WGAR News: Australia is committing genocide on a scale unequalled anywhere in the modern world: Michael Anderson, Sovereign Union

Newsletter date: 30 November 2014

WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

Contents:

* Upcoming Event: STICS: Forum: Can our First Nations Peoples celebrate UN Human Rights Day? 9 December 2014

* Media Release: Michael Anderson, Sovereign Union: Australia is committing genocide on a scale unequalled anywhere in the modern world
* Analysis / Opinion: The Guardian Editorial: Terra nullius never went away
* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: 'Fear Campaign' Behind Attack On Land Rights
* Media Release: First Peoples Worldwide: The Indigenous Rights Risk Report: How Violating Indigenous Peoples' Rights Increases Industry Risk

* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement
* Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia

- Upcoming Event

STICS - Stop the Intervention Collective, Sydney:
Forum: Can our First Nations Peoples celebrate UN Human Rights Day?

9 December 2014 - 6pm
http://www.stoptheintervention.org/
"Trades Hall, 337 Sussex St
Speakers:
* Ray Jackson
* Debra Swan
* Jeff McMullen
* Chris Graham
"

For the poster: http://stoptheintervention.org/uploads/files_to_download/Past%20Events/1...

"Over seven years have passed since the Howard Intervention in Aboriginal lives and communities brought new and shocking levels of disruption and degradation to First Nations communities around Australia. ... The move to force Aboriginal people living in small  remote settlements off their lands that begun with the NT Intervention is now being felt Australia wide, with the Commonwealth government announcing its intention to withdraw from funding remote service delivery and the WA and SA governments threatening the closure of more than 150 communities. ... "

"Sponsored by:
* Stop the Intervention Collective, Sydney;
* Indigenous Social Justice Association;
* Grandmothers Against Removals;
* APHEDA"

ISJA: https://www.facebook.com/IndigenousSocialJusticeAssociationSydney
STICS: http://www.stoptheintervention.org/
Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA: http://www.apheda.org.au/
Grandmothers Against Removals: http://stopstolengenerations.com.au/

- Media Release

Sovereign Union: Australia is committing genocide on a scale unequalled anywhere in the modern world
http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/australia-commiting-genocide-scale-un...
http://sovereignunion.mobi/pdf/2014/141124-SU-MA-Whitegate%20and%20WA%20...
http://sovereignunion.mobi/tags/media-releases
24 Nov 14: "...  The announcement by Barnett to close more than half the state's 274 remote communities, is another example of how the government and Big Mining work hand in hand to steal Aboriginal land without compensation. There is a thinly veiled agenda to remove Aboriginal people from their homes so the mining industry can have easy access to land.
Western Australia is being sadly reduced to a mining pit, with much of the state’s economy being from mining revenue. Despite the many billions of dollars being removed from resource rich WA Aboriginal lands every year, the government is now refusing to continue to provide basic infrastructure such as drinking water, roads and access to health services. The Australian economy is based on stolen Aboriginal land and wealth. By rights, Aboriginal people are entitled to have the first say over the future of their lands. ...
We need to engage the international community to initiate trade sanctions and boycotts, just as they did with white South Africa. ... Closing down our communities creates a condition of life set to destroy the group in whole or in part." Ghillar Michael Anderson, Convenor and Joint Spokesperson of Sovereign Union of First Nations and Peoples in Australia and Head of State of the Euahlayi Peoples Republic

Sovereign Union homepage:
http://www.sovereignunion.mobi/

About 'Sovereign Union'
http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/about-sovereign-union
"This is the official website of the Sovereign Union of First Nations and Peoples in Australia. The Sovereign Union was first formed at a meeting on 12-14 June 1999 on Mt Kaputar, near Narrabri, NSW. A delegation was sent to Geneva to the UN Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights to take our sovereign voices to the international community. The Sovereign Union was further formalised with a Foundation Meeting of the 'Sovereign Union - interim Unity Government' at the Kuradji Tent Embassy, near Wollongong, New South Wales on May 25 2012. ... "

- Analysis / Opinion

The Guardian - The Worker's Weekly: Editorial: Terra nullius never went away
The Guardian: http://cpa.org.au/guardian/2014/1665/02-editorial.html
Sovereign Union: http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/terra-nullius-never-went-away
19 Nov 14: ""As we look around this glorious city, as we see the extraordinary development, it’s hard to think that back in 1788 it was nothing but bush … Everything would have seemed so extraordinarily basic and raw … ," Prime Minister Tony Abbott told an international gathering in Sydney on November 14. He repeated the same words again at a post-APEC International Business breakfast on November 17. Terra nullius is back on the agenda, not that it ever really went away. Australia is open for business, for big business and this government is proudly clearing the way, in particular, for mining companies. ... " By Tom Pearson, Editor

