Events
Australian Consulate, Edinburgh, Scotland
A group of Australians and others concerned about the Federal government's action in the Northern Territory, will be holding an action at the Australian Consulate in Edinburgh on Thursday 13th September. Click here for more information.
University of Copenhagen, 27 September 2007
Part of the 2007 EASA Conference 26-30 September
Australia: What's Left?
The purpose of this event is to offer a critical reflection on the shifting foundations of Australian political culture in the light of more than a decade of conservative Government. A number of prominent Australian intellectuals, artists and writers have been invited to consider 'what's left' of Aboriginal reconciliation, 'multiculturalism', Asian engagement, Australian history and the Australian environment. Key note speakers include Germaine Gree and Fiona Foley.
Links
International Press
The Australian Government's treatment of Aboriginal Australian Peoples & use of military forces in Aboriginal communities
Grenada, Spain
Aboriginal Australians have a right to be governed by the rule of law
and served by the Australian Government in the same manner as other
Australian citizens. Child sexual abuse, family violence and social
dysfunction cannot be eliminated or controlled by short term assault.
Military intervention not only breaches the freedoms of citizens but is
also unsustainable and inappropriate for the problems.
Aboriginal leaders and State and Territory governments have rejected
the use of armed forces and emphasised the need for sustained attention
to provide services, build trust and ensure that Aboriginal peoples
have access in their communities to:
- A doctor and medical service
- Housing adequate for the population
- Clean water
- Waste treatment facilities
- Safe houses and violence prevention support
- Culturally appropriate policing adequate to needs
- Education facilities for all children
- Protection of dry communities from profiteering alcohol sellers
We, the undersigned, request the Australian Government to immediately
withdraw military forces from Aboriginal communities and commit to
providing, in conjunction with State and Territory Governments and
Aboriginal-controlled community organisations, collaborative,
consultative, long-term support to enable Aboriginal Australians to
live with dignity.
K E Mow, P J Morrissey, R Hil, L J Thompson
Delegates to the 2nd International Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Conference Granada, Spain, 10-13 July
2007
Name - Address
Phillip Morrissey - Indigenous Studies Unit,
Uni. of Melbourne, Australia
Karen E Mow -University of Canberra, Australia
Richard Hil -Southern Cross University, Australia
Lester J Thompson -Qld University of Technology, Australia
Caroline Knowles - Goldsmiths, London University, England
Phillipa Wells- AUT University, Auckland, NZ
Colin Hocking -Victoria University, Australia
James Arvanitakis -University of Western Sydney, Australia
Kevin V Mulcahy - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA
Virginia Baker - ESR, NZ
P E Baker - CPIT, NZ
Jennifer Boldero -University of Melbourne, Australia
Geoffrey Binder - RMIT, Australia
Elizabeth Olghton - Newcastle University
Barbara Brodman - Nova Southeastern University, Florida, USA
Jo Thakker - University of Waikato, NZ
Anna King - Qld University of Technology, Australia
Tamsyn Gilbert - The New School, New York, USA
Rebekah Brown - Monash University, Australia
R Alodulhali - CES, SFSU, California, USA
Dwight Read - UCLA, USA
Mark James - University of Canterbury, NZ
S G Vallidor - Oakland, California, USA
Adrian Howe - RMIT, Australia
Jen Whelan - University of Melbourne, Australia
Fadwa El Guindi - Los Angeles California, USA
Sharif Elmusa - Washington DC, USA
J Nicogossian - Qld University of Technology, Australia
A Pilkington - University of Northampton, UK
P Green - University of Wolverhampton, UK
M Llorcus - Spain
T Molina - Spain
P Martinez - Spain
B Martinez - Spain
P Caceres - Reche University of Granada
J L Ortek - University of Granada, Spain
A Alhussan - UK
P Anderson - University of Wolverhampton, UK
R Porter - Liverpool John Moores University, UK
J Austin - University of Southern Qld, Australia
D Phenix - Brown University, USA
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Aboriginal Organisations Condemn Government Response
20th July 2007
One month after the Australian government set up an 'emergency response taskforce' to tackle widespread child abuse in Aboriginal communities, its actions have been widely condemned by Aboriginal organisations.
