Aboriginal Rights Solidarity Rally & Public Meeting

On Saturday 20th June supporters of Aboriginal rights in Melbourne will be marking the two-year anniversary of the Northern Territory intervention with a solidarity rally in the CBD, Featuring speakers: Gary Foley, Robbie Thorpe, Aletha Penrith an Alice Springs town camp resident, + others. Performers: local Indigenous hip hop artists Little G, Mr Morgz, Alter Egoz, and Tjimba and the Yung Warriors.

Nathan Lovett-Murray, founder of Payback Records, has organized local Indigenous hip hop artists to perform at the rally. “Little G, Mr Morgz, Alter Egoz, and Tjimba and the Yung Warriors will be at the rally raising their voices against the discriminatory policies of the government, and in support of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory having control over their lives,” said Nathan.

“We have organized the rally in order to show our disgust and opposition to the Rudd Government’s expansion of Howard’s racist intervention policy, and to stand in solidarity with the Indigenous people of this country. We will also be holding a public meeting as an opportunity for people to learn more about the effects of the NT intervention and the direction the Rudd Government is taking it, the meeting will also involve workshops and planning for the campaign. The governments attempt to take Aboriginalland, close homelands, and wind-back hard-won Aboriginal self determination will not be ignored here in Melbourne” said Joe Lorback from the Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective.

“The Rudd Government’s approach to Indigenous people is dominated by hypocrisy and blackmail! With one hand they sign the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people, and with the other they refuse to re-instate the Racial Discrimination Act, instead expanding the policies of the intervention and forcing Indigenous people to give up their land in return for desperately needed housing and services,” said Marisol Salinas from the Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective

“Jenny Macklin’s treatment of Alice Springs town camp residents is absolutely disgraceful. She has smeared Aboriginal run organizations, such as Tangentyere Council, in an attempt to take the land and control from them. Rather then acknowledging the fact that the lack of housing and infrastructure in the town camps is due to a complete lack of funding, she is instead giving total control over the town camps to the Northern Territory Government which has continually failed them” said James Brennan from the Melbourne Anti-Intervention Collective



The Solidarity Rally will take place on Saturday 20th June at 12pm in the State Library The public meeting also on Saturday will be at 3pm at Trades Hall Meeting Room 1.

Rallies are also being on the 20th of June @:

Darwin 11am Raintree Park

Sydney 10:30am Belmore Park

Brisbane 11am Queen's Park

Perth 12 noon Wesley Church

Bart Willoughby- We have survived

Bart Willoughby sings the Indigenous Australian Anthem "We have Survived" Live @ open studio

thanks to Scribblenoir

New Aboriginal alliance vows to fight NT Invasion

A new group has formed to fight the Federal Government's intervention in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, saying the legislation is racist and aimed at assimilation.

About 100 Aboriginal people from around Australia have gathered in Alice Springs to announce they are forming the National Aboriginal Alliance.

The group's Pat Turner says federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough and the Federal Government have to go.

"We grew up with this, the assimilations policies that are now being recycled by this Federal Government," she said.

"So we're calling on Mal Brough, who is an impediment to justice for our people, to step aside and resign."

The group is furious at what it describes as racist policy designed to force Aboriginal people to assimilate into white culture.

Michael Mansell from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre says the legislation must be overturned.

"The aim of this national meeting is to seek the repeal of the legislation that has enabled the troops and the police and everybody else to go into the Aboriginal communities and impose the policies of Canberra on small groups who are powerless and vulnerable to those policies," he said.

Uncle Kevin Buzzacott

Congratulations go to Kevin Buzzacott, who was today announced the winner of the Australian Conservation Foundation's 2007 Peter Rawlinson environment award for his work in highlighting the impacts of the Olympic Dam uranium mine.

"An Arabunna man with traditional custodial responsibilities for the area around Lake Eyre in northern South Australia, Kevin Buzzacott has drawn attention to the environmental, social and cultural impacts of the massive Olympic Dam uranium mine." (www.acfonline.org.au)

I have, over the last 10 or more, been present at many events with Uncle Kev, from Roxstop to the first ever Global Greens conference to parties in suburban Melbourne. On several occasions had the honor to record on video his words and actions as he spreads the word on the environmental and cultural destruction that the Roxby mine has brought to Arabunna Land and People.

