Macedonians march against discrimination

By Ray Fulcher

MELBOURNE -- Forty thousand Macedonians and supporters marched on Parliament House on July 30, demanding that the federal Labor and state Liberal governments end their discrimination against Macedonians. The rally was organised by Macedonian Community Council of Melbourne and Victoria.

According to a rally organiser Chris Popov, “The imposition of the term `Slav-Macedonian' on the Macedonians is a blatant violation of human rights and should be condemned by all fair-minded Australians”. He said that it sets a dangerous precedent for the rights of all minorities in Australia.

On February 15 the federal government recognised the Republic of Macedonia as the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. At the same time, it imposed conditions on the opening of a Macedonian consulate in Australia including that it be called the “Consulate of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and that it be prohibited from flying its national flag. No other nation's consulate has had to deal with such restrictions.

On March 14 the foreign affairs minister, Gareth Evans, announced that the term “Slav-Macedonian” would be used by all government agencies when referring to Macedonians from the Republic of Macedonia.

Shortly afterwards, Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett addressed a Greek nationalist rally in Melbourne and subsequently made a trip to Greece.

The rally called on the federal, Victorian and NSW governments to immediately repeal their “Slav-Macedonian” directives and refer to Macedonians as “Macedonian”. It demanded that the Victorian government cease the pressure on Macedonian schools to adopt the “Slav-Macedonian” tag and to stop removing resources from the Macedonian curriculum and that Macedonian be allowed to be taught in the state school system.

It demanded that the federal government immediately recognise the Republic of Macedonia -- by that name -- and drop the conditions which have prevented the opening of a Macedonian embassy and consulate in Australia. It also called on the federal government to condemn the violation of Macedonian human rights in Greece and Bulgaria.

For more information contact the Macedonian Community Council of Melbourne and Victoria, PO Box 2516W, Melbourne 3000 or ring 03 489 4944.

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