The Federation of Pontian Associations
wrote an open letter to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison,
urging him to use his influence to help halt the Turkish invasion of
Syria.

Dear Prime Minister,

On behalf of all our members, we would
like to thank you for taking the initiative and asking our Ambassador
in Turkey to plead the case for a halt to the Turkish invasion in
Syria.

Our Federation as well as its members
and the Greek community have been working very closely with the
Assyrian refugee community (many of whom were brought here under Tony
Abbott’s “persecuted minorities” program). The horrors faced by
the Assyrians as well as the Yazidis and now the Kurds have been
traumatic and very destabilising.

With the escape of hundreds of
ISIS/ISIL prisoners, we are pleading with the Australian government
to put more to pressure on Turkey to stop its horrific campaign in
Syria against the Kurds as well as other minority groups. Their
increasing authoritarian regime as well as aggressive stance to all
their neighbours has been appeased by members of the global community
for far too long.

We have many friends in the Turkish
community here in Australia. We therefore emphasise that our appeal
is not an attack on the Turkish people but a matter of human rights
and the rights of minority communities to lead a safe and peaceful
life regardless of their ethnicity, religion and country of origin.

Members of the Pontian Federation.

It is time that the Australian
Government use its unique relationship with Turkey to be firm and
honest and showcase that aggression has consequences. Our ancestors,
be they Turkish, Greek or Australian, sacrificed their lives for us
to live a better life. The actions in Syria are an affront to all
humanity and to the values that these people laid their lives down
for.

There is a time that leaders with
strong moral convictions take a stance and that time has come for
Australia. Winston Churchill once said “An appeaser is one who
feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.”

We hope that you stand with the
persecuted minorities and use the full power of the prestigious
office you hold to protect these people, and show the world that
Australia does not reward or appease aggressive behaviour from any
country, and more so by if said country is a friend. Our friends are
a reflection of who we are and hence we must hold them a higher
standard.

We have faith that you and the
Government will do the right thing.