Newsletter date: 4 May 2013
Contents:
* Michael Anderson: Don't sign your sovereign rights away with ILUAs [Indigenous Land Use Agreements]
* The Stringer: Ceding Sovereignty for a few crumbs
* Let's Talk's Tiga Bayles interviews Aunty Lilla Watson & Mary Graham
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and the Aboriginal tent embassies
* Sovereign Union: Ongoing racism and abuse at Brisbane Sovereign Embassy
* Sovereign Union Audioboo: Musgrave Park Arrests - Wayne Coco Wharton Interview
* 4ZZZ Brisbane: BCC clash with Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy [Kevin Arjin Interview]
* Workers Bush Telegraph: Why the sacred fire is important to everyone
* NIRS: Police make more Musgrave Park arrests
* Background to the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy, Musgrave Park, South Brisbane, Qld
* Australian: Aboriginal actors refused taxis four times before being racially abused
* Yahoo!7: Aboriginal actors racially abused in Melbourne
* NIRS: We were racially abused in Melbourne: Actors
* Tracker: Melb taxi drivers may dodge racism probe
* MICHAEL ANDERSON: DON'T SIGN YOUR SOVEREIGN RIGHTS AWAY WITH ILUAS
- Media Release
Don't sign your sovereign rights away with ILUAs
Sovereign Union: http://www.sovereignunion.mobi/content/dont-sign-your-sovereign-rights-a...
2 May 13: "Michael Anderson, 2 May 2013
Having reviewed more of the legal aspects associated with Aboriginal sovereignty, I now understand in greater detail why the Australian state and Territory governments are quickly offering Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs).
My concerns come from international legal advice based on a Canadian Supreme Court case Delgamuukw [1997] coupled with the Mabo judgement of 1992. ...
Everything we have, we achieved by getting on the streets and fighting for it. Nobody gave us anything. The Aboriginal Embassy is a testament to the fact that we are independent sovereign peoples and the authorities respect its function and purpose. We argue that it is an embassy in the real sense of the word, covered by international law. It is not a protest. It is an embassy that stands for 'sovereignty never ceded'.
I appeal once again to all our countrymen and women - think about what you are doing when you sign an ILUA, for you are in fact ceding your sovereignty for a few crumbs."
* THE STRINGER: CEDING SOVEREIGNTY FOR A FEW CRUMBS
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: Ceding Sovereignty for a few crumbs
http://thestringer.com.au/ceding-sovereignty-for-a-few-crumbs/
2 May 13: "One of Australia’s most prominent Aboriginal voices and the last remaining founder of Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Michael Anderson warns Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples against signing Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUA). He said to do so is to hand over every prospect of sovereignty. The former lawyer said the ILUA is poor compensation for sovereign rights. The Native Title Act was set up to procure compensation for Traditional Owners who agree to access to Country for predominately the resource sector. But the Act was watered down by former Prime Ministers Paul Keating and John Howard."
* LET'S TALK'S TIGA BAYLES INTERVIEWS AUNTY LILLA WATSON & MARY GRAHAM
- Audio Interview
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Let's Talk - Aunty Lilla Watson & Mary Graham
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/lets-talk/
2 May 13
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/aunty-lilla-watson-mary-graha...
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT AND THE ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSIES:
Last updated: 28 April 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* SOVEREIGN UNION: ONGOING RACISM AND ABUSE AT BRISBANE SOVEREIGN EMBASSY
- Analysis / Opinion
Sovereign Union: Ongoing racism and abuse at Brisbane Sovereign Embassy
http://www.sovereignunion.mobi/node/544
"Almost one year on from the denial of Aboriginal Sovereign rights at Musgrave Park and 16 days preceding an Annual Gathering followed by National Treaty Talks at the same location, the police arrested a Jagera elder for maintaining the sacred fire. The Jagera elder, Kevin Arjin Warrugar, was arrested on Monday 29th April and held in custody at the Roma Street Watch House. He was charged with obstructing police. His bail conditions restricted him from attending the Embassy on his own peoples land. He returned to the Embassy on the following day to re-light the sacred fire and has been arrested for breach of bail."
* SOVEREIGN UNION AUDIOBOO: MUSGRAVE PARK ARRESTS - WAYNE COCO WHARTON INTERVIEW
- Audio Interview
Sovereign Union Audioboo: Musgrave Park Arrests - Wayne Coco Wharton Interview
http://audioboo.fm/boos/1363333-musgrave-park-arrests-wayne-coco-wharton...
"Two men have been arrested following a confrontation with police at the site of the Musgrave Park Aboriginal sovereign embassy. The men were charged with wilful damage and obstructing police after lighting a sacred fire. Terri Begley asked Embassy spokesman Wayne Warton why things have come to a head
Source: ABC 'Drive' with Tim Cox
Image: Embassy site at time of interview - arrests made, fire extinguished and and site cleared later in the day 30/04/13. Wayne 'Coco' Wharton interview (Pictured - bottom right)"
* 4ZZZ BRISBANE: BCC CLASH WITH BRISBANE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGN EMBASSY [KEVIN ARJIN INTERVIEW]
- Audio Interview
4ZZZ Brisbane: BCC clash with Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy
http://www.4zzzfm.org.au/news/audio/2013/apr/30/bcc-clash-brisbane-abori...
