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Kanahus Manuel
Secwepemc Woman's Warrior Society
April 25, 2015
Aboriginals to UN: Halt Closure of Aboriginal Communities in Western Australia
By Kimberley Land Council in Western Australia
Censored News
April 23, 2015
Kimberley Land Council condemns community closures at United Nations Apr 22, 2015
The Kimberley Land Council has received widespread international support for condemning the forced closure of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York.
The Kimberley Land Council has received widespread international support at the United Nations for condemning Aboriginal community closures in Western Australia.
Global human rights organisations, Indigenous organisations and NGOs from Australia, India, New Zealand and the United States pledged support to the KLC as it highlighted the discriminatory and race-based erosion of Indigenous rights currently occurring in Australia.
KLC Chairman Anthony Watson and CEO Nolan Hunter addressed the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York today and met with key influencers including Victoria Tauli Corpus, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Australia’s Professor Megan Davis who was elected to chair the forum.
Mr Watson said it was great to be able to raise international awareness about the forced closure of Indigenous communities and legislative changes to the WA Aboriginal Heritage Act, on such a high-profile, global platform like the United Nations.
“Indigenous people in Australia are witnessing a discriminatory and race-based erosion of their rights while the attempted assimilation of Indigenous people into white Australia is presenting a significant risk to our economic, social and cultural wellbeing,” he said
The Kimberley Land Council has received widespread international support for condemning the forced closure of Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York.
The Kimberley Land Council has received widespread international support at the United Nations for condemning Aboriginal community closures in Western Australia.
Global human rights organisations, Indigenous organisations and NGOs from Australia, India, New Zealand and the United States pledged support to the KLC as it highlighted the discriminatory and race-based erosion of Indigenous rights currently occurring in Australia.
KLC Chairman Anthony Watson and CEO Nolan Hunter addressed the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York today and met with key influencers including Victoria Tauli Corpus, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Australia’s Professor Megan Davis who was elected to chair the forum.
Mr Watson said it was great to be able to raise international awareness about the forced closure of Indigenous communities and legislative changes to the WA Aboriginal Heritage Act, on such a high-profile, global platform like the United Nations.
“Indigenous people in Australia are witnessing a discriminatory and race-based erosion of their rights while the attempted assimilation of Indigenous people into white Australia is presenting a significant risk to our economic, social and cultural wellbeing,” he said
Kimberley Land Council submission extracts
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Fourteenth Session – New York
20 April – 01 May 2015
Human Rights: Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (with specific focus on economic, social and cultural rights)
In Australia, failure to fully implement the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People by Government has proven to be a significant impediment to the pursuit of self-determination and strengthening of the economic, social and cultural rights of Indigenous people.
Australia is a federated nation with responsibility for implementation of the Declaration resting both with the National Government and in part with states within the federation. At present, Indigenous people in the state of Western Australia are witnessing a discriminatory and race-based erosion of their rights and the attempted assimilation of Indigenous people into white Australia, presenting a significant risk to our economic, social and cultural wellbeing through:
- the forced closure of Indigenous communities, attempting once again to separate people from their land and culture;
- laws that erode avenues for Indigenous people to protect their cultural heritage; and
- discriminatory land tenure administration, including the systematic interference with attempts by Indigenous people to pursue culturally appropriate and sustainable economic development opportunities.
The Australian Government has taken no steps to protect Indigenous people in response to these measures.
Forced closure of Indigenous communities
In November 2014, the Premier of the State of Western Australia declared an intention to close up to 150 of the 274 remote Indigenous communities in the state. This announcement was made without consultation with Indigenous people. It was made without regard to our wishes or our wellbeing.
Not more than 100 years ago, our people were being forced off our land and put in missions and reserves. Not less than 40 years ago our children were being forcibly removed from their families and forced into institutional care. Less than 20 years ago the Australian Government enacted laws dealing with our native title rights which were, and still are today, racially discriminatory and a breach Australia’s international human rights obligations. As recently as 2007, the Australian government again suspended the Racial Discrimination Act in order to implement the Northern Territory Emergency Response.
