WGAR News: Michael Anderson returns from UN Symposium and announced the next Sovereign Union meeting

Newsletter date: 8 October 2013

Contents:

* Sovereign Union: Michael Anderson returns from UN Symposium and announced the next Sovereign Union meeting
* Canberra Event: 23-24 November 2013: Next Sovereign Union meeting
* Musgrave Park, South Brisbane Event: 11-13 October 2013: 31st Anniversary Commonwealth Games Protests
* Canberra Event: 17-18 October 2013: First Nations Gathering - Aboriginal Tent Embassy
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and the Aboriginal tent embassies

* James Rose, Crikey: Book Review: Forgotten War [By Henry Reynolds]

* Matt Bell, ANTaR Victoria: Its Time to Pay the Rent

* The Wire: Dharawal community happy to preserve Australia’s oldest national park [Featuring Dootch Kennedy]

* SOVEREIGN UNION: MICHAEL ANDERSON RETURNS FROM UN SYMPOSIUM AND ANNOUNCED THE NEXT SOVEREIGN UNION MEETING

- Media Release

Sovereign Union: Michael Anderson returns from UN Symposium and announced the next Sovereign Union meeting
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/michael-anderson-returns-un-s...
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/pdf/2013/130926-MA-SU-media%20release...
26 Sep 13: "Ghillar, Michael Anderson, Covenor ...
Michael Anderson said on his return from Geneva that, "the Historic Symposium on Indigenous participation within the United Nations was an important event, considering it included nominated youth from the seven regions of the Aboriginal/Indigenous world. The youth representatives were chosen by the Elders, who were amongst the First Nations participants in 1977 and 1981.'
Anderson said, "It was the 1981 conference that brought about the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Peoples, and now 37 years on we have the United Nations Declaration on the Right of Indigenous Peoples.
"I was invited to attend the Historic Symposium, since a sequence of events determined that I was the first Aboriginal person to present to the global Indigenous forum. ... "

- Audio

National Indigenous Radio Service: Sovereignty a common theme at UN: Anderson
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/30481/Sovereignty-a-common-them...
1 Oct 13: "By Warren Barnsley: Co-founder of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Michael Anderson, says a United Nations meeting at Geneva in Switzerland saw discussions to continue the push for First Nations sovereignty. Mr. Anderson, a Euahlayi man from northern New South Wales, attended the Historical Symposium on Indigenous participation at the UN, which saw Indigenous delegates from seven world regions. He says there were common themes between the groups."

* CANBERRA EVENT: 23-24 NOVEMBER 2013: NEXT SOVEREIGN UNION MEETING

- Upcoming Event

Event: 23 - 24 November 2013: Canberra, ACT
Michael Anderson returns from UN Historical Symposium in Geneva
and has announced the next Sovereign Union meeting
in Canberra on 23 - 24 November 2013
"In regard to these proposed International discussions on
Sovereignty and Self-determination, we are extending an
invitation to all Sovereign Aboriginal Nations in Australia to
meet together in Canberra on Saturday and Sunday
23 - 24 November. The invitation is open to two delegates,
an Elder and a youth, from each Sovereign Nation where
and if possible, with limited space for observers. We are in the
process of securing a venue and the dates are definite."
"The key issues that will be focused on at this gathering are:
* Sovereignty and Self-Determination
* Native Title - v - Aboriginal Sovereignty
* United Nations and International Law on de-colonisation
* Declaring Sovereign Independence
* Developing International Relationships and
* Unification of Sovereign Aboriginal Nations within Australia."
Event details: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/michael-anderson-returns-un-s...

* MUSGRAVE PARK, SOUTH BRISBANE EVENT: 11-13 OCTOBER 2013: 31ST ANNIVERSARY COMMONWEALTH GAMES PROTESTS

- Upcoming Event

Event: 11-13 October 2013: South Brisbane, Qld
31st Anniversary Commonwealth Games Protests
Musgrave Park, South Brisbane
"Three days full of activities to mark a historic
turning point in the struggle for Aboriginal rights
in Queensland and across the country."
"Saturday 12th October:
10am: Workshops on First Nations Sovereignty including
sovereignty and multiculturalism;
co-occupation and sovereignty;
sovereignty and the environment;
the recognition bill and constitutional change;
Indigenous conference during G20"
Event details: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/images/2013/gatherings/bris-oct.jpg

* CANBERRA EVENT: 17-18 OCTOBER 2013: FIRST NATIONS GATHERING - ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSY

- Upcoming Event

Event: 17-18 October 2013: Canberra, ACT
First Nations Gathering
Aboriginal Tent Embassy Canberra
"* First Nations stand up and oppose the Mundine, Pearson gang!
* Mundine, Pearson and government must honour and implement
the UN Declaration on the Rights of First Nations Peoples without treaties.
* No more genocide dressed as policies "saving Aborigines from themselves"!"
"Calling on First Nations People authorised to speak for
their communities, First Nations souljas and supporters to
gather in Canberra to march on Parliament to protest and
resist fresh attacks on First Nations People by the new
Australian Government and its handpicked committee of
genocidal assimilationists."
Event details: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/images/2013/gatherings/emb-oct.jpg
NITV News: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/09/19/protestors-prepare-rally-a...

* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT AND THE ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSIES:

Last updated: 7 October 2013

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...

* JAMES ROSE, CRIKEY: BOOK REVIEW: FORGOTTEN WAR [BY HENRY REYNOLDS]

- Book Review

Crikey: Truth to Tell: Book Review: Forgotten War
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/truthtotell/2013/09/24/book-review-henry-reyn...
24 Sep 13: "Henry Reynolds’ new book explores the dark history of Australia’s Frontier Wars and finds that Australian history is in denial. ... For not just the new government, but for all those Australians who have chosen not to be culturally lobotomised by the official view, Reynold’s concluding remarks should be read and re-read: "The process of reconciliation may have brought some people closer together, but white history and black history are as far apart as ever."" James Rose, Sunshine Coast-based Writer and Author

* MATT BELL, ANTaR VICTORIA: ITS TIME TO PAY THE RENT

- Analysis / Opinion

ANTaR Victoria: Its Time to Pay the Rent
http://www.antarvictoria.org.au/news/its-time-to-pay-the-rent.php
"Our society and its economy are built on stolen land. ... Terra Nullius was claimed on the basis that no humans were living on the land or had any relationship with the land. Before colonisation Aboriginal people owned the land, not in the same way our recent Western tradition would understand it, but ownership none the less. They used this land as a source of food, a spiritual resource, and used the produce of the land to trade with neighbouring nations, who also had their land. This land sustained both their material and spiritual economies. This land, and all it means to Aboriginal people was taken without permission, often by force and with no recompense, it was stolen. This is unjust." By Matt Bell, Co-Chairperson, The ANTaR Victoria Committee of Management

* THE WIRE: DHARAWAL COMMUNITY HAPPY TO PRESERVE AUSTRALIA'S OLDEST NATIONAL PARK [FEATURING DOOTCH KENNEDY]

- Audio Interview

The Wire: Dharawal community happy to preserve Australia’s oldest national park
Produced by Joline Samawi
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=10879
1 Oct 13: "The NSW government are pushing for the Royal National Park to become part of the world heritage list. The most visited national park in NSW, this site has sacred significance to the Dharawal people whom have inhabited the space for thousands of years. Chairperson of the Illawara local aboriginal land council Dootch Kennedy shares the significance of the place to him and his Abouriginal ancestry. ...
Featured in story:
Chairperson of the Illawara local aboriginal land council - Dootch Kennedy"

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