Darren Dick from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission worked with Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma on the recent Social Justice Report 2007. This report provides extensive analysis of the way the NT intervention is breaching Australia's Human Rights obligations.
This Monday, he will join Mutitjulu elder Vince Forrester and Monique Wiseman from the Aboriginal Rights Coalition in discussion about the current impact of the NT intervention and the future of the campaign.
Monday April 14 6pm Redfern Community Centre
BBQ provided
Speakers include:
* Vince Forrester - Elder from Mutitjulu community
* Darren Dick - Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
* Monique Wiseman - Aboriginal Rights Coalition activist, recently returned from solidarity work in Darwin town camps
Two months after Kevin Rudd's apology to the stolen generation, a new wave of dispossession in sweeping through the Northern Territory.
The NT intervention has introduced a punitive welfare regime and seen the closure of many services in remote communities. Large numbers of people are being forced into the major urban centres, where they can not access employment or accommodation. Last Thursday and Friday in Alice Springs, a "special police operation" targeting "anti-social behaviour" (ie Aboriginal people in public spaces) saw 188 people taken into custody.
Vince Forrester is a long time land rights activist and Aboriginal leader. He is from Mutitjulu, a proud community whose demonisation paved the way to the federal intervention. He will discuss the devastating impact this policy is having on his people - from the intimidating police raids through to the closure of the local high school and health care facilities. He will also discuss strategies for reasserting self-determination and campaigning to seriously address disadvantage.
Monique Wiseman has recently returned from Darwin. She will speak about the deteriorating conditions in Darwin's town camps, whose populations have doubled through the intervention as people are forced in from remote communities.
This forum will also provide an opportunity to talk about the way forward for the campaign against the Northern Territory intervention. The Aboriginal Rights Coalition is preparing for a national conference in May. We are also building for mass rallies on June 21, marking one year since the intervention.
Come along, here the stories first-hand and get involved in the campaign!
For more info see: http://aboriginalrightscoalition.wordpress.com
Contact: Greg Eatock 0432050240 Paddy Gibson 0415800586
Watch footage of recent ARC protest at Redfern Centrelink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g5Er9jdxNo
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3 comments:
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission was established in 1986 by an act of the Federal Parliament.Its goal is to foster greater understanding and protection of human rights in Australia and to address the human rights concerns of a broad range of individuals and groups.I must thank you for working there.I wish you to increase your service to humanity.
Looking to perform an intervention on a loved one who is abusing drugs or alcohol? This site can definitely help.
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If we are not to repeat the mistakes of the past, it seems to me critical that non-Aboriginal peope do NOT represent themselves as the spokespersons or chief organisers of an Aboriginal rights movement - if self-determination means anything, we should understand that we can support but not lead
I agree Tim, but I don't get your point? The campaign is largely being led by Aboriginal people.
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