South Australian Premier Mike Rann, an enemy to Macedonians

[Soldier of Macedon]

What a pathetic example of an Australian, as a fellow Australian citizen I am absolutely disgusted in this jester impersonating a 'politician', or perhaps that is just how some of these so-called politicians behave, no better than some hooligans among the Australian community that have painted the name, symbols and spirit of the country with racism.

Australia is a multi-cultural and tolerant country, accepting of all people. It is not the place of Australia's state and federal governments to take sides in a dispute between two other states situated on the other side of the world, for the sake of securing election votes from the numerically superior Greek voters in the country. Regardless of whatever outcomes may arise from these artifical disputes, the Macedonian people in Macedonia, Australia and the rest of the world will still identify their heritage, language and culture as Macedonian.

By not recognising the Macedonian people and the Macedonian state in the same way as any other nation in the world, the Australian governments are without doubt Un-Australian, in addition to being anti-Macedonian. The governments do not reflect the view of the common masses in Australia with regard to this issue, for, were there to be a vote carried out tomorrow, the decision would be overwhelmingly in favour of the Macedonians, in the typical and reliable Australian spirit.

Australia, live by your principles, recognise Macedonia.

[Risto the Great]

Utterly disgusting rants.
It is a matter all Adelaide Macedonians need to be very militant about.
AMHRC, please let me know privately if I can assist with the matter.

[Risto the Great]

Great letter AMHRC.
As stated earlier, an excellent return for membership with the AMHRC.

[AMHRC]

Risto,

very good, we shall be in touch. Also, it might be an idea to just combine the footage and our letter into one clear thread that can be updated as events unfold over the coming weeks.

Thanks to all those that have posted messages of support.

Cheers,

AMHRC.

[Phoenix]

Utterly disgusting rants.
It is a matter all Adelaide Macedonians need to be very militant about.
AMHRC, please let me know privately if I can assist with the matter.

I'd like to see all of our various organizations get involved in this sort of thing, regardless of where they are in Australia, everyone needs to get behind the AMHRC on this type of issue.

It shouldn't just be the likes of the AMHRC that fly the flag, the church associations, sports clubs, cultural groups and all manner of professional and registered social associations have to make more 'noise' in these times.

For those people uncomfortable or intimidated with the letter writing process, protesting against the idiots like Rann and his foolish rants perhaps the AMHRC can be contacted to help them out with constructing an appropriately worded reply and protest...???
Just a suggestion...

In many ways these are golden opportunities for the Macedonian community to highlight the endemic level of racism and discrimination that Macedonians face in this country at the hands of all levels of government, when shameless political opportunists are plying their disgusting trade, pandering to foreign instigated agenda's and to the detriment of the Macedonian people...

[Risto the Great]

This is the leader of the Labor party who is the present State Premier of South Australia.

Unfortunately in recent times again, the issues are being raised again in "fyrom" and I thought the craziness was over but now the EU wants the issue of the name of Macedonia dealt with by December. And once again we have a leader in Mr Ivanov who is stirring up trouble in the most dangerous way. We have seen them name their airport after Alexander the Great ... makes no sense whatsoever ... their major highway named after Alexander the Great. And now it is being stirred up once again as it was in the early 90's for political reasons in the slavic State. And none of this makes any sense. 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 is why this centre is so important. Its important for you but its 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 its important.

[Phoenix]

Great letter AMHRC.
As stated earlier, an excellent return for membership with the AMHRC.

Excellent response from the team at the AMHRC, they don't mince words and they certainly don't pull punches.

People, I can't stress enough the opportunity that 'Rann's Rant' provides for our fight and our cause, not since that buffoon Jeff Kennet in the 90's have we had such a 'wonderful' example of 'chronic foot in the mouth', these are once in a decade opportunities for us to gain momentum and to show the level of pandering that our elected officials show to foreign governments and the propogation of racism, discrimination and ethnic hatreds.

We have to make those pigs accountable for their actions...