Current Issue of The Guardian
http://cpa.org.au/guardian/index.html

- Analysis / Opinion

New Matilda: 'Fear Campaign' Behind Attack On Land Rights
https://newmatilda.com/2014/11/26/fear-campaign-behind-attack-land-rights
26 Nov 14: "Internal documents show the Baird government was crafting a fear campaign over Aboriginal land claims before attempting to pass controversial legislation, the Greens say. Amy McQuire reports. The NSW government was prepared to rush through "misleading" legislation curtailing land rights despite being warned that public access to beaches was not threatened by Aboriginal land claims in an attempt to drum up a fear campaign around the issue, a Greens MLC has told Parliament. NSW Greens Aboriginal affairs spokesperson Jan Barham addressed Parliament last week ... " By Amy McQuire, a senior reporter with New Matilda. She's the former editor of Tracker magazine and the National Indigenous Times.

amy mcquire - newmatilda.com
https://newmatilda.com/category/tags/amy-mcquire

New Matilda homepage:
https://newmatilda.com/

About Us - newmatilda.com
https://newmatilda.com/about-us
"New Matilda is independent journalism at its best. The site has been publishing intelligent coverage of Australian and international politics, media and culture since 2004. You'll find new stories on the homepage daily. ... We believe that robust media is fundamental to a healthy democracy - and there's never been a more important time for independent media in Australia. With shrinking media diversity, and huge changes underway in delivery, there are fewer and fewer outlets publishing independent-minded journalism like ours. ... "

- Media Release

First Peoples Worldwide: The Indigenous Rights Risk Report: How Violating Indigenous Peoples' Rights Increases Industry Risk
Sovereign Union: http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/indigenous-rights-risk-report-how-vio...
10 Nov 14: "First Peoples Worldwide released the Indigenous Rights Risk Report at the SRI Conference on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing, a product of two years of consultations with investment analysts, industry professionals, and Indigenous Peoples. The report analyzes 52 U.S. oil, gas, and mining companies with projects operating on or near Indigenous territories around the globe, impacting some 150 Indigenous communities. These projects were assessed against five indicators (Country Risk, Reputation Risk, Community Risk, Legal Risk, and Risk Management) to determine their risk of Indigenous community opposition or violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. The report found that most of the U.S. extractive companies analyzed are poorly positioned to manage the risks they face when working on Indigenous lands. Furthermore, the Report shows that poor governance and negligible policies for Indigenous peoples in host countries is bad for business. Nearly 60% of all projects operating in high-risk countries were rated as high risks themselves."

- Background

Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
(Last updated: 29 May 2014)

- Background

Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia
http://indymedia.org.au/2014/02/16/background-to-treaties-with-aborigina...
(Last updated: 13 May 2014)

- - -

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

About WGAR News:

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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;
* Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal Deaths in Custody;
* Aboriginal land rights and mining;
* Suicide and self-harm in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities;
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'WGAR News' gives priority to grassroots Aboriginal voices and grassroots voices in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples' rights.

The role of 'WGAR News' is to facilitate the voices of others, and as such, 'WGAR News' rarely writes its own articles.

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These opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of WGAR.

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

Comments

WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement

https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-to-the-aboriginal-so...

WGAR News: Anzac Day 2015 - Undeclared Frontier Wars Remembrance March - Canberra: Indymedia Australia

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/04/20/wgar-news-anzac-day-2015-undeclared-...

Newsletter date: 20 April 2015

Contents:

* Frontier Wars Homepage: Sovereign Union: The Undeclared Frontier Wars: http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/frontier-wars

* Upcoming Event: Indymedia Australia: Anzac Day 2015 - Undeclared Frontier Wars Remembrance March - Canberra - ACT
* Upcoming Event Flyer: Sovereign Union - Gatherings / Events: http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/gatherings-events
* Current Event: Peacebus: Frontier War Storytelling Camp 2015 at Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Canberra

* Media Release: Michael Anderson, Sovereign Union: ANZAC Day - for those who served in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations

* Videos: Sovereign Union: Undeclared Frontier Wars Anzac Day Commemoration Videos [Anzac Day Marches 2011, 2012 & 2013]
* Video: akaWACA, YouTube: Frontier Wars Remembrance, Aboriginal ANZAC day, Canberra 2014
* Event Analysis: Ray Jackson, Sovereign Union: ANZAC day: Black Diggers buck the given history of "white men's business"

* Analysis / Opinion: Padraic Gibson, Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Journal, UTS: Imperialism, ANZAC nationalism and the Aboriginal experience of warfare
* Audio & Video: Sovereign Union: 50 Aboriginal trackers left behind after the Boer War

* WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement

WGAR News: Aboriginal Group To Shadow ANZAC Day March And Highlight Frontier Wars: Amy McQuire, New Matilda

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/04/24/wgar-news-aboriginal-group-to-shadow...

