South Australian Premier Mike Rann, an enemy to Macedonians

[Dejan]

SBS radio last night

Just got a call from a friend, he mentioned that there was someone from the Macedonian community that spoke about the Mike Rann issue on SBS radio in Sydney last night, at about 6pm. Does anyone know about this? Did anyone listen to this? I had a quick look on the SBS website but couldn't find any reference to it.

[AMHRC]

AMHRC Complaint Against Rann Proceeds

Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee Inc.

Suite 106, Level 1, 55 Flemington Road, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3051





PRESS RELEASE


15 March 2010


Premier Rann under Investigation by Australian Human Rights Commission


The Australian Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) has acted on the complaint lodged by the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (“AMHRC”) against the Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann. Mr Rann is at present the subject of an investigation by the Commission for an alleged discriminatory slur against Macedonians. At the 31st Annual “Dimitria Greek Festival” (29/11/09) in South Australia, Mr Rann made the following statement in reference to Macedonians: “People sometimes say to me, but why is this important? It is important because no one is entitled to steal another nation’s history or culture; that’s why it’s important”.


Furious, at being labelled historical and cultural thieves, the AMHRC lodged a complaint with the Commission. The Commission has asked Mr Rann to confirm and explain his statement, with a requirement to respond by 10th March 2010. To date, the current South Australian Premier has refused to publically respond to the charge of engaging in offensive behaviour based on race, nationality or ethnicity and in so doing spreading hatred. Mr George Vlahov, President of the AMHRC stated that:


"History and culture are created via selective valuing and relatively; they cannot be ‘stolen’ in the manner suggested by Mr. Rann. There can be no justification for such a vile attack against Macedonians”.



International Ramifications


The Australian Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia is yet to receive a satisfactory response to the letter of complaint it sent on the 9th February 2010, to the Australian Government in regard to Mr Rann’s comments. It is feared that this has cost Australia a crucial vote in favour of its bid to join as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. “We hope that other Australian politicians learn from Premier Rann’s indiscretion. Fuelling ethnic hatred is no way to govern” remarked Mr. Vlahov.



Established in 1984 the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) is a non governmental organisation that informs and advocates to governments, international institutions and broader communities about combating discrimination and promoting basic 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, or contact AMHRC at [email protected] or via +61 3 93298960.

[makedonche]

AMHRC
Well done, keep up the good work!

[AMHRC]

Thanks Makedonche,

And to everyone on MTO, please feel free to help us spread our latest press release to the mainstream Australian media. Simply copy, paste and forward.

Regards,

AMHRC.

[julie]

Thank you AMHRC, you guys are awesome, its on facebook too.

[AMHRC]

AMHRC Responds to Rann's Unsatisfactory Response

AUSTRALIAN MACEDONIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE


PRESS RELEASE


16 March 2010

Unsatisfactory Response from Rann


Yesterday, Premier Rann’s office released to the media a response to the complaint lodged by the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) against the Premier at the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commision), for discriminatory statements in reference to Macedonians. We consider Mr. Rann’s response to be unsatisfactory. He claims that his criticisms were directed at the “incumbent President” of the Republic of Macedonia. However, this is not borne out by a reading of the transcript of his comments that he himself provided, nor, in any case, is it a valid defence.

His criticism of the President of the Republic of Macedonia was in reference to the utilisation of the symbol of Alexander the Great in a number of public projects. We do not agree with this as a valid criticism. The Premier must be aware that history and culture are selectively and abstractly constructed. Therefore he could not truly believe that the modern usage of Alexander the Great could in any way have constituted a “dangerous stirring up of trouble” as Premier Rann asserted. Comments like these could not have been delivered “in good faith” as the Premier Rann claimed in his response. Moreover, to place the naming of a highway, “Alexander the Great” in the same context as apartheid in South Africa as Mr. Rann does in his response, is ridiculously offensive – not just to the President or government of the Republic of Macedonia, but to all those Macedonians who elected the current administration. Some of these individuals are also Australian citizens.

International Consequences


Mr. Rann claims in his response that he has long held an interest in international affairs, yet somehow he has always been strangely quiet when it comes to Greece’s well documented human rights abuses against its Macedonian minority. Premier Rann claims that his views are “consistent with the criticisms also made by other European Union countries and the United Nations”. Of course what he does not make clear is that the reference to “European Union countries” includes Greece. Why is this important? Because Greece has been a consistent human rights violator. For example, at the end of 2009, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, a European independent human rights monitoring body that specialises in questions relating to racism and intolerance, after excoriating Greece on its abysmal record in relation to human rights recommended that:

“… the Greek authorities take measures to recognize the rights of the members of the different groups living in Greece [including Macedonians], including to freedom of association, in full compliance with the relevant judgements of the European Court of Human Rights … [Moreover], ECRI also strongly recommends that the Greek authorities take steps to recognize the right to self identification of these groups [ie: Macedonians]”. (See European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, Fourth Report on Greece, Adopted on 2 April 2009, CRI (2009) 31, Strasbourg, 15 September 2009, para. 115 and 117.)