[Risto the Great]

Rann, there is no slavic state.
Rann, "Mr Ivanov" is the President of Macedonia ... if you like to show such disrespect to dignitaries, do it for "Mr Obama" as well.
Rann, the Greeks have been stirring the pot since the 90's not the Macedonians. The Macedonians have seceded peacefully from the former Yugoslavia and have done nothing but endure racial vilification like the kind you are now doing.
Rann, can you believe the Greeks changed the airport name from Mikra to Macedonia in Thessaloniki in 1992? Stirring it up as usual.
Rann, the Greek scholars you spoke of have been superbly refuted in an embarrassing fashion and it is clearly beyond your abilities to comment on such high-brow matters.
Rann, what is the great Hellenic tradition and feel free to define the Greek tradition of Makethonia.
Rann, Macedonians agree with you, nobody should be allowed to steal another nation's history or culture. Greece has done this to Macedonians for 100 years now, especially since they started the pot stirring in the 90's.

[Risto the Great]

Totally agree Phoenix. I am all for it and 100% ready to test this "man".

[Risto the Great]

To make it clear, Rann is making it very clear that he is unswerving in his support for the cause of the Pan-Macedonian Association of South Australia who run the Dimitria Festival. Does he actually know what their cause is?

[AMHRC]

Good point Risto - their cause is the destruction of our distinct Macedonian identity.

Just for the sake of the readers of MTO, we shall post our letter here again so that everyone is aware that the AMHRC has begun the formal process of action against Rann:

Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee Inc.
Suite 106, Level 1, 55 Flemington Road, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3051
Hon Mike Rann MP
Premier of South Australia
GPO Box 2343
Adelaide SA 5001

Mr. Rann,

Inflammatory Comments against ethnic Macedonians

We have been made aware of your attendance last year at the 31st Annual “Dimitria Greek Festival” (29/11/09) in South Australia. Upon listening to the speech you delivered to the Greek community at this event, we came to the conclusion that it was inflammatory, bigoted and offensive.

To begin with, you referred to the current President of the Republic of Macedonia as someone who is “stirring up trouble in the most dangerous way”. Your justification for this is that he and the Macedonian government are utilising the symbol of Alexander the Great, in a variety of public projects. We very much doubt that any objectively minded person could agree that this is a ‘dangerous stirring up of trouble’.

However, this was not enough for you Mr. Premier; you then moved on to raise the level of vilification against ethnic Macedonians by making the following assertion to your ethnic Greek audience at the festival: “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”. Premier, you have implied that ethnic Macedonians are thieves and thereby you have provided succour to bigots by vilifying ethnic Macedonians in general.

We shall make use of relevant legislation to ensure that you are held to account for spreading this type of hatred.
Sincerely yours,

George Vlahov
President

Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee Inc.
Tel/Fax: +61 3 9329 8960
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.macedonianhr.org.au

CC: Australian Human Rights Commission
Senator the Hon Chris Evans MP, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Cth)
Hon Michael Atkinson MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs (SA)
South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission
Equal Opportunity Commission South Australia
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Special Broadcasting Corporation (SBS)

[Grotius]

Well done AMHRC, this response and action is just another demonstration of your invaluable efforts - this is why you have my support. I also like the other sentiments made above, we should all get behind the AMHRC in whatever way we can.

Phoenix mentioned the action against another Premier - Jeff Kennett, ten years ago - well, no surprise that it was the AMHRC again who wiped the floor clean with him. They have a habit of putting our racist politicians in their place!!

[Volk]

Excellent AMHRC, a point I have not seen raised is the irresponsibility of such racist rants at raising ethnic tensions, this too goes against Australia's national interest.

[Bill77]

Good job AMHRC. Very profesional and apropriate message. Mine would have had karajne majka i shajka at the racist pig. Its good that its not left to people like me to deal with it and thank god we have you on our side.

I would love the pig to be chalenged in a public debate though. I would love him to show how much he knows and if he can back what he claims with evidance. I can bet my jajca he has no idea about what he spins. He will make a complete fool out of him self.

[The LION will ROAR]

Good job AMHRC. Very profesional and apropriate message. Mine would have had karajne majka i shajka at the racist pig. Its good that its not left to people like me to deal with it and thank god we have you on our side.

I would love the pig to be chalenged in a public debate though. I would love him to show how much he knows and if he can back what he claims with evidance. I can bet my jajca he has no idea about what he spins. He will make a complete fool out of him self.

I also like to say it was great message sent to that prick...
And I'm glad we have people like AMHRC because if it was left with people like me...I'll be breaking things and trying to knock him out back to HELL-ASS