Blockade of Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust residents and shareholders

Press Release 8th March 2011

International Women’s Day

Statement by Aboriginal Women of Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust – Blockade on Road to Lake Tyers

To The World;

As from today the shareholders and residents of Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust blockaded the road to Lake Tyers. No persons or governments are allowed to come on to the trust until governments sit down and listen to our statement of claims resolve the situation.

Health service employees and the school bus are the only exceptions.

We are sick of the Northern Territory style intervention imposed on us.
Our elders who fought for the land (so that Aboriginal people could have a home to call our own) to be handed back in 1970 as free hold title to the Aboriginal people after a long struggle.
We now are in 2011 and once again are being dictated by government whose policies on us have once again failed.
The state and federal governments 10-point plan to “Close the Gap” in Aboriginal communities is discriminatory. We have no rights as Aboriginal people or as shareholders of the trust. We are being harassed and intimidated.

From the Aboriginal women of Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust

Pauline Edwards
Leanne Edwards
Jayne Proctor
Josephine Mullett
Natasha May-Edwards
Jannelle Bryant
Regina Wilkinson

Contact: Leanne Edwards 0488195217 – latessa2006@yahoo.com

Geography: 

Comments

To Leanne and the Lake Tyers people:
All power to you in your struggle for your rights. In the Northern Territory we are fighting the takeover of land, loss of jobs, undermining of community organisations, loss of rights, loss of power. I worked in East Gippsland in the early '70s and was present when Lake Tyers Reserve was handed back to the people. There was much joy. I was shocked when I revisited that area in the recent past and saw how development has encroached on your land and surrounded the settlement. Lake Tyers people are standing up strong for their rights to run their lives and their community, to be fairly treated and to have the decision-making power over what affects them. I wish to lend my support from Alice Springs to you in your struggle.

Leanne and the Lake Tyers people,

I am with you on this and the struggle continues for land rights justice.
Stay strong sis, from a white woman who is with you all the way, one hundred per cent with you people whose values are not destroying mother nature,
.
Time for the big boys capitalist club to fizzle out of this place i reckon, xxxx

I am a white woman who works in a school in the dandenong ranges. I totally support your stand. I had no idea you had no control of your home. Its disgraceful. Anything I can do in support let me know.

Why isn't anyone interviewing all the other people at the Trust? How are the other 90% of residents and shareholders supposed to get a voice to the outside world if they're being intimidated by the blockaders.

I am living abroad and this issue is becoming widely known in BeNeLux.

it is shocking that in such 'progressive' times Aboriginal people in Australia in 2011 are still fighting and struggling for their rights and for self-determination. i am a white woman too and have just learnt of your struggle. Many of my friends and i wish you all the best in this stand. you have the support of many people!

Camping in ones own back yard .. banned .. yes thats what is happening at Lake Tyers. Relatives & Friends cannot visit & enjoy the natural surrounds with the owners .. If it were YOUR BACKYARD how would you deal with the GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS playing BULLY ..

Documents of ownership ! LOST BY GOVERNMENT .. Land dug up without permission or consultation!

Adults have rights under the HUMAN RIGHTS LEGISTLATION .. children have needs to enjoy family, friends & creative persutes building cubbies & camping ..

A TRUST shout have TRUST & CONSULTATION .. without consultation the dictatorship of Aboriginals is CRIMINAL!

Darwin jails more Aboriginals for "crimes that are cultural" than anyone could imagine. MILDURA here in Victoria is also a HOT SPOT of ..SENDING Aboriginals BACK ACROSS THE RIVER & having white Aboriginal blooded people afraid to say they are .. OUR "CIVILIZED" ways have a long way to go to reach the HOSPITALITY of the 1st Black encountered on the land.. I wonder where the CIVIL went ...from civilization

I would camp anyway

I agree, the government needs to GET OUT and leave certain groups of people alone. Why is their way right and other's are not? It is ignorance! For information, I am a woman of Scandanavian/European descent born in Vic, it disgusts me that the indigenous people of Victoria and Gippsland (where I live) do not have in the very least a memorial to honour the Gunai/Kurnai people who originally lived here in harmony with nature. Instead, the town of Stratford has a memorial to the so-called pioneer Angus McMilan! Under his orders and by his own hand, he participated in the massacre of 1000+ human lives because the courageous and proud Gunai/Kurnai people resisted the European invasion in the late 1800's to early 1900's.
I would like to help in any way I can. I will provide support in person if it is welcomed. I am considering a visual protest during the next Shakespearean Festival held near Lake Tyer this May...