Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia

Submitted by WGAR - Working ... on Sun, 16/02/2014 - 3:26pm

Last updated: 13 May 2014

Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and the Aboriginal tent embassies
Main Contents Page:
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...

- Petition

Change.org petition TREATY
Petitioning To the Australian Government, To the Prime Minister, To the Attorney-General
Petition by Gerry Georgatos, Bridgetown, Australia
Change.org : http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/to-the-australian-government-to-th...
Gerry Georgatos, Indymedia Australia: http://indymedia.org.au/2014/01/20/treaty-changeorg-petition-for-treaty-...
"TREATY is the justice - when TREATY is here, "that'd be the justice" said a Central Desert Elder to me.
When we settle for less, in general we are left with 'the less', period.
TREATY is about justice, about humanity, about equality. TREATY will best define the Australian peoples and the ways forward. ...
Far too many narratives of tragedy, of stories untold, voices unheard, unbearable ordeals have occurred - they need not continue. "TREATY is the justice."
I ask all my fellow Australians to coalesce in and with humanity to sign this petition and call upon our Government, upon the Prime Minister and upon the Attorney-General, and upon all our parliamentarians, to move without delay, in bringing on the national conversations for TREATY - to not stand in the way of our Aboriginal and Torres Islander brothers and sisters in defining and in bringing about TREATY.
TREATY will enrich the national consciousness. ... "

[Editorial Note: WGAR respectfully acknowledges that there are many Aboriginal Sovereign Nations and there is a potential for many Sovereign Treaties and/or Peace Accords.]

- Compilations

WGAR News: Callum Clayton-Dixon, The Stringer: Treaties Are Agreements Between Equals (13 May 14)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2014/05/12/wgar-news-charter-of-the-united-natio...

WGAR News: 'concerned Australians': Survey of Aboriginal Adults residing outside the Northern Territory on The Intervention and Stronger Futures Legislation, Constitutional Change and Treaties (30 Apr 14)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2014/04/29/wgar-news-police-checks-targeting-abo...

WGAR News: Watch the Let's Talk Treaty discussion: Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane (19 Mar 14)
http://indymedia.org.au/2014/03/18/wgar-news-watch-the-lets-talk-treaty-...
"Contents:
* Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane: Watch the Let's Talk Treaty discussion
[Panelists include, Wayne Butcher, Monica Morgan, Warren Mundine & Nicole Watson, hosted by Tiga Bayles]
* The Wheeler Centre: Intelligence Squared Debate: True Reconciliation Requires a Treaty
[Chaired by Michael Williams, with speakers George Williams, Mark Yettica-Paulson, Mick Dodson, Peter Sutton, Tony Birch & Gregory Phillips]
* 'concerned Australians': In the Absence of Treaties:
[Melbourne launch audio featuring Barry Judd, Leila Gurruwiwi, Alastair Nicholson, Richard Frankland, Kutcha Edwards, Joshua Bond & Daniel Fox]
* 'concerned Australians': In the Absence of Treaties:
[Canberra launch videos featuring Graeme Mundine, John Falzon & Jon Altman]
* 'concerned Australians': 'In the Absence of Treaty' Ryde (NSW) Book launch - Sat 28 June 2014
* Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia"

WGAR News: Treaty Now: An agreement between two equals: Callum Clayton-Dixon, Tracker (10 Mar 14)
http://indymedia.org.au/2014/03/09/wgar-news-treaty-now-an-agreement-bet...
"Contents:
* Callum Clayton-Dixon, Tracker: Treaty Now: An agreement between two equals
* Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia
* Callum Clayton-Dixon, Tracker: Sovereignty: not a radical concept
* Jeff McMullen, Tracker: The Way Ahead: Sovereign rights in the 21st century
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement ... "

WGAR News: Michael Mansell talks TREATY - Brisbane Blacks interview: Aboriginal Provisional Government (7 Mar 14)
http://indymedia.org.au/2014/03/06/wgar-news-michael-mansell-talks-treat...
"Contents:
* Aboriginal Provisional Government: Michael Mansell talks TREATY - Brisbane Blacks interview
* Let's Talk's Tiga Bayles interviews Aunty Lilla Watson and Mary Graham about Treaties and Constitutional Recognition
* Let's Talk's Tiga Bayles interviews Chris Graham about Warren Mundine’s Treaty comments, Utopia by John Pilger and Constitutional Recognition
* Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia
* Background to Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples ... "

WGAR News: 'In the Absence of Treaty' speeches by Graeme Mundine, ACM Sydney & Dr John Falzon, St Vincent de Paul Society (16 Feb 14)
http://indymedia.org.au/2014/02/15/wgar-news-in-the-absence-of-treaty-sp...
"Contents:
* 'concerned Australians': 'In the Absence of Treaty' book launch Waurn Ponds (Vic) with screening of 'Utopia' - 6 March 2014
* 'concerned Australians': 'In the Absence of Treaty' book launch Mona Vale (NSW) with screening of 'Utopia' - 10 March 2014
* 'concerned Australians': 'In the Absence of Treaty' book launch Ryde (NSW) with screening of 'Utopia' - 28 June 2014
* ACM Sydney: 'In the Absence of Treaty' launched in Canberra
* Graeme Mundine, ACM Sydney: Launch of 'In the Absence of Treaty' - Canberra
* Dr John Falzon, St Vincent de Paul Society: The history of colonisation - 'In the Absence of Treaty' Book Launch, ANU
* TREATY - Change.org petition for Treaty - please sign and share ... "

