from Turkey. Over 80 Christian churches have been converted into mosques or damaged and rare religious and archaeological treasures have been pillaged or sold.
- According to the latest U.S. State Department Human Rights Report there is a «systematic campaign against Christians» in Turkey. Amongst other violations it refuses to re-open the Halki Theological College which was forcibly closed in 1971. This is the foremost Orthodox seminary in the world. It refuses to acknowledge the ecumenical nature of the Orthodox Patriarchate (which existed 1,100 years before the Turks captured Istanbul) and has confiscated Church property which is heritage listed by UNESCO.
- It refuses to recognize the genocides committed against its Christian populations (Armenian, Pontian and Assyrian) at the beginning of the 20th Century and to formally apologise for the pogrom of September 1955 against the Greek population which has, as a result, been reduced from 150,000 to less than 3,000.
- To allow its Kurdish minority which makes up 20% of the population, to exercise its civil and human rights. (Most of Kurdistan is under martial law, Kurdish M.P.’s are not allowed to take their place in Parliament and the Kurdish language is banned).
All know that Australia’s image as a champion of human rights should not be tarnished for the sake of improving trade.
The EU has set specific guidelines for Turkey to follow in its accession process including:
(i) The need to repeal the threat of war (casus belli) over its dispute with Hellas in the Aegean;
(ii) Ankara must fully recognise all EU member states – viz. its failure to recognize Cyprus;
(iii) Turkey must ratify and fully implement the Customs Protocol by opening Turkish ports to Cypriot flagged ships;
(iv) Calls on Turkey to protect the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and to re-open the Halki Theological College.
This has been an important year for Turkey which was given the green light to commence accession talks with the EU. Hellas and Cyprus have been supportive of Turkey’s application (despite major European opposition on the one hand and on the other Turkey’s obstinate and paradoxical refusal to recognize Cyprus on which it depends for its progress to membership) in the hope that Turkey will observe international norms and the rule of law. Surprisingly, however, the U.S. State Department’s Human Rights Report has found that the situation for the Christian minorities in Turkey has actually deteriorated and that there is “a systematic campaign against Christians”. The Patriarchate’s “ecumenicality” is challenged, its property confiscated and the Halki Theological College remains closed. Turkey stubbornly refuses to recognise the genocides perpetrated against the Christians last century. The occupation of Cyprus continues. If Turkey is to have a European future it must come to grips with its past.
The EU also sent a clear message to FYROM that it must find a mutually acceptable solution to its name dispute with Athens.
National Committees for the restoration of the Parthenon Marbles from 11 countries met in Athens with the Deputy Culture Minister and agreed to establish a World Co-Ordinating Committee. At its recent Board Meeting SAE passed a resolution calling on the Hellenic Government to launch a fresh world wide campaign to coincide with the completion and imminent opening of the new Acropolis Museum.
The new Metropolitan of New Zealand Amphilochios
On 20 November 2005 His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios was enthroned as the new Metropolitan of New Zealand. SAE Oceania welcomes His Eminence to Oceania, and extends its best wishes on the assumption of His pastoral duties. AXIOS!
KEP (Kentra Exiperitiseos Politon)
The Hellenic Interior and Foreign Ministries have arranged for the establishment of KEP facilities in twenty-two (22) Hellenic Consulates around the world in 2006. Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide will all provide the service by which applicants will be able to obtain most certificates on line.
Meetings of SAE Oceania Co-ordinator in Thessaloniki and Athens
SAE Oceania Co-ordinator Costa Vertzayias has returned to Australia after attending meetings in Thessaloniki and Athens. He also participated in the delegation that attended the enthronement of the new Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Theophilos III. In Athens he met with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and President Karolos Papoulias and also had the opportunity to address a session of the Interparliamentary Committee for Hellenes Abroad in the Hellenic Parliament.
This is an important moment in SAE’s history as its powers are being defined in a new law which is to be approved by Parliament in the coming months. Mr Vertzayias said: «SAE was instrumental in making favourable changes to legislation relating to military service for the Apodimoi. This demonstrates the value of SAE for the Apodimoi. It also demonstrates the need to entrench in the new law the Government’s obligation to refer bills to SAE prior to their debate in Parliament». The next SAE World Conference, which was scheduled for this month, will be postponed to the end of 2006 so that it may be held pursuant to the new law.
Finally Apodimos.COM wishes you all a joyous Christmas
Source: NEWSLETTER FROM THE SAE OCEANIA CO-ORDINATOR