This 5 minute video is just a small sample of those events that I put together this morning, to pay tribute to Uncle Kevs work and his ongoing fight. They are from: Earthdream 2000’s Reclaim the Streets action at Roxby Downs; from FoE’s 2006 Radioactive Exposure Tour and Kev’s welcome and performance at Roxstop, 1997.

BHP Billiton, the mines current owner, is undertaking a feasibility study that could see the mines output more than double, making it the largest uranium mine in the world.
To find out more reasons why we should be closing Roxby down, not enlarging it see Friends of the Earth or Australian Conservation Foundation's anti-nuc pages.


Contact: video@starr.tv
Home Page: http://www.starr.tv
Produced: 2007/06/05
Production Company: Pip Starr Pictures
Distributor: Pip Starr Pictures
Duration: 5 minutes 10 seconds
File Size: 30.3 MB

Walking the Land - for Our Ancient Right For Peace and Healing

john Howard has a nuclear vision for Australia and slave labour support lifting the ban on uranium mining.I will be focused on the peoples whose lands are torn apart from uranium mining and to never forget that nuclear bombs have been "tested" here and elsewhere in the Pacific. Found this old bulletin from Uncle Kevin enjoy.FYI, if ya don't know the pic is Uncle reclaiming the Emu & the kangaroo from the High Court of Australia. Respect. Always Was Always Will be Aboriginal Land !!!!




2 October 2000

In this Bulletin:

Statement to Australia and the world given by Kevin Buzzacott on Friday September 29, near Kirribilli House, Sydney. A copy was handed to a representative of John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia.

WALKING THE LAND - FOR OUR ANCIENT RIGHT, PEACE AND HEALING

From the ancient authority, ancient voices and ancient spirit, this is a message to the world from the place we call Australia, from the ancient government of this land.
We, the black people, the original people of this country, do not recognize John Howard and his government since arriving here 212 years ago from a foreign country named England. You, John Howard, and your government have failed to recognize our human rights issues. You yourself Mr Prime Minister, you can't even say sorry for the crimes your ancestors have done. You couldn't even begin that peace talk that we've invited you to, to come to our peace fire to begin a peace talk. You and your government in 212 years have simply failed.

The Government talks about a treaty. Before it even can talk about a treaty, there needs to be a cease fire. That means lay down your guns and your ammunition and your corrupt legislations.

Before the games finish and other countries participating in the games are going back to their countries, John Howard should lead his people back to their country as well, and leave us in peace. John Howard has failed our invitation to come and make peace.
We are calling on the world to support our statements. We're also calling on international bodies and the United Nations to support us.

On Wednesday 20th September, 2000 we have planted the flag on top of Cook's planting of his flag, and it symbolises we are taking our land back.

I am calling on all black people, leaders and elders to support this ancient request for all peace. The good white people have shown their respect and support to us and made peace. They are free to stay with us and to negotiate or to talk, to begin peace talks and to begin talks of the government, the real government of this country. The Queen, Elizabeth II, should use all her powers to remove her government, the Crown, from this country immediately, and take them all back to her country.

I call on all my brother and sister countries in the world to support me.

I, Kevin Buzzacott, Arabunna elder, leader and peacemaker, call on John Howard to resign immediately as Prime Minister of Australia. To dismantle his government immediately.

http://www.lakeeyre.green.net.au/long-walk-updates.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maralinga

Britain actively used Australian soil and people to conduct it's nuclear testing program during the 1950s and 1960s. The 5 areas it conducted the tests are at Monte Bello Islands in north-western Western Australia (just off the mainland, near Monkey Mia); Emu Field in north-western South Australia; the infamous Maralinga in south-western South Australia; Christmas Island and Malden Island, both due south of Hawaii, on either side of the Equator. After the Grapple series of tests, the British lent the site to the US in 1962 for the Dominic series of 25 explosions.

