Tear gas used on detainees on Christmas Island

Tue 15 Mar 2011
By Anonymous

In yet another disturbing incident within Australian detention centres, tear gas and possibly even rubber bullets have been used by the Australian Federal Police on Christmas Island against protesting detainees. With over 6000 people being held in detention and an increasing cycle of protests, escapes, hunger strikes, self-harm and repression within centres it is clear that the ALP has delivered a detention regime every bit as soul destroying as Howard.

The protesting detainees on Christmas Island are largely Iraqi and Iranian men frustrated at the length of their detention. According to Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition "The idea that tear gas and that kind of force could be used against detainees inside the detention centre is an absolute disgrace." A series of solidarity protests are occuring around Australia in the next month to call for end once and for all to the evil of mandatory detention.

Related: Easter Convergence on Curtin Detention Centre -- April 2nd Rally at Broadmeadows Detention Centre -- Sydney Palm Sunday Refugee rally
Background: Asylum seekers break out of Christmas Island detention centre | Crack down begins on Christmas Island

Senate inquiry into forced adoptions found barbaric, horrific abuses

Sun 06 Mar 2011
By Anonymous

Now that Parliament has apologised, please post your comments at http://www.indymedia.org.au/2013/03/22/the-prime-minister%E2%80%99s-apol... to make them more easily accessible

A senate committee has recommended the federal government formally apologise for past forced adoption practices described as barbaric and a "horror of our history".

The end of commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean?

Wed 23 Feb 2011
By takver

"The whale war in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is over. The whales have won!" announced Captain Paul Watson from the Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin on Saturday.

The Nisshin Maru whaling factory ship late last week made a pivotal course change north, as the Japanese Fisheries Agency announced that the whaling fleet had been recalled for this season.

Scholar’s paper points to Aboriginal mineral rights

Sun 13 Feb 2011
By Anonymous

Goodooga, northwest NSW, Sunday, 13 February 2011 - - When Aboriginal activists meet in Canberra at Easter they will have in front of them a paper that suggested to the Howard government that Aboriginal people are likely to test the crown ownership of minerals.

Solidarity actions called around Australia to support the Egyptian revolution

Tue 01 Feb 2011
By Anonymous

Protest actions have been called around Australia and the world to show support for the Egyptian Revolution. Actions occurred on the weekend of 29th-30th of January in Melbourne - reports 1, 2, Youtube video ; Sydney report, Youtube video. Actions also occurred in many cities around the world. Protests have again happened around Australia on the 4th February in Brisbane and Melbourne and on the 5th in Sydney

Upcoming actions included Friday 11th in Brisbane and Saturday 12th in Adelaide.
Related: Youtube clip of worldwide protests

Egypt rises up – protests erupt to bring down Mubarak

Sat 29 Jan 2011
By Anonymous

The historic democratic uprising in the Arab world continues this week. The fall of the government in Tunisia has sparked off demonstrations in Yemen, Jordan, Algeria and most significantly now in Egypt.

These uprisings are not being led by any political parties or religious groups but are spontaneous demonstrations by the people who are fed up with poverty, corruption and a lack of human rights. They also pose a massive threat to U.S. and other Western interests in the Middle East who have backed these Arab dictatorships for decades. The U.S. is showing its true colours once again by failing to back the demonstrators on the streets. Wikileaks released documents on the 28th January showing just how much the U.S. government knew about Mubarak's crimes against his own people.

These uprisings are also being fuelled by the new channels of information like satellite television and the internet through Facebook, Twitter and Wikileaks. The Egyptian government in response has pulled the plug on the internet. Online protest group Anonymous has also launched cyber protests against the regime in solidarity. As John Pilger has observed, the world is witnessing the rise of a new superpower, and that's the power of the world's people.

Update:: Mubarak has sacked the Cabinet but is resisting demands to resign as protests continue. He has now appointed Omar Suleiman as Vice President. Lieutenant General Omar Suleiman (born 1936) is the Egyptian General Intelligence Director. He is the head of intelligence in Egypt and loyal to Mubarak. Protesters have loudly condemned the appointment of Omar Suleiman as Vice President. New Prime Minister of Egypt has been appointed - Ahmed Shafiq was Aviation minister in the former government.