In particular, the government has been criticised for using the crisis to remove the ability of remote Aboriginal communities to control who comes onto their lands. (Previously, anyone wishing to visit an Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory had to apply for a permit; in this way the community had some control over who entered their lands, and could block those, such as drug dealers and unscrupulous dealers in Aboriginal art, who they suspected of exploiting them.)
This measure was a long-standing objective of the Howard administration.
In addition, the government has compulsorily acquired all Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory for five years.
An open letter signed by dozens of Aboriginal community organisations, states, 'The proposals go well beyond an 'emergency response', and will have profound effects on people's incomes, land ownership, and their ability to decide the kind of medical treatment they receive.
'Some of the measures will weaken communities and families by taking from them the ability to make basic decisions about their lives, thus removing responsibility instead of empowering them.
'In their present form the proposals miss the mark and are unlikely to be effective. There is an over-reliance on top-down and punitive measures, and insufficient indication that additional resources will be mobilised where they are urgently needed; to improve housing, child protection and domestic violence supports, schools, health services, alcohol and drug rehab programs.
'These issues have been raised by many Indigenous leaders over many years.'
Survival's Director Stephen Corry said today, 'Aboriginal communities, and indeed many other indigenous peoples in the industrialised world, suffer appalling problems of social breakdown, including terrible levels of child abuse. The cause of these problems is complex; governments need sensitivity and long-term commitment to tackle them. This will invariably also involve a very close working relationship with indigenous communities and organisations themselves. Emergency action to protect vulnerable children from abuse is, of course essential, but it is hard to see how taking over Aboriginal communities and depriving them of the ability to control who comes onto their land fits in.'
The prominent Australian academic Dr Germaine Greer has published an outspoken attack on the government's response to the crisis; you can read the article, published in The Guardian newspaper, here.
Background: The government's 'Northern Territory emergency response taskforce' was set up in response to a report commissioned by the Northern Territory government entitled 'Little children are sacred'. The report exposed the widespread sexual abuse of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory, and concluded that, 'sexual abuse of Aboriginal children is happening largely because of the breakdown of Aboriginal culture and society.. Much of the violence and sexual abuse occurring in Territory communities is a reflection of past, current and continuing social problems which have developed over many decades.'
You can read a summary of the report here.
See: Survival International & The Guardian
Des Aborigènes australiens dénoncent
l'ingérence de l'Etat dans leurs communautés
LE MONDE | 15.08.07
HERMANNSBURG (Territoire du nord) CORRESPONDANCE
Tous les jours à midi, à Hermannsburg, à l'ouest d'Alice Springs, une sonnerie signale aux 800 habitants l'heure du déjeuner. Dans cette communauté aborigène perdue dans les terres rouges de cette partie désertique du Territoire du Nord - région de 1 million de km2 -, seuls quelques touristes viennent voir les maisons rénovées de l'ancienne mission luthérienne. A quelques mètres de là, une école et deux magasins forment l'essentiel de ce village
"progressiste", selon Gus Williams, président du conseil communal.
Contrairement à la majorité des communautés autochtones
éloignées, Hermannsburg est dotée d'une clinique et dispose d'un
petit commissariat. C'est aussi une ville "sèche", où le conseil a
interdit l'alcool. Après trois infractions, un habitant peut être
expulsé de sa maison. Des règles facilement contournables, il suffit
de s'éloigner un peu. Sur les 125 km de route menant à Alice
Springs, les bouteilles de bière vides jonchent le sol.
Tout va changer. Bientôt, ici, comme dans 72 autres communautés
aborigènes du Territoire du Nord, l'alcool sera totalement banni,
cette fois, par l'Etat fédéral. La pornographie sera également
interdite durant six mois, et les contenus des ordinateurs publics
vérifiés par la police.
C'est la publication, en juin, du rapport "Les petits enfants sont
sacrés", qui a suscité ces restrictions. Les auteurs du rapport, Rex
Wild et Patricia Anderson, faisaient état de nombreux cas de
pédophilie dans ces communautés, rappelant que 65 % des détenus
en prison pour abus sexuels sur mineurs étaient des indigènes. Le
responsable, selon eux : l'alcool.