Britain detonated its first nuclear device, Hurricane, on Monte Bello Island on October 3, 1952, followed by tests on May 16 and June 19, 1956. The June blast had a 60 kiloton capacity. At one monitoring point, over 3,200 kilometres to the east, radioactive iodine concentrations increased a hundredfold.

Two further atomic bomb tests, Totem 1 and 2, were carried out at Emu Field on October 15 and 27, 1953. The next series of atomic bomb tests were carried out at Maralinga between September 27, 1956 and October 9, 1957, along with a series of "minor" trials up to 1963. The Grapple series of tests were undertaken at Malden and Christmas Islands May 15, 1957, to September 23, 1958.

During the mainland tests many army personnel were deliberately exposed to the blasts just to see what effect radiation had on troops. Security at the test sites was lax. The testing range boundaries were not properly monitored, allowing people to walk in and out. Any signs were in English, which the local Aboriginal population could not read. Fallout from the ground blasts led to massive contamination of the Australian interior. The fallout from Maralinga even reached Adelaide and Melbourne. Some places are still heavily radioactive due principally to the presence of 20 kg of plutonium, the most toxic element known to humans.

Maralinga is Pitjantjatjara Aboriginal dialect for "Field of Thunder". Aborigines may have been directly affected by the blasts. Compensation is currently being sought in Australian courts.

http://www.sea-us.org.au/thunder/britsbombingus.html

Identity, Justice and Respect: An Honourable Vision for A New Australia

We the peoples, whose voices have been silenced,
We the peoples, of First Nations, of many nations,
We the peoples, the marginalised and privileged children of terra nullius, the asylum children of poverty and war,
We the peoples of Australia seek a better way, a better life and a better nation.

As it stands, Australia is a divided nation, built on invasion and mourning, wealth and poverty.
As it stands, Australia is the bastard child of the British Empire,

So what does Australia stand for?

How can we be a mature nation when the First Nations are denied self-determination, human rights, land justice and voice?
How can we be a mature nation when those seeking the safety of our shores are demonised and imprisoned.
How can we be a mature nation when there is such disparity of wealth and access to services.
How can we be a mature nation when our aspirations are about our hip-pockets and not our values and vision.
As it stands, we are a nation suffering from arrested development – lacking in honour and moral fibre.

A nation’s identity comes from a compassionate inclusion of all of its cultures.
A nation’s identity comes from a willingness to face the truth of the past, the challenges of the present and a willingness to create justice for the future.


Your Voice is a movement/party for the future.
Your Voice stands against policies of exclusion and denial.
Your Voice stands with those who want to create a nation built on justice for the First Nations, treasuring the diversity of our many cultures and respect for the lands and waters of the creator spirits.
Your Voice stands with those who want fairness and rights for all peoples and all individuals.

We therefore put the following policies before the nation based on our themes of identity, justice and honour.

http://www.yourvoice.org.au/

14 Protestors Arrested at Wiradjuri Lake Cowal Demonstration

by savelakecowal Monday April 09, 2007 at 05:51 PM

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/04/143310.php

Fourteen protestors have been arrested at a demonstration in support of Wiradjuri Traditional Owners who want the Lake Cowal Gold Mine stopped.

Fourteen protestors have been arrested at a demonstration in support of Wiradjuri Traditional Owners who want the Lake Cowal Gold Mine stopped.

Around 100 Aboriginal and environmental supporters demonstrated at the Lake Cowal Gold mine, 47 kms from West Wyalong over Easter to protest against the desecration of traditional Wiradjuri lands and environmental damage caused by gold mining.

Some of the demonstrators locked themselves onto pieces of machinery, shutting down mine operations, while others occupied the mine's offices.

West Wyalong police charged the protestors with entering “inclosed land” under the obscure Inclosed Land Act 1901. The protestors were released on bail on the condition that they did not come within 10 kilometres of the mine.

Wiradjuri Traditional Owners have been holding convergences at Lake Cowal for a number of years as part of their campaign to raise awareness about the destruction of their ancient cultural heritage and their demands for the mine to be closed.

During yesterday's protest, a Barrick Gold mine manager refused to accept an eviction notice from Traditional Owner, Neville “Chappy” Williams. Mine Manager, Bill Shallvey, rudely refused to take the notice, the fourth issued to Barrick since 2002, shouting that Williams and his supporters were “misleading people”.