WGAR News: Yolngu Nations Assembly (YNA) supports the call for treaties with indigenous peoples (10 Feb 14)
http://indymedia.org.au/2014/02/10/wgar-news-yolngu-nations-assembly-yna...
"Contents:
* Yolngu Nations Assembly (YNA) supports the call for treaties with indigenous peoples
* 'concerned Australians': Yalmay’s Speech on behalf of Dr. M Yunupingu
* 'concerned Australians', Vimeo: In The Absence of Treaty book launch Sydney
[Featuring Rosalie Kunoth-Monks and Jeff McMullen]
* Respect and Listen: Review of ‘In the Absence of Treaty’ by The Hon Alastair Nicholson AO RFD QC ... "

WGAR News: IQ2 Debate: True Reconciliation Requires a Treaty: ABC TV Big Ideas (5 Feb 14)
http://indymedia.org.au/2014/02/04/wgar-news-iq2-debate-true-reconciliat...
"Contents:
* ABC TV Big Ideas: IQ2 Debate: True Reconciliation Requires a Treaty
[Featuring Peter Sutton, George Williams, Mark Yettica-Paulson, Mick Dodson, Tony Birch, Gregory Phillips, Michael Williams]
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Treaty
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Yalmay Yunupingu discusses call for Treaty
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Yalmay Yunupingu learns of the calls for TREATY
* NIT: Utopia shows Scullion's truancy army is no substitute for a Treaty
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Prime Minister Tony Abbott opines for Treaty ... "

- Document

Miguel Alfonso Martinez on Treaties
United Nations Economic and Social Council
Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Study on treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States and indigenous populations
Final report by Miguel Alfonso Martínez, Special Rapporteur
http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G99/137/73/PDF/G9913773.pdf
"17. As to the contents of this final report, it should be recalled, first, that the Special Rapporteur suggested from the start of his mandate a three-part structure for the study as a whole:
(i) In the first part, the origins of the practice of concluding treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between indigenous peoples and States, that is, the role of treaties in the history of European expansion overseas, were to be examined.
(ii) The second part was to be devoted to the contemporary significance of such instruments, including questions regarding the succession of States, national recognition of treaties and the views of indigenous peoples on these issues.
(iii) The third part would address the potential value of all those instruments as the basis for governing the future relationships between indigenous peoples and States. Both the form and substance of such instruments were to be considered in the final stage of the study, as well as possible mechanisms to be institutionalized in the future to secure their implementation. (7)
18. This final part, obviously, had to be undertaken in the light of the actual situations in which indigenous peoples find themselves coexisting today with other, non-indigenous segments of society in many States. It is the precarious nature of their existence almost everywhere that is today provoking - as it did when Martínez Cobo's study was commissioned and completed - growing concern in the international community."

- Policies

Policy positions for Australia's First Nations Political Party.
Respect and Listen: http://www.respectandlisten.org/uploads/downloads/Misc/Rosalie-Kunoth-Mo...
Respect and Listen: http://www.respectandlisten.org/uploads/downloads/Misc/Rosalie-Kunoth-Mo...
Miss Eagles Network: http://misseaglesnetwork.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/australian-federal-elec...
"1. Roll back the effects of the intervention ...
2. Treaties
Recognise First Nations people’s rightful place in our traditional countries and establish a process for individual nations and traditional owners to negotiate specific treaties directly with the Government.
3. Caring for Country ...
4. Cultural diversity ...
5. Economic development ... "

- Report

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination CERD Report on Australia
Workers Bush Telegraph: http://workersbushtelegraph.com.au/2010/08/27/committee-on-the-eliminati...
27 Aug 10: " ... the Committee recommends that the State party consider the negotiation of a treaty agreement to build a constructive and sustained relationship with Indigenous peoples."

- Media Release

Sovereign Union: Declarations of Independence advanced at Brisbane Treaty Talks
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/declarations-independence-adv...
20 May 13: "On the question of treaties, the participants agreed that the first step should be that those Aboriginal Nations, who declare independence, should treaty with each other for each other’s recognition and commit to each other to give support, if, or when, necessary in the formation of their state. No doubt future gatherings will locate other matters we each will treaty on.
"In relation to treatying with the Commonwealth Government of Australia, it is not in our interest to treaty with Australia at this point as our people first need to be fully informed about all their rights as sovereign and independent Nations and Peoples." Michael Ghillar Anderson, Convenor, Sovereign Union of First Nations and Peoples in Australia

- Reportback from Summit

Sovereign Union: Canberra New Way Summit
Aboriginal Nations should make inter-nation treaties in sovereignty quest
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/canberra-new-way-summit-day-1...
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/canberra-new-way-summit-day-2...
30 Jan 10: "The hundreds of Aboriginal nations in Australia should start making treaties with each other in a process leading ultimately to full sovereignty, former barrister Paul Coe told a meeting here of Aboriginal Elders and young people. Mr Coe's advice to the summit was that Aboriginal people need to learn what sovereignty is. ... "

- Chapter from forthcoming book

Sovereign Union: 'That Word' Treaty by Michael Anderson
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/word-treaty
2009: "In concluding this point Minister Baume said in clause 8:
"I note that the resolution by the NAC requests a treaty of commitment between the Australian government and the 'Aboriginal nation'. For the reasons mentioned above the use of that word should be avoided by the Commonwealth." [added emphasis]"

- Chapters from book

Aboriginal Sovereignty Justice The Law and Land - A publication by Kevin Gilbert (1933-1993)
Contents:
AIATSIS: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/collections/exhibitions/treaty/docs/m0066865_a...
Sovereign Treaty To Enshrine Our Rights:
AIATSIS: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/collections/exhibitions/treaty/docs/m0066865_a...

[Ed. note: the entire book is available at AIATSIS web-links.]

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