Protesters are out in the streets in great numbers in defiance of curfew for a second night. Police and State Security have vanished, being replaced by the army which has been welcomed by protesters. The death toll in the week of protests is now more than 100 people.

Solidarity protests have been called in Sydney, Melbourne on Sunday 30th January and Brisbane on February 4th.

Background: Egypt:Tens of thousands on the streets | Egyptian Government pulls the plug on the internet | Egyptians reclaim the streets

Australia marks Survival/Invasion Day 2011

Thu 27 Jan 2011
By Anonymous

Australia Day on January 26th marks the day Europeans began their occupation of Aboriginal land. The process of occupation and colonisation has been a devastating one for the indigenous occupants of Australia. Mainstream Australia celebrated the day by proudly waving the flag on their cars, clothing or even draping themselves in the "Cronulla cape". Others were “relaxed and comfortable” as John Howard urged us years ago and attended bbq's or the beach. However many Australians attended events that called for justice for Indigenous Australia and to reject the idea that January 26th is a day that all Australians should “celebrate”. In Tasmania 400 people marched to demand a change to our national day. In Belgrave in Melbourne others attended a Survival Day concert. In Sydney hundreds marched in Redfern against the Intervention before attending the 2011 Yabun Festival. Hundreds also marched Brisbane at an invasion day rally.

Hunger strike at Curtin detention centre

Wed 19 Jan 2011
By Anonymous

Hundreds of asylum seekers largely from Afghanistan are currently on a hunger strike at Curtin Detention Centre. Many fearing deportation back to war torn Afghanistan after the Australian Government this week struck a deal with the corrupt Karzai government on returning "failed" asylum seekers. One asylum seeker also attempted suicide. Despite attempts by Serco and the Immigration Department to play down the protest, messages form the asylum seekers have started to reach the outside world.
Related: Perth Indymedia -- Project Safe.com press release -- R.I.S.E. Press Release -- Perth Now coverage -- Sydney Morning Herald coverage

Wikileaks supporters rally in Sydney

Sun 16 Jan 2011
By takver

About a thousand people rallied in Sydney on Saturday in support of wikileaks and Julian Assange. Assange is presently under house arrest in England fighting an extradition notice to Sweden over sexual assault allegations. Wikileaks continues publishing US diplomatic cables exposing the corruption of secret government policy and action, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Related: John Pilger's investigation into the war on WikiLeaks and his interview with Julian Assange | A Song for Bradley Manning | www.bradleymanning.org | www.wlcentral.org | WikiLeaks advisory board member Phillip Adams' statement on Wikileaks

Floods threaten Brisbane, one third of Queensland declared a disaster area

Wed 12 Jan 2011
By takver

Over a third of the Australian state of Queensland has been declared a disaster area with the capital Brisbane on flood alert expected to experience it's worst flooding in living memory. Early report: Brisbane flood, from an island in suburbia. Total deaths from Queensland floods now number 27 - 10 from Rockhampton and regional floods in late December and 17 from the flooding in Toowoomba, Lockyer valley and Brisbane, with 14 people now listed as missing feared dead (revised down from 55).

This flood event follows widespead flooding across northern and central Queensland over the christmas holiday period that affected over 200,000 people, closing major highways and airports, closing most of the mines in the state, damaging crops, and causing billions of dollars worth of damage.

Friends of the Earth have warned about heavy metals released in flood waters and a Wiradjuri elder has warned of the risk of groundwater poisoning from gold mine at Lake Cowal if floodwaters breach the open cut mine owned by Canadian company Barrick Gold. The Great Barrier Reef is under threat from toxic pollution from floods according to the WWF.

The question that few people are publicly discussing is to what extent is climate change contributing to this disaster presently unfolding in Australia.

Global Indymedia | Climate IMC