Australian position on Macedonia

[makedonche]

Not just Australian-Macedonians, all Macedonians should be thankful!

Vistina!

[George S.]

All Macedonians should be thankfull & greatfull there is no distinction of where they are worldwide.No one has a right to hame them as to what they please,we should not have prefixes or qualifiers as to our identity.By macedonian we don't mean the new identity created by the greeks peddled as Macedonians(Amhrc,that will be the next peddle that greeks ask for is that there are greek macedonians in australia)the greeks created the artificial macedonians in the last 80 years with the population exchanges prosfeges.

[Daniel the Great]

Fantastic news, well done AMHRC.

[Bij]

this is great news. excellent work!

[Daniel the Great]

A article has been added to the presidential website regarding this victory by AMHRC.

Австралиско-македонскиот комитет за човекови права (АМКЧП) испрати известување до Претседателот на Република Македонија д-р Ѓорге Иванов, и до другите релевантни институции во државата, со кое информира дека нивните напори за правото на само-идентификување на македонската заедница и долготрајното лобирање, конечно дадоа позитивен резултат - австралиската влада официјално ја повлече “Славо-македонската директива“ со која македонската заедница беше преименувана во 1994 година.

http://pretsedatel.mk/mk/2011-06-17-09-55-07/2011-09-03-11-36-59/1116-2012-02-13-12-44-15.html

[EgejskaMakedonia]

Great work, a very notable achievement by the AMHRC once again. Kudos to all who were involved.

[Makedonska_Kafana]

Great work, a very notable achievement by the AMHRC once again. Kudos to all who were involved.

A Name is a Name ~ The Macedonian Truth ~ ONE NAME, ONE FLAG & ONE PEOPLE(S).

Suzana Spasovska ~ Ogan da go gori (2011) (Makedonija) - YouTube

[Pelister]

Great work!

[AMHRC]

Well done AMHRC, and thank you... I urge anyone who is not already a member of the AMHRC, to become so

It would be nice if we could see what was redacted from the FOI documents and their reasoning behind this....

Is it possible to scan some of the documents?

Machorot, here is the news about one of those documents and we might talk about a couple more of them over the coming month or two:

CONFIDENTIAL AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT REVEALS:
GREECE EVENTUALLY WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT THE USE OF ‘MACEDONIAN’!

Melbourne, 22 February 2012

An internal Australian government document released to the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that in relation to the use of the term ‘Macedonian’, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) advises that:

“…Greece eventually will have to accept the use of ‘Macedonian’ to describe nationality and ethnicity” (Ministerial Submission, 09-1054, 26/05/2009, page 12).

The confidential and frank Ministerial Submission prepared by DFAT for the Minister for Foreign Affairs provided background information and advice on the “name issue” between Macedonia and Greece. The document, although heavily redacted on alleged national security grounds, also contains information on the 1994 “Slav Macedonian Directive” which renamed the Macedonian community. The brief claimed that a change in the Australian Government’s “Slav Macedonian” policy might lead to a reaction from the Greek government and Greek community in Australia “who would fear a subsequent change in policy on the country name” and that a change in policy would “advantage” the Republic of Macedonia (Ministerial Submission, 09-1054, 26/05/2009, page 11-12).

On 13 February 2012, the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) announced that after a sustained lobbying campaign, the Australian Government finally withdrew its discriminatory and racist “Slav Macedonian” Directive which renamed the Macedonian community in 1994. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has also confirmed the re-adoption of the term ‘Macedonian’ in relation to the Macedonian community.

In relation to Greece’s refusal to accept the official name of the Republic of Macedonia, the Australian Government has “encouraged” both sides to find a mutually acceptable “solution” to this issue. The Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) encourages the Australian Government to convey its own advice to the Government of Greece that it will “eventually have to accept the use of ‘Macedonian’.” This advice should also be extended to include the inevitable acceptance of the recognition by Greece of the Republic of Macedonia’s right to its democratically chosen name.

Over 130 countries (two-thirds of UN members) recognise the official name of Republic of Macedonia in their bilateral relationships. Despite the fact that all of Australia’s major allies have recognised the Republic of Macedonia (eg USA, UK, Canada) as well as other powers such as Russia, China and India, Canberra continues to use the so-called “provisional reference” which was only intended for “all purposes within the United Nations”, ‘pending resolution of the so called name issue’.

Whilst the AMHRC is pleased with the Australian Government’s current shift in policy toward the Macedonian Community, it now reiterates its call upon the Government to take the sensible step of recognising the Republic of Macedonia by its democratically chosen name. We also reiterate our call upon the Macedonian government to end all name “negotiations” with Greece.

__________________

Established in 1984, the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) is a non-governmental organisation that informs and advocates before international institutions, governments and broader communities about combating racism and promoting human rights. Our aspiration is to ensure that Macedonian communities and other excluded groups throughout the world, are recognised, respected and afforded equitable treatment. For more information please visit www.macedonianhr.org.au, email [email protected] or via +61 3 9329 8960.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Well done nashio, an excellent effort and result by the AMHRC.

[Daskalot]

Bravo AMHRC! Absolutely splendid!
What does our soon to be officially bankrupt southern neighbors think about this?

[DirtyCodingHabitz]

This is great news .

But it's to bad our own politicians are screwing us over.

[AMHRC]

Bravo AMHRC! Absolutely splendid!
What does our soon to be officially bankrupt southern neighbors think about this?

Daskale,

Judging from the reports we have seen in Greek newspapers - based here in Australia and overseas, they are not happy about it and are in denial. However these are views of sick bigots - so sick that even though Greece is on the verge of socio-economic collapse, all they can think about is trying to continue to find ways to oppress Macedonians...

Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be space in these Greek newspapers for the voices of all those liberal minded Greeks (such people obviously do exist, though we wont speculate on their numbers) who accept us as Macedonians...it makes a very bad impression...

Regards,

AMHRC.

[Phoenix]

Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be space in these Greek newspapers for the voices of all those liberal minded Greeks (such people obviously do exist, though we wont speculate on their numbers) who accept us as Macedonians...it makes a very bad impression...

Regards,

AMHRC.

Seriously, do you really believe that "liberal minded greeks" exist, I don't.

[AMHRC]

Seriously, do you really believe that "liberal minded greeks" exist, I don't.

Well Phoenix, we have met some who are respectful towards Macedonians and we have heard about the existence of some others...though as we said earlier, we wont speculate on their number...