30 Apr 13: "Monday saw the Brisbane City Council descend on the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy, which saw the sites sacred fire being extinguished. Jagera elder Kevin Arjin was arrested for lighting the fire but was later released without charge, and had his tent confiscated. 4zzz reporter Sarah Wykes spoke to Kevin Arjin about the events of the day and the actions of the Brisbane City Council. Lord Mayor Quirk's office was unavailable for comment at the time."
* WORKERS BUSH TELEGRAPH: WHY THE SACRED FIRE IS IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE
- Analysis / Opinion
Workers Bush Telegraph: Why the sacred fire is important to everyone
http://workersbushtelegraph.com.au/2013/04/29/traditional-owner-taken-in...
29 Apr 13: "A week ago, Jagera elder, Kevin, was kicked out of his housing commission home. Tonight Kevin is in jail for re-lighting the sacred fire. A little after noon today, West End police arrested a traditional owner of Musgrave Park. Policewoman Luskin and policeman Keene acted under the direction of Sgt Brock Murphy, the officer-in–charge. A 62-year man was arrested along with the traditional owner by policeman Jason Zuanetti and policewoman, Moran. Later at 5 pm, the two were arrested for a second time, and taken to the police watchouse."
* NIRS: POLICE MAKE MORE MUSGRAVE PARK ARRESTS
- Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Police make more Musgrave Park arrests
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29163/Police-make-more-Musgrave...
1 May 13: "The Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy says three of their members were arrested yesterday afternoon at Musgrave Park. ... One of yesterday’s arrestees, Kevin Arjin, spoke outside the Brisbane watch house at Roma Street after being released."
* BACKGROUND TO THE BRISBANE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGN EMBASSY, MUSGRAVE PARK, SOUTH BRISBANE, QLD
Last updated: 26 March 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/02/brisbane-aboriginal-sovereign-embassy...
* AUSTRALIAN: ABORIGINAL ACTORS REFUSED TAXIS FOUR TIMES BEFORE BEING RACIALLY ABUSED
- News
Australian: Aboriginal actors refused taxis four times before being racially abused
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/aboriginal-actors-refused-taxis-fou...
2 May 13: "A GROUP of Aboriginal actors has been refused four taxis in Melbourne and then racially abused when they resorted to using public transport. Actor Jada Alberts said she had been in the city rehearsing for The Shadow King, an upcoming indigenous production based on Shakespeare's King Lear, when several cast members were refused cab rides and later told they "don't exist" by an angry tram passenger the next day. ... Ms Alberts said the trouble started on Monday evening, when their attempts at getting a cab from outside the Malthouse Theatre in South Melbourne proved fruitless ... "
- Related Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/am-3-05.mp3
3 May 13: "Racism is alive and well in Melbourne again with several prominent aboriginal actors refused taxi service and racially abused on a St. Kilda tram while making their way back to work at a local theatre."
* YAHOO!7: ABORIGINAL ACTORS RACIALLY ABUSED IN MELBOURNE
- News
Yahoo!7: Aboriginal actors racially abused in Melbourne
http://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/latest/a/-/article/16972298/aboriginal-acto...
2 May 13: "A group of Aboriginal actors say they were refused service by four Melbourne taxis and racially abused on a tram within a 24-hour period. Actor Jada Alberts, one of the cast members of the production The Shadow King, says four booked taxis drove away after rehearsals at the Malthouse Theatre on Monday night. A group of Alberts's fellow actors was waiting outside Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre to collect taxis to take them the couple of kilometres to their hotel."
* NIRS: WE WERE RACIALLY ABUSED IN MELBOURNE: ACTORS
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: We were racially abused in Melbourne: Actors
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29182/We-were-racially-abused-i...
3 May 13: "One of a group of Aboriginal actors who say they were the victims of racism in Melbourne has described the ordeals as 'heartbreaking'."
* TRACKER: MELB TAXI DRIVERS MAY DODGE RACISM PROBE
- News
newsTracker: Melb taxi drivers may dodge racism probe
http://tracker.org.au/2013/05/melb-taxi-drivers-may-dodge-racism-probe/
3 May 13: "Four Melbourne taxi drivers who refused to carry Aboriginal actors may never be formally punished because the group hasn’t lodged a complaint with the industry watchdog. Playwright and actor Jada Alberts came forward on Thursday to express outrage over being denied a ride earlier in the week when cab drivers realised their prospective passengers were Aboriginal."
- - -
About WGAR News:
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/30/about-wgar-news-working-group-for-abo...
Subscription to 'WGAR News' is free.
'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on:
* the Australian Federal government intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities;
* the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and the Aboriginal tent embassies;
* other Aboriginal rights issues; and
* upcoming Aboriginal rights events around Australia.
'WGAR News' publishes information and opinions from a wide range of sources.
These opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of WGAR.
The e-newsletters include media releases, opinion pieces, news items, audio, videos and events.
Subscribers can expect to receive about 7 e-newsletters each week.
To subscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "subscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
To unsubscribe, email wgar.news@gmail.com and include the words "unsubscribe WGAR News" in the message header.
Sample WGAR News e-newsletters:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-sample-wgar-news-e-ne...
- - -
WGAR events postings:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-events-postings
WGAR background info web-pages:
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/01/03/about-wgar-news-wgar-background-info-...
- - -
You can also subscribe to our second list 'Contact WGAR' which provides a point of contact and includes occasional activities and events.
To subscribe, email contactwgar@gmail.com and include the words "subscribe WGAR Contact" in the message header.
- - -
WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)
WGAR Website: http://wgar.wordpress.com/