“Our Aboriginal People are being denied access to our sacred ground. Protestors from around the world are here to support our claim for access to our ancient lands. Australian Aboriginal Peoples have the oldest continuing living culture in the world. We Wiradjuri People are also being denied the right of spiritual and religious freedom under s.116 of the Australian Constitution,” Mr Williams said.

“Barrick is desecrating our sacred site and Dreaming Place and denying us access to our traditional lands. The company has moved or destroyed more than 10 000 artefacts including marked trees, damaging the integrity of the area forever.

“The company did a deal with five unauthorised Wiradjuri, who signed away the ancient inheritance of over 30 000 people of the Wiradjuri Nation. After signing the secret agreement with Barrick they discontinued their Native Title Claim over the area. Our Mooka and Kalara united families' claim is still active in the Federal Court and is proceeding towards determination. Our claim group is more than several thousand people who have bloodline back to Country over thousands and thousands of years.

“Despite Barrick's assertion that we are misleading people, what we are doing is our ancient cultural duty to protect our sacred Country for the generations to come. We are also raising awareness of the dangers of cyanide leach gold mining and the mine's excessive use of precious water in the middle of the worst drought on record. The fullest dams, in the very parched countryside between Condobolin and the mine, are the toxic tailings ponds west of the open cut pit, which extends into the lakebed.

“I am proud of the courageous and brave protestors who entered the mine, occupied its office and locked onto the conveyor belt, shutting down operations. They had my authority to enter our traditional lands.”

The Easter Sunday protest was the climax of the weekend of actions that included a Saturday morning demonstration in Condobolin outside the offices of the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation funded by Barrick under the secret agreement.

Attended by environmentalists from Bolivia, Canada, the United States, England, France, Germany, Iraq, Papua New Guinea and Switzerland as well as most Australian states, the campaign to protect Lake Cowal continues to gain international recognition as momentum grows in the fight to stop the desecration of Indigenous lands and the environmental destruction resulting from gold mining on all continents.

Activists are working towards international solidarity against Barrick on 2 May 2007, the day of its Annual General Meeting.

Contacts:
Neville Williams
0416 316 774

Ellie Gilbert
0427 795 639

http;//www.savelakecowal.org

Uncle Kevin Buzzacot Fundrasier

*Uncle Kevin Buzzacot* , elder of the Arabunna Lands of South Australia ,

the Keepers of Lake Eyre and indigenous campaigner has been diagnosed with
cancer.

As part of his recovery process over 35 indigenous and
non-indigenous artist's have gathered together to put on a spectacular
benefit.

Key artists include: Brolga Boys, Combat Wombat , Kutcha Edwards, West
Papuan Dance, MC Lash and many more.

There will be an Art auction at 8pm. Kangaroo steaks and vegan food
available. Kid friendly atmosphere.

When:

21st of April
4pm onwards
Uniting Church
351 High Street Northcote
$10/$15/$20
Kids Free


More Information below
____________________________________________________

Uncle Kevin Buzzacot - Arabunna Elder from South Australia-  has a long and
passionate commitment to issues of indigenous social justice, recognition
for  indigenous culture and the impact of uranium mining.  Uncle Kevin has
initiated numerous campaigns over the years, including the raising awareness
about the Roxby Downs uranium mines usage of water from the Great Artesian
Basin , a Peace Walk from Lake Eyre to the Olympic Games in 2000 and another
in 2004 from Roxby Downs to Hiroshima in Japan,

In 2002 he reclaimed his Kangaroo & Emu Totems from outside Old Parliament
House in Canberra, resulting in a lengthy court battle, in which he served
the government with a counter-writ on changes of Genocide. He gives ongoing
support to The Aboriginal Tent Embassy and was also involved in the 2006 Camp
Sovereignty at the Stolenwealth Games in Melbourne.

In 2001, Uncle Kevin was awarded the prestigious Nuclear-Free Future Peace
Prize in Ireland.

___________________________________________________

For more information call: Sam Hoffmann PH: 0432260884

see you there with the whanau Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land

Genocide,Sovereignty,Treaty Parts 1&2