History shows us that these policies have resulted in the gradual disintegration of cultural standards and governance; it has resulted in fringe communities in urban areas, in alcoholism and youth suicides, and in disempowerment. And now the Australian Government is allowing it to happen again.
This program of forced closure and removal from country will be done by the removal by Government of essential services and is being applied:
- with complete discrimination – the Government is only proposing to remove services to Indigenous communities, without regard to remote non-Indigenous communities;
- without a long-term vision or alternative - no one has discussed what options or opportunities may be available to improve the economic sustainability of these communities; and
- with complete disregard to the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the Indigenous people residing within them.
The protests of the Indigenous community against this situation have been met by the Australian Government with a dismissal that our living in these communities is a lifestyle choice.
But we do not believe that this is correct. Article 8 of the Declaration tells us that we have a right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of our culture. Articles 10, 26, 27 and 32 further affirm our rights in relation to our land. And Article 19 provides that we must first consent to these actions.
We would hope that no State, that purports to endorse the Declaration, can maintain that the rights embodied within that Declaration are a lifestyle choice.
Erosion of legal mechanisms to protect cultural heritage
The Aboriginal Heritage Act of Western Australia establishes legal and administrative mechanisms to control Indigenous cultural heritage in the interests of the community at large, but not in the interests of Indigenous people. And is primarily directed at processes to allow lawful damage to or destruction of our heritage places and objects.
This law is in the process of being amended to further narrow opportunities for Indigenous people to participate in the management, control or protection of their cultural heritage, and to provide even greater legal control over our heritage to government.
The Aboriginal Heritage Act, in both its current state and proposed amended form, is contrary to international human rights norms and is an example of systemic racism legitimatised and institutionalised by legislative means.
These laws entrench principles of colonial superiority and provide legal protection for systemic racism.
These laws therefore amount to a forced taking of our heritage so that it can be destroyed, damaged or compromised by the state in accordance with its own laws for the benefit of mining companies and other developers.
Discriminatory land tenure administration
Indigenous people are committed and active in looking for every opportunity to improve the wellbeing of our people.
The forced closure of Indigenous communities and the laws relating to Aboriginal heritage are but two pieces of a broader approach by the West Australian Government to interfere in Indigenous self-determination in the state. A third measure being applied is the discriminatory administration of land tenure and land management by the State Government to undermine actions taken by Indigenous people to improve their wellbeing and become economically self-sufficient.
Indigenous communities in the Kimberley have been active in pursuing opportunities to establish projects that use their native title rights to develop priorities for development and use of their lands. These projects align with our strong interest in protecting and taking care of the country we live on and include land management activities and carbon projects.
All Member States have an obligation to facilitate the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of Indigenous people. And this obligation extends to all levels of Government.
The Kimberley Land Council looks to the Permanent Forum, to fellow delegates and observers to support us in our call for Australia to comply with its obligations under the Declaration, and support the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of Australian Indigenous people.
April 24, 2015
Zapatistas SupGaleano: Registration Report 'Critical Thought Versus Capitalist Hydra'
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| Photo: SupGaleano in Sonora by Brenda Norell |
Report on Registration for the Seminar “Critical Thought Versus the Capitalist Hydra”
Zapatista Army for National Liberation
Mexico.
To the compas of the Sixth:
To the presumed attendees of the Seminar “Critical Thought Versus the Capitalist Hydra”:
We want to let you know that:
As of April 21, 2015, the number of people who have registered for the seminar “Critical Thought Versus the Capitalist Hydra” is approximately 1,074 men, women, others,i children, and elderly from Mexico and the world. Of this number:
558 people are adherents of the Sixth.
430 people are not adherents of the Sixth
82 people say they are from the free, autonomous, independent, alternative, or whatever-you-call-it media.
4 people are from the paid media (only one person from the paid media has been rejected, it was one of the three who were sponsored by the Chiapas state government to sully the name of the Zapatista compa professor Galeano and present his murderers as victims.)