Coup de communication en période préélectorale ou tardive prise
de conscience ? Le premier ministre, John Howard, a réagi en
annonçant un plan d'intervention d'urgence.
Mais en réalité, c'est le bouleversement du fonctionnement même
des communautés qui est en jeu, car aucun secteur de la vie des
villages n'échappe à cette "révision". Le plan d'intervention inclut
ainsi une reprise en main des magasins d'alimentation pour
permettre un meilleur approvisionnement, la suspension des
allocations familiales des parents négligents, et des contrôles
médicaux pour les enfants. Surtout, le contrôle des terres
administrées jusqu'ici par les conseils des villages, est également
programmé.
PERMIS D'ENTRÉE SUPPRIMÉ
Certains indigènes ont salué une "évolution bénéfique" ; d'autres ont
dénoncé un prétexte utilisé par le gouvernement pour s'ingérer
dans les communautés et les priver de toute autonomie. Ce qui est
certain, c'est qu'une véritable révolution est en marche. A
Hermannsburg, les contrôles médicaux organisés par l'Etat ont
commencé, et une petite équipe de médecins accueille les jeunes
mères de famille et leurs enfants. Souvent, ceux-ci souffrent de
problèmes rénaux, d'infections respiratoires, symptômes dans
certains cas de leur vie dans des logements surpeuplés.
"Toutes ces données vont être envoyées à Canberra (capitale fédérale)
pour mettre en place, à terme, les services nécessaires", explique l'une
des infirmières, Louise Carrington. Au début, "des familles ont cru
que la police allait venir kidnapper leurs enfants", raconte Mildred
Inkamala, une des anciennes du village, très impliquée dans la
lutte contre les violences conjugales. Mais passées les premières
peurs, ces visites médicales sont plutôt bien admises.
Ce n'est pas le cas des autres mesures. En 1976, le Territoire du
Nord avait reconnu le droit des propriétaires traditionnels à leurs
terres. Désormais, celles-ci seront gérées, durant cinq ans, par le
ministère des affaires indigènes, qui affirme vouloir ainsi améliorer
les conditions de logement. "Personne n'est venu discuter de cela avec
nous. On a peur, c'est le territoire de nos ancêtres", commente Mildred
Inkamala. "En quoi cela va-t-il aider les enfants victimes d'abus ?",
proteste Matthew Storey, juriste à l'université de Darwin.
Une autre décision inquiète tout autant. Jusqu'ici, un permis
d'entrée, destiné à protéger les villages des touristes ou des
journalistes durant les cérémonies traditionnelles, devait être
sollicité auprès des communautés. Il sera supprimé. "C'était une
façon pour nous de savoir qui entrait chez nous. Avec sa disparition,
l'alcool va inonder notre village", craint M. Williams. Pour beaucoup,
la réaction du gouvernement arrive trop tard pour être perçue
comme sincère.
"Cela fait des années que nos grands-mères appellent à l'aide, en vain",
commente Pat Turner. Dans le Territoire du Nord, les 63 000
indigènes - un tiers de la population - manquent d'infrastructures
de base, d'écoles secondaires ou de cliniques.
A Hermannsburg, il n'y a pas de plan de lutte contre l'alcoolisme.
Pour cela, il faut aller à Alice Springs, mais les transports publics
sont rares. "On a un vieux bus qui tombe parfois en panne lorsqu'on se
rend à l'hôpital d'Alice Springs, et dans ce cas-là, les personnes âgées
restent à attendre sur le bord de la route, par 35 degrés de chaleur",
explique un travailleur social de l'organisation de santé aborigène
du village. Le gouvernement a prévu de consacrer plus de 360
millions d'euros à son plan d'urgence, soutenu dans l'ensemble par
le parti travailliste d'opposition. Les Aborigènes, eux, se déchirent
sur la question, certains vont jusqu'à parler de "génocide culturel".
