Melbourne attacks on Indians “reflect Australian racism”

MEDIA RELEASE

Goodooga, 17 September 09 -- A northwest NSW Aboriginal political activist says the assault on four Indian men outside a bar in Melbourne this week is representative of the hidden racism that exists in Australia.

Michael Anderson, last survivor of the four Black Power activists who set up the Aboriginal Embassy outside Parliament House in Canberra in 1972, says politicians remaining mute on these racist attacks reflects badly on Australia as a nation.

Mr Anderson is leader of the 3,000 Euahlayi of northwest NSW and southwest Queensland and elected spokesman for some of the other 15 tribes of the Gumilaroi nation.

He says it is a disgrace not to have the politicians all coming out to condemn this racist abuse and suggests they’re frightened that the backlash in their electorates will see them thrown out of parliament.

“If these attacks happened in Europe or the USA, people would be out there protesting and politicians would be in unison with this outcry.”

“My criticism of this country’s racial intolerance comes from years of being racially abused and banned from places because I am an Aborigine,” Anderson says.

“None of the English boat people who came in 1788 bothered to learn our languages; more importantly they fired the guns and killed my people and they even deny that this happened,” Anderson says.

His statement in full:

The assault on the Indian men in Victoria is representative of the hidden racism that exists in Australia.

The fact that the politicians in Australia choose to be mute on these racist attacks reflects badly upon Australia as a nation. We have a prime minister who is gutless to accept that Australia is a racially intolerant country.

Just think about it, even the media personalities encourage racial abuse through their radio talk back programs. On most occasions they argue that if the people are unable to assimilate then they should go back to their own country.

Another example of the extent of prejudice is the intolerance of Australians to foreign languages being kept and used by the new immigrants. Too often we hear white Australians talking amongst themselves that when people come to this country they should speak English and leave their own mother tongue back in the country from which they come.

It is a disgrace not to have the politicians all coming out to condemn this racist abuse. Or does their silence on this issue truly reflect the harsh reality of this hidden racism that exists in this country?

My criticism of this country’s racial intolerance comes from years of being racially abused and banned from places because I am an Aborigine. It is time that Australian politicians stand up and speak out against racism. Or are they frightened that the backlash within their own electorate will see them thrown out of parliament and replaced by an even worse hard line racist?

Australians must now face a national debate on racism because they do not believe that they are racist and feel that they have the right to tell people to assimilate or go home. None of the English boat people who came in 1788 bothered to learn our languages; more importantly they fired the guns and killed my people and they even deny that this happened.

Australians must accept that they have a national constitution that permits the political racist to pass laws for ‘any race it deems necessary’. No other country in the world has this legal facility in their laws. When it is used against my people the politicians argue that what they do against us is a special measure and is for our own good. This in itself is absolutely racist, but they do not see it this way.

I urge the Indian government to make a statement on Australia’s racism and suspend trade until this country has a good hard look at its racist practices. The suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act to apply laws against my people is proof enough of racism in this country and should alert international bodies to it.

If these attacks happened in Europe or the USA people would be out there protesting and politicians would be in unison with this outcry, but here in Australia politicians remain mute and defend Australians as not being a racist nation. This is not acceptable, these politicians that we have in Australia must stand up and be counted if they are offended by people being bashed because of their racial origin, instead of permitting the police to push it all under a carpet.

Those who carry out these assaults must be put in goal to show that this is not tolerated in this country.

Michael Anderson can be contacted at 02 68296355 landline, 04272 92 492 mobile, 02 68296375 fax, ngurampaa@bigpond.com.au.

Other interventions by Michael Anderson: http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/search/node/%22Michael+Anderson%22