CANBERRA: The Armenian-Australian community has collected over 2,000 signatures in three days on a petition calling on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to condemn Azerbaijan's continued attacks on the indigenous Armenians of the Republics of Artsakh and Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The petition, which could be signed by clicking here, reads as follows:

"The Armenian-Australian community calls on the Morrison Government to accurately and unequivocally condemn Azerbaijan’s continued attacks on the indigenous Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and the Republic of Armenia.

Prime Minister, we have seen throughout history, failure to call out and condemn an aggressor and an enabler by name––especially when they are bombing civilians and openly threatening ethnic cleansing––only emboldens said aggressor to continue committing war crimes and, in this case, to advance their pan-Turanic expansionist agenda

Since 27th September 2020 (local time), Azerbaijani forces – backed by air support and mercenaries funded by fellow expansionist dictatorship Turkey – have been shelling civilian towns in Armenia and Artsakh, including the 50,000-populated capital of the latter.

The Armenian homeland is under open threat of ethnic cleansing and genocide, with the neo-Ottoman dictators of Turkey and Azerbaijan unleashing heavy damage using Smerch, Kasirga, LORA and Polonez rocket system, drones, tanks and armoured personnel carriers.

Over 500 Armenian soldiers have so far died defending the Republic of Artsakh’s right to freedom, peace and self-determination, leaving countless others injured. This is in addition to the dozens of civilians, including women and children, who have been killed due to Azerbaijan’s active targeting of civilian infrastructure in Artsakh in complete violation of international law.

A historic church, hospital and schools have all become victims to these attacks, while Amnesty International has confirmed the use of Azerbaijani-acquired cluster bombs in Artsakh’s Stepanakert.

The Armenian-Australian community is disappointed with our Government’s current passive position on this criminal military aggression by the two neo-Ottoman dictatorships, with a combined population of approximately 100 million, against the two Armenian democracies with a combined three million population, and the pending humanitarian crisis.

Prime Minister, Australia was one of the first countries to assist Armenian survivors following reports of the Armenian Genocide being committed by Ottoman Turkey under the cover of World War I. Now, as the twin protégés of the same regime attempt to remove Armenians from their homeland in Artsakh, Australia cannot remain silent and “sit on the fence”. It must act with the same humanity and resolve as it did when it came to the aid of survivors of the Armenian Genocide nearly a hundred years ago.

Geoffrey Robertson QC, Prime Minister Trudeau (Canada) and President Macron (France) are joined by several MPs from your own Government––including Trent Zimmerman, Tim Wilson and John Alexander––along with the NSW branch of the Young Liberals, among others, in openly condemning this military aggression by Azerbaijan and Turkey.

We call on your Government to do the same."

SIGN PETITION BY CLICKING HERE