Newsletter date: 12 February 2013
Contents:
* Aboriginal Tent Embassies in Canberra and Brisbane: Let Aboriginal people manage their own affairs
* Jon Lamb, Socialist Alternative: "They cannot put out the fire of sovereignty"
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and the Aboriginal tent embassies
* ISJA: TJ Hickey: Nine Long Years...Time for Justice?
* Event: Rally 9th Anniversary of TJ Hickey's death - 14 Feb 13
* Emma Murphy, Green Left: NT government cuts services, reverses Aboriginal gains
* Background to Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody
* Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws
* Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* ANTaR: Reporting progress towards closing the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
* Other articles
* ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSIES IN CANBERRA AND BRISBANE: LET ABORIGINAL PEOPLE MANAGE THEIR OWN AFFAIRS
- Open Letter
Green Left: Let Aboriginal people manage their own affairs
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53278
9 Feb 13: "The open letter below was released by the Aboriginal Tent Embassies in Canberra and Brisbane of February 8. ***
We are disappointed and outraged at the racist message conveyed in the Australian article "Rivers of Grog" on February 6. Those of us gathered at the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra, in preparation for the protest against legislative changes, completely reject the stereotypes being used as wedge politics by the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
The prime minister should know better than to make cheap political attacks on the world’s oldest culture. Our rivers are sacred to our people. "Rivers of Grog" is a derogatory term that maligns our sacred rivers.
Gamilaraay elder, Uncle Paul Spearim, and Brisbane Aboriginal sovereign embassy youth representative, Boe Spearim, have expressed their concerns that Aboriginal people in Queensland and the Northern Territory will now suffer the consequences of increased hostility and suspicion about alcohol consumption.
The truth is 85% of all Aboriginal people choose not to drink alcohol, whereas it is the reverse in the non-Aboriginal population. ... "
See:
About GLW - the need for alternative media
http://www.greenleft.org.au/about
"In these days of growing media concentration, Green Left Weekly is a proudly independent voice committed to human and civil rights, global peace and environmental sustainability, democracy and equality."
* JON LAMB, SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE: "THEY CANNOT PUT OUT THE FIRE OF SOVEREIGNTY"
- Analysis / Opinion
Socialist Alternative: "They cannot put out the fire of sovereignty"
SA: http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7651:they-cann...
Direct Action: http://directaction.org.au/2013/they_cannot_put_out_the_fire_of_sovereignty
8 Feb 13: " Last year marked an important turning point in the struggle of Aboriginal people for justice and sovereignty. The 40th anniversary commemoration of the Tent Embassy in Canberra, culminating in the January 26 Invasion Day protest, sparked a renewed fight by activists young and old against the ongoing and institutionalised racism endured by Aboriginal people. In the year since then, sovereign tent embassies have been established across Australia, with Aboriginal activists and their supporters vowing to rekindle and rebuild a new movement for sovereign rights. Already 2013 is shaping up as another year of struggle." Jon Lamb
See:
Socialist Alternative - Where we came from
http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3912:where-we-...
"Socialist Alternative stands in the tradition of "socialism from below" which dates back to Karl Marx's famous declaration: "The emancipation of the working class must be conquered by the working class themselves." Marx recognised that the horrors of capitalism could only be abolished by workers' revolution. But this would be a thoroughly democratic revolution."
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT AND THE ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSIES:
Last updated: 10 February 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* ISJA: TJ HICKEY: NINE LONG YEARS... TIME FOR JUSTICE?
- Analysis / Opinion
TJ Hickey PR Final 2013 - Redfern-Waterloo Community Action
Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA): TJ Hickey: Nine Long Years....Time for Justice?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Redfern-Waterloo/message/7092
9 Feb 13: "So in the NINTH ANNIVERSARY, Gail, the Family, the Communities where TJ lived, ISJA as well as other supporters continue to call for Justice for TJ and all Deaths in Custody. The call for Justice is the reopening of a wider investigation into the facts, the appearance of previously blocked witnesses and the presentation of all other withheld evidence, so as to allow for a full forensic examination of the facts to be finally able to reach an honest and just conclusion, the TJ plaque must finally be affixed to the fence line to remember TJ and all NSW Deaths in Custody as well as to stop all Deaths in Custody.