Marie Le Moël
Article paru dans l'édition du 16.08.07.
MAORI DOCTORS CONCERNED FOR LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS IN INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS' HEALTH
AIDA Media Releases | 26 July 2007
Dr Tamara Mackean, Vice President of the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA) today welcomed the statement from the Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa - Maori Medical Practitioners Association (Te ORA), which calls for well resourced, consistent and sustained long term strategies in addressing Aboriginal health and social outcomes in the Northern Territory.
"As an Indigenous organisation, we have received overwhelming support from our international counterparts who, like us, are interested in the long term outcomes for our peoples," said Dr Mackean.
Te ORA has delivered the following statement in response to the Australian Government's 'Emergency Response' to protect Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory:
IMPROVEMENTS IN ABORIGINAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES REQUIRE WELL RESOURCED, CONSISTENT AND SUSTAINED LONG TERM STRATEGIES
Te ORA is aware of the enormous burden of illness and socio-economic disadvantage that has been carried by Aboriginal communities in Australia for many decades. Substantial improvements in Aboriginal health and social outcomes require well resourced, consistent and sustained long term strategies. The involvement of Aboriginal people in the development, implementation and evaluation of these strategies is essential.
Te ORA welcomes the Australian Federal Government's stated intention to improve child health in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. However we are concerned about the narrow scope of the measures, the nature of the measures being implemented and the processes used to implement them.
A meaningful commitment to improving Aboriginal health cannot focus on one age group alone. Nor can it focus on a single or limited number of issues. The health and well-being of population subgroups such as children, young people, adults and the elderly are linked with each other. Furthermore the health and well-being of an individual person is inextricably linked with the wider determinants of health. These determinants include, but are not limited to, the adequacy of housing, sanitation, supply of safe water, socio-economic factors, the availability of high quality education and employment, the safety of environments in which people live, and the expression of individual and community empowerment and self-determination.
The programme being implemented must address the wider determinants of health and well-being in addition to the provision of high quality, effective, comprehensive and timely health services. Health services provided to Aboriginal communities must focus on the identification and treatment of the diseases and illnesses that are prevalent in Aboriginal communities. Some of these conditions, for example substance use and mental health issues, arise in part as a consequence of Aboriginal people's
experience of marginalisation, dispossession, and past Government programmes which resulted in the 'Stolen Generation'. The successful elimination of the health and social problems arising from these experiences requires programmes that focus on healing and the resolution of the emotional, psychological and spiritual harm that has resulted in mental health disorders and substance abuse. Te ORA urges the Government to implement the whole range of services to address all these issues.
While applauding the Federal Government's measures to quantify the health status of children we believe that this activity cannot be limited to single issues such as child abuse. Child health and well-being in its entirety must be included in the Federal Government's programme. Furthermore, attempts to address child health without consideration of the health and social issues that affect the whole community will be doomed to fail. Te ORA urges the Federal Government to expand the scope and nature of its programme in order to ensure the programme's success.
Te ORA believes that the programme will identify a wide range health and social issues that need to be addressed. The identification of health and social issues without adequate, appropriate and long term interventions to eliminate the causes is unethical and will harm children and the communities in which they live.
Te ORA is concerned about the processes being used to implement the Government's programme. We urge the Government to take advantage of the expertise of Aboriginal people working in health and related areas at national and regional levels. We also urge the Government to involve community leaders in the planning and implementation of the programme in individual communities. We believe that an inclusive approach is required to ensure the full participation by communities, and to ensure that the programme does not inflict further harm on fragile and vulnerable individuals and communities.
Te ORA is concerned about the manner in which Aboriginal parents, in particular Aboriginal men, are being represented by the political and media discourse. We note that people who abuse vulnerable children are not uncommonly outsiders to the community, and may even be working with communities in 'helping' or professional roles. We urge the government to consider this as it moves to address the abuse of children in communities, and as it deploys workers into these communities.
Finally Te ORA questions the need for the Government to assume control of Aboriginal communities and land and asks how the assumption of control over land resources will contribute to improving health and well-being in Aboriginal communities.
Dr David Jansen
Chairperson
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