"Mr Deputy Speaker,
It is painful to imagine as a parent the possibility of saying goodnight to one’s child and not knowing if a knock at the door could mean never saying goodnight to them again.
That is the reality of the holocaust 6 million lives lost. Not due to famine or pandemic but due to hate.
In these debates we have heard powerful statements and numbers beyond comprehension of victims of genocide around the world, lives lost, contributions to society we will never know, stories wickedly ended before their time.
Mr Deputy Speaker, we often say that time heals but it can still leave a scar. The Holocaust is a scar upon humanity that we must face up to even today.
As we mark Holocaust Memorial Day we also reflect upon a simple, yet powerful statement “Be the Light in the Darkness.”
In doing so we must remember just as the night descends each evening darkness can also fall slowly descend upon us all.
You see, darkness can only exist if there is an absence of light, it is only by choosing to look the other way that we diminish the light of humanity.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the trouble with the darkness is it allows otherwise good people to believe they cannot see what is happening around them.
No baby is born with hatred in their heart yet there are those who will twist the human condition to nurture it, to plant the seeds of hate with words of envy of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ and ultimately at the worst extreme to generate acts of evil whilst others pretend they don’t see them.
We cannot bring back those whose lives were ended too soon but we can ensure others will not have to fear a knock at their door.
We cannot bring back the millions who’s live were ended but with every candle we light, with every child we educate, every time we choose not to ‘like’ and ‘share’ statements of intolerance, with every time we challenge acts of hate around the world we shine a light on those who would prefer to hide in the darkness
The Holocaust and genocides ever since have taught us that we must never be complacent so we must continue to look around the world today, and in all our tomorrows to ensure we are not ignoring the plight of others and as we mark Holocaust Memorial Day let us all “Be the Light in the Darkness.”