Contents:

* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: Aboriginal Group To Shadow ANZAC Day March And Highlight Frontier Wars
* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: Gallipoli Could Never Define Australia Like This War Did

* Upcoming Event: Indymedia Australia: Anzac Day 2015 - Undeclared Frontier Wars Remembrance March - Canberra - ACT
* Upcoming Event Flyer: Sovereign Union - Gatherings / Events: http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/gatherings-events
* Frontier Wars Homepage: Sovereign Union: The Undeclared Frontier Wars: http://sovereignunion.mobi/content/frontier-wars
* Audio: Melissa Lahoud, The Wire: Lest we Forget: Aboriginal people want their battles acknowledged [Featuring Graeme Dunstan & Dr Timothy Bottoms]

* Analysis / Opinion: Nicholas Clements, NITV News: Comment: Tasmania's Black War: a tragic case of lest we remember?
* Audio Interviews: Cassandra Tim & Warren Barnsley, NIRS Weekly News-in-Review: ANZAC centenary special: Honouring Indigenous service men and women
* Analysis / Opinion: Timothy Bottoms, The Canberra Times: Why we ought to be remembering the frontier wars on Anzac Day

* Background: WGAR News: Evicting Indigenous Australians from their homelands is a declaration of war: John Pilger, The Guardian
* Background: WGAR News: Anzac Day 2015 - Undeclared Frontier Wars Remembrance March - Canberra: Indymedia Australia
* WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement
* WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA

WGAR News: Aboriginal Sovereignty Day, Invasion Day, Survival Day & Day of Mourning Events - Monday 26 January 2015

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/01/10/wgar-news-aboriginal-sovereignty-day...

Contents:

* Background to Aboriginal Sovereignty Day, Invasion Day, Survival Day and Day of Mourning
* 'National Freedom Movement' sit-in at Canberra
* Adelaide events
* Brisbane events
* Melbourne events
* Sydney events

- Background to Aboriginal Sovereignty Day, Invasion Day, Survival Day and Day of Mourning

Event:  Sun 26 January 2015: various locations in Australia
Sovereignty Day / Invasion Day / Survival Day / Day of Mourning
"Aboriginal people call it ‘Invasion Day’,
‘Day of Mourning’, ‘Survival Day’ or,
since 2006, ‘Aboriginal Sovereignty Day’.
The latter name reflects that all Aboriginal
nations are sovereign and should be united
in the continuous fight for their rights." Creative Spirits
"Australia Day - No time to celebrate:
Australia Day is traditionally the most racist
day of the year for Aboriginal people.
When people celebrate on January 26,
there is no escaping the fact they are celebrating
the day that one race of people invaded another
race of people’s country and took control of
Aboriginal lands and tried to dominate Aboriginal
people. Invasion Day, as it should be called,
celebrates the dispossession of land, culture,
and way of life of Aborigines." Jay McDonald, GLW
Event details: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/australia-day-...
Event details: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/46475

- 'National Freedom Movement' sit-in at Canberra

Homepage of New 'National Freedom Movement' website:
http://freedommovement2014.wix.com/freedommovement

"They gathered at the Old Bungalow at Mparntwe
(Alice Springs) from across the continent and for two days
in the centre of this continent, those at the Freedom
Summit spoke of the continuing tragedies and attacks
against their people and of the ways forward. A delegation
of 20 was endorsed by the Freedom Summit to mobilise around
it the First Peoples of this continent to stand up united
and reclaim the "Aboriginal Rights Struggle". In the
meantime, the Federal Government has responded to the
Summit’s organisers with the offer of a meeting.
But on January 26, the delegation will converge on Canberra
– and begin a sit-in right outside Parliament.
Thousands will join them, and in so doing, so will the
world’s press" (The Stringer - Gerry Georgatos 2014)

[Includes updated flyers for Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane]

WGAR Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/03/26/wgar-background-to-treaties-with-abo...

WGAR News: May Day marches:

Forcibly removing our Peoples from their lands unacceptable as a remedy for governments trading insolvent:

Ghillar Michael Anderson, Sovereign Union

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/03/30/wgar-news-may-day-marches-forcibly-r...

Contents:

* Media Release: Ghillar Michael Anderson, Sovereign Union: May Day marches: Forcibly removing our Peoples from their lands unacceptable as a remedy for governments trading insolvent
* Poster: Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia, facebook: "We would like to confirm that that 2nd National Call of Action will be held Friday 1st May 2015."
* Facebook: Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia

* Video: NITV News: Remote Closures - SA Communities Call Emergency Summit to Fight 'Cultural Genocide'

* News: Online News Team, Rewa Harriman, Maori Television: Maori supporters entertain indigenous protesters
* Background: Diet Simon, sourcing from WGAR, Linksunten Indymedia: Maori solidarity with the Nyoongar people at Matargarup, Perth

* WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement
* WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA

WGAR News: Aboriginal women on why Australia needs a treaty: Rachel Evans & Richard Fan, Green Left

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/04/11/wgar-news-aboriginal-women-on-why-au...