As to Premier Rann’s reference to the United Nations, it is apt to here cite from the UN independent expert on minority issues, Gay McDougall, who also reported on Greece’s aberrant human rights behaviour. For example, she states that:

“Successive governments have pursued a policy of denial of the ethnic Macedonian community and the Macedonian language … The response of earlier Greek governments was to suppress any use of the Macedonian language and cultural activities. In recent times the harsh tactics have ceased but those identifying as ethnic Macedonian still report discrimination and harassment. They consider it of crucial importance for their continued existence that their ethnic identity and distinctiveness is respected. The Macedonian language is not recognized, taught, or a language of tuition in schools”. (Promotion and Protection of all Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including the right to Development’, Report of the independent expert on minority issues, Gay McDougall, Addendum Mission to Greece, (8-16 September 2008), A/HRC/10/11/Add.3, 18 February 2009, para. 41.)

Somewhat ironically given the Premier’s comments, Ms McDougall even notes the symbolic ethnic cleansing of ethnic Macedonians by the Greek state in the early half of the 20th. Century: “In the 1920s and 30s laws required the replacement of non-Greek names of towns, villages, rivers and mountains with Greek names. The family names of the Macedonian speaking population were also required to be changed to Greek names. Individuals seeking to re-instate Macedonian family names have had their petitions refused by authorities on administrative grounds. Community representatives note that traditional names continue to be in common usage and call for reinstatement and the official usage of a dual nomenclature e.g. Florina/Lerin”. (See para. 42.)

Indeed, Premier Rann would do well to read what the UN independent expert on minority rights recommends:

“The government should retreat from the dispute over whether there is a Macedonian minority or a Turkish minority and place its full focus on protecting the rights to self-identification, freedom of expression and freedom of association of those communities. The Greek government should comply with the judgments of the European Court on Human Rights that associations should be allowed to use the words Macedonian or Turkish in their names and to freely express their ethnic identities. Those associations denied in the past must be given official registration promptly. Their further rights to minority protections must be respected as elaborated in the Declaration on Minorities and the core international human rights treaties”. (See para. 90.)

We reiterate it is strange that Premier Rann, the self-described champion of human rights and multiculturalism has never once mentioned the consistent human rights violations of Greece. In any case, the last time we checked, he is not the Foreign Minister of Australia and as a result of his offensive comments, it appears that Australia has lost what might turn out to be a crucial vote from the Republic of Macedonia in favour of membership of the U.N. Security Council. The consequences of fuelling ethnic tensions are probably going to be severe on this occasion.

Moreover, his comments against the President of the Republic of Macedonian, Georgi Ivanov, seem disingenuous, because the powers of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, in accordance with the Macedonian Constitution, are mainly ceremonial and he has very little influence on governmental decisions and the day-to day running of the country. He most certainly has no authority to change the names of airports or any other public institutions. Premier Rann’s assertions in this regard are just absurd. They are akin to somebody condemning the Governor General for decisions to rename Australian highways, or airports for that matter.

Crux of the Complaint

However, this is not the most pertinent part of our complaint. This derives from comments after the Premier had moved on from discussing the President of the Republic of Macedonia and the public projects. Here, he made the following remarks (as his own transcript reveals): “People sometimes say to me, but why is this important? It is important because no one is entitled to steal another nation’s history or culture; that’s why it’s important”.

In the lead up to this offensive assertion, Premier Rann, implicitly though nevertheless clearly, explained that he was aiming those remarks at Macedonians; an ethnic group that does not consider itself Greek and again we quote:

“Some people you know interestingly just a few months ago in May, a whole group of very distinguished Greek scholars came out and had written to the new President of the United States, President Barack Obama and have said to him, told him the real history of Macedonia. Told him about the fact that the Greek Macedonians were there centuries and centuries before, the history of Phillip of Macedon, the history of Alexander the Great & Hellenism. And that’s why this centre is so important. It’s important for you but it’s also important for the rest of us. To have a centre that celebrates the great Hellenic tradition, the Greek tradition of Makethonia. And so I promise you that we will remain firm and unswerving in our support for your cause.

People sometimes say to me ‘but why is this important?’ It is important because no one is entitled to steal another nation's history or culture. That is why it’s important.”

What is the “Greek cause” that Mr. Rann is referring to? It is the desire to force Macedonians to change their identity name. This is a cause that aims to subvert the human right to self-identify. The whole paragraph makes it clear that if anyone, not just the current President of the Republic of Macedonia, regards him or herself as a Macedonian in a distinct non-Greek ethnic sense; or if they do not consider Alexander the Great to have been an ethnic Greek, then they are “Slavs” (a generic racial label used in reference to the Republic of Macedonia earlier by the Premier in his speech; a label that ignores national specificity - see the earlier part of the transcript) who are trying to “steal another nation’s history or culture”.

