Newsletter date: 1 October 2012
Contents:
* STICS's response to Coroner’s report about the Death in Custody of Kwementyaye Briscoe
* Done By Law: No justice: The Coroner’s findings into Kwementyaye Briscoe’s death
* First Nations sovereignty movement asks UN to deny Australia a seat on the Security Council
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement
* Living Black: How has Australia faired in upholding the UN's Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People?
* The Wire: Calls for Indigenous Language in Early Education
* Background to the use of Aboriginal languages in NT schools
* Rachel Siewert: Green to continue with Opal Fuel Bill
* STICS'S RESPONSE TO CORONER'S REPORT ABOUT THE DEATH IN CUSTODY OF KWEMENTYAYE BRISCOE:
- Media Release
Stop the Intervention: Racist laws breed racist actions
Press release from STICS in response to Coroner’s report about the Death in Custody of Kwementyaye Briscoe
http://stoptheintervention.org/facts/press-releases/racist-laws-breed-ra...
27 Sep 12: "Paddy Gibson from the Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney said: "Racist laws breed racist actions. Stronger Futures is a brutal piece of legislation that will exacerbate the deep social crises in NT Aboriginal communities…"
Kwementyaye Briscoe died alone in a cell in the Alice Springs Watch House. He was a victim of the Intervention and racism. The intervention has removed hope from the communities and encouraging youth and young adults to move into Alice Springs. There are no jobs, but there is alcohol to while away the time. ...
When will someone be charged with assault or manslaughter over the death of Kwementyaye Briscoe? The Northern Territory coroner has found the death of an Aboriginal man in custody was due to a lack of care by police and could have been prevented. The coroner said, "The care provided by police was completely inadequate…" ...
Hilary Tyler, a friend of the family who attended the coronial enquiry, agrees, stating that "The recommendations are a farce, and do not address the systemic issues. The NT Police needs to take ownership of this, and Constable Evans should lose his job." ... "
See:
WGAR News: "Coronial report highlights systemic flaws" ANTaR & National Police Accountability Network (21 Sep 12)
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/09/21/wgar-news-coronial-report-highlights-...
WGAR News: Let's Talk's Tiga Bayles interviews Gerry Georgatos on Deaths in Custudy (27 Sep 12)
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/09/26/wgar-news-lets-talks-tiga-bayles-inte...
Background to 'Stronger Futures' new NT Intervention laws
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-stronger-futures-new-nt...
Background to the Northern Territory (NT) Intervention
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-northern-territory-...
* DONE BY LAW: NO JUSTICE: THE CORONER'S FINDINGS INTO KWEMENTYAYE BRISCOE'S DEATH
- Audio Interview
Done By Law:
No justice: The Coroner’s findings into Kwementyaye Briscoe’s death in the Alice Springs Watch House
Interview with Emma Russell
http://www.donebylaw.org/2012/09/25/no-justice-the-coroners-findings-int...
http://www.donebylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/dbl-250912.mp3
http://www.3cr.org.au/donebylaw
25 Sep 12: "On 4 January 2012 Kwementyaye Danial Briscoe, a 27 year of Indigenous man, died in a cell of the Alice Springs Watch House. He was being detained pursuant to s 128 of the Police Administration Act because he was thought to be so intoxicated that he fulfilled the criteria for what is known as ‘protective custody’. He had committed no crime. On 17 September 2012 Coroner Cavanagh handed down his findings into the death in custody. ... "
* FIRST NATIONS SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT ASKS UN TO DENY AUSTRALIA A SEAT ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL:
- Letters
Sovereign Union: First Nations sovereignty movement asks UN to deny Australia a seat on the Security Council
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/first-nations-sovereignty-mov...
"Sovereign Union - First Nations Interim National Unity Government movement is asking the United Nations to deny Australia the seat on the Security Council it is seeking.
The Sovereign Union objections include; Australia is a colonial power which is not founded on a secure position of statehood, it is in breach of UN Conventions and still has no effective law against genocide.
Here are copies of the letters sent to all the ambassadors to the United Nations, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon and Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights."
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT:
Last updated: 27 September 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* LIVING BLACK: HOW HAS AUSTRALIA FAIRED IN UPHOLDING THE UN'S DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE?
- Audio
Living Black: A Declaration of Rights
By Marc Tong
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/aboriginal/highlight/page/id/234893/t...
28 Sep 12: "How has Australia faired in upholding the United Nation's Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People? ... The United Nation's Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People has turned five. The declaration sets out guiding principles for self-determination, free, prior and informed consent, good faith, the right to participate in decisions, promotion and protection of culture, just to name a few. But how has Australia faired when it comes to implemented all the articles of this global declaration? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda says the government has implemented most of them though it still has a long way to go. ... Mr Gooda says the current level of engagement and commitment to the declaration needs to be drastically improved."
* THE WIRE: CALLS FOR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE IN EARLY EDUCATION
- Audio
The Wire: Calls for Indigenous Language in Early Education
Produced by Adam Jeffrey
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=9667
28 Sep 12: "The results of a parliamentary report on language learning in Indigenous communities has prompted calls for the inclusion of indigenous languages in early education within indigenous communities. The report from the Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs argues for greater recognition and resourcing of indigenous languages and requests action be taken to stall the high rate of native languages being forgotten in Australia. The report findings have also lead to calls for a higher focus on indigenous language in early education. ...
Featured in story:
* Dr Charles Grimes - Linguistics Consultant, Australian Society for Indigenous Languages
* Ken Langford-Smith - Principal, Ypirinya School"
* BACKGROUND TO THE USE OF ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES IN NT SCHOOLS:
Last updated: 27 September 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/05/background-to-the-use-of-aboriginal-l...
* RACHEL SIEWERT: GREEN TO CONTINUE WITH OPAL FUEL BILL
- Media Release
Greens Rachel Siewert: Green to continue with Opal Fuel Bill
http://rachel-siewert.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/green-cont...
26 Sep 12: "The Australian Greens will use the findings of a Senate Inquiry to improve their proposed legislation to help the rollout of low aromatic fuel in areas affected by petrol sniffing.
The Community Affairs Legislation Committee today handed down its report into the Australian Greens’ Low Aromatic Fuel Bill 2012.
Senator Rachel Siewert, who introduced the Bill into the Senate, says the legislation is strongly supported by communities and organisations working to eliminate petrol sniffing.
"There is overwhelming support for legislation to give the Minister the power to mandate low aromatic fuel. Organisations in Central Australia, health and drug services and individuals from affected communities have all voiced their support for this legislation," Senator Siewert said today. ... "
- - -
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 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 and events. Subscribers can expect to receive about 4 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.
- - -
You can also subscribe to our second list 'Contact WGAR' which focuses on activities and events and provides a point of contact.
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/