Now then, we don’t know if among those 1,074 who have registered so far there might be a portion who have gotten confused and think that they have registered for Señorita Anahí’s wedding (apparently she’s marrying somebody from Chiapas, I’m not sure, but pay me no mind because here the world of politics and entertainment are easily confused… ah! There too? Didn’t I tell you?)
Anyway, I’m sharing the number of attendees because it’s many more than we had expected would attend the seminar/seedbed. Of course now that’s CIDECI’s problem, so… good luck!
What? Can people can still register? I think so, I’m not sure. When questioned by Los Tercios Compas, doctor Raymundo responded “no problem at all, in any case the number of people who will actually pay attention are far fewer.” Okay, okay, okay, he didn’t say that, but given the context he could have. What’s more, not even the doc knows how many people are going to come to CIDECI.
In any case, if you are engrossed by the high quality of the electoral campaigns and are reflecting profoundly on the crystal clear proposals of the various candidates, you should not waste your time on this critical thinking stuff.
Okay then, don’t forget your toothbrush, soap, and something to comb your hair.
From the concierge of the seminar/seedbed,
In search of the cat-dog,
SupGaleano.
Mexico, April 2015.
The Cat-Dog in the chat “Zapatista attention to the anti-zapatista client”:
(You are currently on hold, one of our advisors will be with you in a moment. If it takes awhile, it’s because we’re on pozol break.iii We thank you for your patience.)
Yaqui Water Rights Defenders Denied Release from Prison
Vicam Yaqui Water Rights Spokesman Imprisoned since Fall of 2014 Were Not Released
Rights Violated! Judge Orders Release of Jailed Indigenous Activist in Mexico Yaqui Tribe spokesman, Fernando Jimenez, in April. Mario Luna was ordered released in January.
Update May 12, 2015
Mexican officials used legal tactics to keep both Yaqui water rights defenders in jail for more months. It is unknown when they will be released.
Article by TeleSur TV
Mexican officials used legal tactics to keep both Yaqui water rights defenders in jail for more months. It is unknown when they will be released.
Article by TeleSur TV
Photo on right: Water Rights Forum in Vicam, Sonora, by Brenda Norrell
Detained Yaqui Tribe leader and activist, Fernando Jimenez, recieved a favorable decision due to lack of evidence. A third circuit judge has issued an injunction in favor of Yaqui indigenous tribe spokesman, Fernando Jimenez, ordering the release of the jailed indigenous rights activist for lack of evidence against him. Jimenez, who has been imprisoned since September 23, 2014, was detained in the northern state of Sonora amid the context of the Yaqui Tribe’s protests in defense of the Yaqui River. According to the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (Cemda), which made the information public, the judge’s ruling, on Tuesday, represents the states participation in violating Jimenez’s human rights for ordering his imprisonment without due process. Jimenez was arrested only days after Mario Luna, another prominent spokesman and activist of the Yaqui Tribe, was detained under the same circumstances. The two are accused of illegal deprivation of liberty and carjacking, after members of the Yaqui Tribe stopped a man who attempted to drive into their protest roadblock. In January, Luna also received a favorable court order for his release stipulating that at the time of Luna’s consignment to prison the state neglected to admit the defense’s evidence. Both Luna and Jimenez have led the Yaqui Tribe’s protests since 2010 against a state-sponsored mega aqueduct project that pumps water from the Yaqui River to urban centers such the Sonora state capital, Hermosillo. The 172 km long project transports more than 60 million cubic meters of water per year from the Novillo dam, which is fed by the Yaqui River, to supply Hermosillo and the large agroindustry in the region. The project openly violates a 1940 presidential decree by then president Lazaro Cardenas, which guarantees that at least 50 percent of the water from the Yaqui River pertains to the Yaqui Tribe.
This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Judge-Orders-Release-of-Jailed-Indigenous-Activist-in-Mexico-20150408-0028.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english
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