In other words, the Premier’s comments were implicitly, but clearly based on ethnicity and/or nationality, and indeed he utilised the generic racial label “Slavic” in reference to the Republic of Macedonia. Moreover, the Premier appears to be claiming that his comments, which seem to be denying the ethnic identity of one group of people, the Macedonians, are his “genuine beliefs”. This seems a somewhat extraordinary thing to maintain. However, not content with that, he goes on to claim that these views “represent fair comment on a matter of very real international public interest”. Premier, it is not “fair comment” to deny the existence of a people, and the very real international public interest lies in the protection and promotion of human rights, such as the right to self identification, not the other way around.

We repeat that we are not historical and cultural thieves and we demand that the Premier take responsibility for his actions and apologise for the discriminatory slur against Macedonians.


Established in 1984 the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) is a non governmental organisation that informs and advocates to governments, international institutions and broader communities about combating discrimination and promoting basic 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, or contact AMHRC at [email protected] or via +61 3 93298960.

[Grotius]

Thanks AMHRC.

Rann makes me sick.

[Mikail]

Well done AMHRC. Keep up the pressure. I can give you a tape recording of a conversation we had with Ranns office some time back about how they were targeting "Greeks" in an election campaign.

Rann has been using this conduct for many years. He has been finally caught out in a public arena.

Keep putting the pressure on and notify the SA media about this investigation. Elections are on this weekend in SA and Rann has to be shown the door and publicly disgraced.

He is a racist!

[Bill77]

Has anyone considered notifying the SA liberal party regarding this Formal Legal Action? If anyone is going to bring this out in the media all over the Country, it will be them now that the elections are around the corner.

The liberal party has nothing to loose. The Greeks can't not vote for them when they were not going to vote in the first place.

[makedonche]

Has anyone considered notifying the SA liberal party regarding this Formal Legal Action? If anyone is going to bring this out in the media all over the Country, it will be them now that the elections are around the corner.

The liberal party has nothing to loose. The Greeks can't not vote for them when they were not going to vote in the first place.

Bill
I faxed, emailed and called the office of Rob Lucas(Liberal MP) regarding this issue, and his call for an inquiry into substantial funds given to a Greek church/community in the northern suburbs here in Adelaide, I have had no response by phone/mail/ or email. The Liberals are just as concerned about not upsetting the Greek poulation as Labour is.

[osiris]

its a photo finish as to who can crawl quicker to the greek lobby and their fantastic holiday destinations. i think the alp have made it by a whisker.

[Prolet]

Osiris, Here are the latest head lines from Stari Kraj

There is video footage on the site

Прогрчкиот aвстралиски Премиер под истрага
15.03.2010 - 11:03 |

* Македонија


Премиер на Јужна Австралија од денеска е под истрага на aвстралиските власти. Комитет за човекови прва прифати да ја разгледа жалбата против Мајк Рен кој минaтиот месец обвини дека Македoнците ја крадат грчката историја.


Жалбата ја поднесе Македонско-Австралискиот Комитет за човекови права. Рен ќе добие можност да седне на зaедничкa маса со македонската зaедница и да го разреши проблемот. Доколку тоа не успее, против него ќе следуваат санкции.

- Во најлош случај за вакво нештo човек може и во затвор да биде ставен, но мислиме дека во случајов нема таква шанса. Најверојатно ќе биде финансиски казнет - изјави Ѓорѓи Влахов, Претседател на Македонско - австралискиот Комитет за човекови права.

Пред да ја покрене жалбата Македонско – австралискиот Комитет неколку пати од Рен бараше јавно извинување. Писмен одговор од Премиерот добиле дури денска, вели Влахов.

Сепак наместо извинување прогрчкиот политичар се обидел да ја разубеди македонската заедница дека неговиот говор не бил воопшто навредлив.

- Тој тврди дека нема за што да се извини. Ние не се согласуваме со тоа. Тоа е дискриминација за нас и не сме задоволни со неговиот одговор и ќе спремиме и ние одговор на писмото на Рен - вели Ѓорѓи Влахов.
Влахов вели дека не е прв ниту изолиран случај австралиски полтичари да настапуваат во одбрана на грчката позиција.

Прво поради силното грчко лоби во Австралија и второ поради бројноста на грчката зедница чии гласови се атрактивни за австралиските политчки партии и од каде тие често пати добиваат финансиска помош.

http://www.sitel.com.mk/dnevnik/makedonija/avstraliskiot-premier-pod-istraga-za-antimakedonizmot

[Prolet]

Пред да ја покрене жалбата Македонско – австралискиот Комитет неколку пати од Рен бараше јавно извинување. Писмен одговор од Премиерот добиле дури денска, вели Влахов.

AMHRC, What was Premier Rann's response to all this?

[Volk]

Voting instructions for sa elections

As most people are aware, Mike Rann, the SA Premier of the Labor Party is a racists that has equivocally supported the greek cause to destroy the Macedonian nation "We support you in this cause (against the Macedonian people)".

A VOTE FOR LABOR is a vote AGAINST the MACEDONIAN NATION and your right to call yourself and your children Macedonian.

Just remember when you vote, list your preference to labor last, below the Liberals.

EVERY VOTE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

[Risto the Great]

I voted yesterday.
Just wanted to give Rann a trend.