For more information contact Ray Jackson ... or Raul Bassi"
* EVENT: RALLY 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF TJ HICKEY'S DEATH - 14 FEB 13
- Event
Event: Thu 14 February 2013: Waterloo, Sydney, NSW
Rally 9th Anniversary of TJ Hickey's death:
9 Years Too Long! Re open the TJ inquiry!
Demand justice for TJ and all other Deaths in Costody!
Organised by the Hickey family and the
Indigenous Social Justice Association: http://www.isja-msg.com/index.htm
Flyer: http://indymedia.org.au/files/flyer%20front%209th%20anniversary%20tj%20h...
Event details: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/9-years-too-long-re-open-the-tj-inquiry
Event summary: http://www.greenleft.org.au/events/53144
TJ Petition: https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/re-open-the-coronial-inquiry-into...
WGAR Background to Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...
WGAR Background to the justice for Kumentjaye Briscoe campaign: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-the-justice-for-kumentj...
* EMMA MURPHY, GREEN LEFT: NT GOVERNMENT CUTS SERVICES, REVERSES ABORIGINAL GAINS
- Analysis / Opinion
Green Left: NT government cuts services, reverses Aboriginal gains
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/53272
9 Feb 13: "Disturbingly, the Northern Territory now jails Aboriginal adults and children at rates higher than anywhere else in Australia, and these rates are rising. Since the NT intervention - now called Stronger Futures - was introduced almost six years ago, alcohol-related police "incidents" have risen from 3239 incidents in 2007- 08 to 4870 in 2011. In June 2011, the overall imprisonment rates of Aboriginal people in the NT had risen by 40%. But the Deloitte report has been dismissed by NT attorney general and corrections minister John Elferink, who said on February 4 it would not influence the Country Liberal (CLP) government’s policies." By Emma Murphy
See:
Emma Murphy - Green Left Weekly
http://www.greenleft.org.au/taxonomy/term/653
"GLW author Emma Murphy"
About GLW - the need for alternative media
http://www.greenleft.org.au/about
"By printing the news and ideas the mainstream media won't, Green Left Weekly exposes the lies and distortions of the power brokers and helps us to better understand the world around us."
* BACKGROUND TO ABORIGINAL IMPRISONMENT AND DEATHS IN CUSTODY:
Last updated: 7 February 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...
* BACKGROUND TO 'STRONGER FUTURES' NEW NT INTERVENTION LAWS:
Last updated: 4 February 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-stronger-futures-new-nt...
* BACKGROUND TO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) INTERVENTION:
Last updated: 31 December 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
* ANTaR: REPORTING PROGRESS TOWARDS CLOSING THE GAP IN LIFE EXPECTANCY BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
- News
ANTaR: Reporting progress towards closing the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
http://antar.org.au/news/reporting-progress-towards-closing-gap-life-exp...
6 Feb 13: "The Indigenous Leadership Group of the Close the Gap Campaign this morning met with the Prime Minister before she tabled her annual report on progress in Closing the Gap.
They discussed critical developments for the 2013 year, these being;
* The development of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan
* The need for future commitment of funds as the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes comes to a close mid 2013.
* The Federal Election, as an opportunity for all political parties engaged with health equality ... "
See:
WGAR News: Sovereignty not constitutional recognition the key to closing the gap: The Wire (9 Feb 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/02/08/wgar-news-sovereignty-not-constitutio...
ANTaR - Statement of Purpose
http://antar.org.au/about/purpose
"ANTaR listens to and supports the aspirations of First Peoples and works to educate the wider community, shape public opinion, speak up against injustice and influence public policy to advance our vision."
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- News
ANTaR: Be part of history in the making - Feb 13
http://antar.org.au/news/be-part-history-making-feb-13
4 Feb 13: "A significant step along the road to Constitutional Recognition is fast approaching. The Bill of Recognition introduced to Federal Parliament in November is expected to be voted on next Wednesday 13 February. Read here how you can get involved."
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