Contents:

* Voices from the Treaty Forum: Rachel Evans & Richard Fan, Green Left: Aboriginal women on why Australia needs a treaty

* Videos: Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS): Videos from the Treaty Forum
[Videos include: Compilation, Introduction by Jeff McMullen, Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, Brenda Croft, Natalie Cromb, Amala Groom, Discussion & Community Voices]

* Audio Interview: Dom Vukovic, The Wire: First Nation's Women calling for a Treaty
[Featuring Aboriginal Elder Rosalie Kunoth-Monks]

* Audio: Dom Vukovic, 2SER - Real Radio: Indigenous recognition in the Constitution, what does it mean?
[Featuring Paddy Gibson, Brenda Croft & Rosalie Kunoth-Monks]

* Background Video: SBS On Demand: Opinion Piece: First Nations Women On Treaty 1 [expires 26 Apr 15]
[Featuring Jeff McMullen, Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, Brenda Croft, Natalie Cromb & Amala Groom]
* STICS Background: NITV Video clips of the Treaty Forum
[Featuring Jeff McMullen, Brenda L Croft, Natalie Cromb, Amala Groom, Rosalie Kunoth-Monks & Malcolm Fraser]

* STICS Updates on the Treaty Forum: http://stoptheintervention.org/past-events/20-mar-2015-treaty-forum
* Respect and Listen Background to the Treaty Forum: http://www.respectandlisten.org/

* WGAR Background to Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia
* WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement

WGAR News: For the record: Sovereignty Never Ceded: Ghillar Michael Anderson, Sovereign Union

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/04/17/wgar-news-for-the-record-sovereignty...

Contents:

* Historical Analysis: Ghillar Michael Anderson, Sovereign Union: For the record: Sovereignty Never Ceded
* Analysis: Aboriginal Genocide: 2015 perspective of ongoing Australian Aboriginal Genocide and Aboriginal Ethnocide
* Audio/Video Interview: Aimee Devlin & Brendan D. Murphy, Global Freedom Movement Media:
Land Grab In The Outback: Australia Unites Against Genocide of First Peoples with Gerry Georgatos and Elders [Featuring Bella & Herbert Bropho]

* Background: CPA - Campaigns: 13 Points on Land Rights for Aboriginal People
* Background Letter: Michael Anderson 2011, Sovereign Union: Ethnocide: A crime equal to genocide - Letter to UN Comminssioner for Human Rights
* Background Historical Analysis: Michael Anderson 2009, Sovereign Union: 'That Word' Treaty - The Value of Historical Insights
* WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement

WGAR News: Radioactive racism in the Wild West - WA takes aim at remote communities: Mia Pepper, Eco-Shout

https://indymedia.org.au/2015/04/26/wgar-news-radioactive-racism-in-the-...

Contents:

* Analysis / Opinion: Mia Pepper, Eco-Shout: Radioactive racism in the Wild West - WA takes aim at remote communities

* Video Special report back: Paddy Gibson, Stop the Intervention: First Nations Peoples and Australian Government Policy - What happened to the Intervention?
[Paddy also discussed of how the policy architecture of the Intervention is expanding across the country to include the threat of closure of WA homelands]

* Photo Essay: Alex Bainbridge, Green Left: Perth rally resists closure of Aboriginal communities, police harassment

* Audio Interview: CAAMA Radio: Maori leader shows his support for Aboriginal people [Featuring Hone Harawira, the leader of New Zealand's Mana Party]

* Analysis / Opinion: Jack Wilkie-Jans, The Age: Learn from history, forced closure of remote communities not the solution
* Analysis / Opinion: Alex Bainbridge, Green Left: Stand up against community closures
* Analysis / Opinion: Scott Mitchell, VICE News: Australian Aboriginal Communities Under Threat of Closure Take Their Case to the UN
* Analysis / Opinion: Tyson Baird, Green Left: Why health care in remote communities is not a 'lifestyle choice'

* Upcoming Event - 26 May 2015, Perth: Jemma Nott, Green Left: Convergence to help Aboriginal communities fight against communities' closure [Featuring Grandmothers Against Removals]

* Upcoming Event Info: Locations of 1 May 2015 Protests, around Australia and Internationally, against forced closure of Aboriginal communities, as of 23 Apr 15: #SOSblakaustralia: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/58824
* Upcoming Event Poster: Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia, facebook: "We would like to confirm that that 2nd National Call of Action will be held Friday 1st May 2015."
* Facebook: Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Australia: https://www.facebook.com/sosblakaustralia

* WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA

* WGAR Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
* WGAR Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws