Sunday, 8 July 2007

Robbie Thorpe Black GST/Camp Sovereignty NDA Melbourne Press Release

The Howard Settler Governments invasion of the Northern territory is land-grabbing racism nothing more. This invasion is part of the neo liberal structural adjustment programme of Intuitions such as the World, Bank, the IMF & APEC to diminish and extinguish Indigenous rights forever.

It is no surprise to see that the four countries that are blocking the passage of the Draft Declaration of indigenous rights through the United Nations, Australia, New Zealand, United States & Canada, they are the same four states that as part of APEC are raping the marine ocean environment in the Pacific, and are further oppressing & eroding the hard won rights of their Indigenous Nations & Peoples through out the world and within their own countries.

What is happening to our brothers and sisters in the NT, is part of that process, part of that genocide.

On the 14th July Indigenous peoples worldwide stand united in their opposition to these agenda’s, invasions and to the unending dispossession & disrespect shown to our peoples.

To my Brothers & Sisters of the Four winds, who replied to our call for Unity & Solidarity. United and strong, together we can defend what is ours for our generations to come. Deepest respect.


As the Indigenous Peoples of Australia, we weren’t afforded civil rights and as such we weren’t recognised and we’ve missed that process for the last two hundred years. I don’t think you can have any laws that are appropriate for Aboriginal people in this country until you have a treaty, which ends the war. Before you have a treaty you have to have an end to hostilities. Before those processes take place, you can’t talk about having a civil rights society.

One of our rights being breached is the right to consent. Aboriginal people haven’t consented. If you do things without consent, it’s considered rape. Now, a lot of crimes have been committed against Aboriginal people. There is a history of denial, which has gone on, and these crimes are continuing.

They won’t take the fundamental steps towards establishing a civil society. They need to have a treaty; they need to end the war against the Aboriginal people. We know we’ve had a war here, but they can’t tell you what day it ended. That may be the national day this country could celebrate.

Until they have that treaty with Aboriginal people we can’t talk about making laws for Aboriginal people or applying it to them. The treaty will give them that basis of law to do it.

They’ve had 200 years in isolation from the rest of the world to do exactly what they wanted to do. They’ve lied all the way - terra nullius - they’ve said they lied about that. They’ve admitted that they stole children: that’s article (e) of the Genocide Convention. They’ve had an inquiry into the deaths in custody, killing members of the group. They’ve caused mental stress on Aboriginal people - and everything that’s in the Genocide Convention, Australia’s breached. I can’t believe that it gets swept aside each time. It’s like you’re talking to a brick wall.

Well, the treaty gets written by our people, and signed by white-fellers. Our elders are to put it into place. Our people write the treaties, and the white-feller signs it because he’s on our land, and that’s the deal. We write it. We write it in aboriginal language, we write it in white-fella language, and we write it in Latin if you want it. We’ll get the interpretation deadly, because we’ll do it. We’ll interpret it; it’s our treaty. We’re allowing it to happen; it’s up to us to consent to this. You know what I mean? Otherwise they’ll remain the illegitimate bastard-child of England, Australia. That’s what they are.


"Today we are remembering our eldest elders, those who initiated the long struggle of resistance against the arrogance of Power and the violence of money. They, our ancestors, taught us that a people with pride are a people who do not surrender, who resist, who have dignity." - from Our Word Is Our Weapon


Robbie Thorpe: Black GST & Camp Sovereignty

Robbie Thorpe: 0437 967 039

Robbie Thorpe is from the Krautungalung people of the Gunnai Nation, the traditional owners of Lake Tyers


Stop the Genocide on Stolen Aboriginal Land

* End Aboriginal deaths in Custody! Justice for Mulrunji and all killed
in custody.
* Implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission into
Aboriginal Deaths in Custody!
* Land rights not mining rights! No new mines, no new dumps!
* Fund community controlled services, not troops, cops and martial law!
Social well-fair, not social control!
* Aboriginal control of Aboriginal affairs! Treaty NOW!
* International Day of Action

Saturday July 14th Kulin Nations (Melbourne Australia)

International Indigenous Unity

Aboriginal Australia

Black GST

Camp Sovereignty

Aotearoa

Te Ata Tino Toa

Conscious Collaborations - Global indigenous Network

Mana Wahine

Komiti Pasifika

Whakaminenga o Te Paatu

Aocafe (Aotearoa Cafe)

IA Imagine Native Action

Indiginz

Hone Harawira, Maori Party MP Te Tai, Tokerau

Te Ururoa Flavell, Maori Party MP, Waiariki

Metiria Turei List MP Green party Aotearoa/NZ

Great Turtle Island

American Indian Movement

Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

MNN Mohawk Nation News

Mapuche Solidarity Coalition

Saturday, 7 July 2007

Resistance is Global

Gubaaament minimising, diminishing indigenous rights

Wednesday, 4 July 2007, 4:46 pm
Press Release: The Maori Party
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:

'Government minimising and diminishing indigenous rights'

Hone Harawira, Maori Party spokesman for Foreign Affairs

Wednesday 4 July 2007

"I'm gutted but not surprised to hear that the Government is ready to
vote on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the
United Nations, without bothering to talk to indigenous people about
it first," said Hone Harawira, Maori Party spokesman for Foreign Affairs.

"And I'm not surprised by the deafening silence coming from Labour's
Maori Caucus either," said Harawira. "I mean, once they rolled over on
the Foreshore and Seabed, they were never going to stand up for Maori
rights again."

"Apparently government had thirteen meetings with Maori over a period
of six years, but none with hapu, and none with iwi either," said
Harawira. "For heaven's sake, they didn't even bother to ask the Maori
Party, and we hold four of the seven Maori seats."

"It took more than twenty years of travel, negotiation, hassle,
hustle, and horrendous cost from indigenous people all over the world
to get to a polite but acceptable declaration on minimum human rights
standards for indigenous people."

"And then last year, the indigenous world accepted yet another
'compromise' which was put to the United Nations Human Rights Council,
and adopted and supported widely."

"And what did our government do, this government that talks about
Maori potential?" asked Harawira. "They not only opposed it, they
demanded changes to even further minimise and diminish indigenous
rights," said Harawira.

"Maori deserve to know what's going on with indigenous rights,"
demanded Harawira. "The Africans are putting forward open amendments,
Canada has gone public with what it's doing, Mexico is pushing for the
adoption of last year's text, and New Zealand is out the back trying
to cut everything to pieces".

"We are very, very angry about all this. Maori, not just the Maori
Party, but every Maori has a right to know what this government is
doing about indigenous rights," said Harawira, "and Maori also have a
right to full participation in the discussion on international
statements on indigenous rights."

"Either this government starts coming up with some answers and some
action," said Harawira ominously, "or the Maori Party may send a
delegation to the United Nations to expose this government's
continuing hypocrisy on human rights for indigenous people."

Friday, 6 July 2007

From Little Things Big Things Grow



Kev Carmody, John Butler and Paul Kelly perform From Little Things Big Things Grow

Warumpi Band - Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out From Jail)

Gurindji Reggae



contemporary indigenous music Aboriginal Australia commenting on the Wave Hill walk off and Kalkarinji Freedom Day

Stop the Genocide on Stolen Aboriginal Land Kulin Nations July 14th Full Endorsement List International Day of Action




Full endorsement list as of 7 July 2007
Rally — Stop the genocide on stolen Aboriginal land

Endorsements — Australia


Black GST

Camp Sovereignty

Chilean Popular and Indigenous Network

Freedom Socialist Party

Indigenous Social Justice Association – Melbourne

Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET)

Ongoing G20 Arrestees Solidarity Network

Radical Women

Australian Asia Worker Links

Resistance,

RMIT Student Union

Socialist Alliance

Socialist Alternative

Your Voice

3 KND

Nuclear Free Australia

International Socialist Organisation

3CR

Socialist Party

Electrical Trades Union

Plumbers Union

Union Community Alliance

Communist Party of Australia

Maritime Union of Australia

Geelong Trades and Labour Council

Moreland Peace Group

Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (Victoria)

Campaign for Women's Reproductive Rights

Indigenous Social Justice Association — Sydney

Anarchist Media Institute

IWW (Australia)

Leonard Peltier Support Group

Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby

Union Solidarity

Anti Nuclear Australia

Australian Student Environment Network

Friends of the Earth

International endorsements

• From Aotearoa


Te Ata Tino Toa

Conscious Collaborations - Global indigenous network

Mana Wahine

Komiti Pasifika

Solidarity Union

Socialist Worker (Aotearoa)

Human Rights Project Aotearoa

Whakaminenga o Te Paatu

Wellington Wildcat Anarchist Collective

Aocafe (Aotearoa Cafe)

Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

Radical Youth (Auckland)

Citizens Against Privatisation (Auckland)

Imagine Native Action

Indiginz

Hone Harawira, Maori Party MP Te Tai, Tokerau

Te Ururoa Flavell, Maori Party MP, Waiariki

Metiria Turei List MP Green party Aotearoa/NZ

• From Canada

MNN Mohawk Nation News

• From Chile


Mapuche Solidarity Coalition

People's Assembly Movement

Colectivo Avanzar - Santiago

• From the United States

American Indian Movement

Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

Freedom Socialist Party — U.S. Section

U.S. Radical Women

Wahi Tapu

Tenei he mihi aroha ki nga Tangata Whenua-Ahi Kaa ki Taupo nui a Tia.
How do we protect Waahi Tapu?

I am part of a collective of whanau situated around the rohe of Ngati
Tuwharetoa who have been occupying and opposing a development on a
Waahi tapu site known as Otuparae. 2 years ago as well as 2 months ago
skeletal remains from our burial grounds were dug up from contractors
building Parawera Development. Our whanau had been through all the
legal avenues to try to stop it,apart from high court which would cost
thousands. We protested and occupied and have been arressted and
removed of our land and still went back and are still continuing to
occupy. And now the contractors are back to keep developing.


Without using physical violence we are at a wait and pray stage. Our other
whanau have been upholding Mana Whenua by occupying Wharewaka.
Both of our occupations were raided by police in Taupo 2 weeks ago.
11 whanau were arressted from Otuparae. The oldest a Kuia the youngest
a 2mth old baby. 2 were arressted from Wharewaka.

Our Kuia from Otuparae laid down a Karanga envoking Tupuna to be there
as she was being arressted. As we were being held back at the gate by
3 rows of police men having to watch the representative for the
developers and the police raid our Noho they made 2 of our kaumatua
carry stack full of chairs down the driveway without assisstance from
Senjo Security, who were hired by the developers to secure their
buildings,police or the developers representative.
But we haven't given up.

11 July 2007 appearing in Taupo District Court are those who were
arrested from their ancestaral lands just as in the days of our
Tupuna. Haere Mai.

It still exsists the pen and paper turmoil that has corrupted us into
a system of land-grabing descecrators who cares not for the Tangata
Whenua-Ahi Kaa ancestoral and human rights. But cares more for bread
and butter on their table at the expense of hanging the Maori.
How do we protect Waahi Tapu without getting violent?
This question I leave open for reply to........

tuhi mai.
Wahinewhenua

Dear Brothers and Sisters of our nearby land of Aotearoa,

This is an open letter to THANK ALL OF YOU who participated in the occupation of the Australian Consulate in Auckland,this week.
My name is Di Stewart & I am an Indigenous woman from Nth Queensland,in Australia. As you are aware we as Aboriginal people are currently under direct attack,from John Howard's Gov't,which is a very RACIST,BIASED,GREED DRIVEN Organisation.The majority of Australians would like to imagine themselves to be a people who "give people a fair go"...what a load of ROT!!!!

We are and have always been a thorn in the sides of the Colonial Invaders ever since they put foot on OUR LAND and declared it for English rule. We have never surrenderd our lands or sold them....they were and continue to be STOLEN from the Original Australians. We are and have always been treated like, nothing worse than animals,in fact the animals have been treated better than us.Our people have been decimated,hunted,stolen from their Homelands and then they "Governments of Australia"have the audacity to BLAME Aboriginal people for their plight.

We are not a 3rd World country,but to see many of our countrymen/women & children being forced to live in 3rd World conditions is beyond belief. John "Hitler"Howard and his cruel Liberal Government and I use the word Liberal.. lightly, have much to answer for and undoubtably will earn himself the title of a Great Criminal for his part in the genocide of our Indigenous Australians.This latest ploy of the Aust Gov't has seen "Hitler Howard",begin his stand for Martial Law in Australia,and if the rest of the Australian population thinks that this will just stop with Aboriginal people then they are in for a VERY RUDE awakening.... This is just the Beginning.!!

Whilst there is indeed Child Neglect & Abuse in our communities,there is also the same happening in White Anglo homes as well.I ask the question does he intend to Invade their homes with the NATIONAL GUARD as well?...of course not.This is our privilage and only ours alone...we have been set back in this country to 200 and so many years again. I applaud the Maori people for their support of my countrymen,women and children,but that alone will not solve the problem.Although it is very heartening to hear that we are at least being watched and cared for in this world.Sometimes it doesn't feel like we as a Nation of people have any hope at all. My personal belief is,that to bring about change of a substanial nature we have to SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE. There is no Aboriginal Leader/s so to speak of and it is my greatest wish to see all Original Australians stand together against the tryanny & injustice that we all face on a day to day basis.

We must also acknowledge the support that many white Australians give to us,and to not let this become a BLACK/WHITE issue... which is exactly what Howard wants,for him to go ahead and impose TOTAL Martial Law on us.Ironically we have recently "Celebrated?"the 40th Anniversary of the Referendum which overwhelmingly gave us the "RIGHT TO VOTE"... and to be recogised as Citizens within our own Country. How Generous....

Their are many capable,educated,intelligent and willing Aboriginal people who are already doing the Hard work on the ground,but lack of goodwill and funding by this and previous Governments in this country, intend to keep Aboriginal People where they think they should be: UNSEEN & UNHEARD. Better still get rid of us altogether and therefore no more problem. I AM ASKING FOR HELP...AS A MOTHER & GRANDMOTHER FOR ALL OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS PLANET, TO PLEASE UNITE AS ONE FORCE AS WE ARE ALL THE TRUE CUSTODIANS OF MOTHER EARTH, to help us in our fight against the injustices that are occurring in OUR ANCIENT,SPIRITUAL,LAND,,, AUSTRALIA.

May your Ancestors be with you all in your struggles as well,
Di Stewart....Dulguburra Yidinji Woman of North Queensland. Email Address:

di_di_61@bigpond.com

Thursday, 5 July 2007

II Encounter of the Zapatista Peoples with the Peoples of the World




Thanks to Ahni for this
* July 3, 2007

The EZLN recently announced the details of the second encuentro, set for the end of July... The first encounter which took place in January of this year brought together thousands of community supporters and over 1,500 men and women from 40 countries around the world.

Compañeros and Compañeras:
Brothers and Sisters:

As was announced at the First Encounter of Zapatista Peoples with the Peoples of the World (held in January of this year), the Second Encounter will be held in the coming month of July. The objective of this encounter is that persons, groups, collectives, and organizations that struggle against neoliberalism, in Mexico and all over the world, hear directly the word of the EZLN’s bases of support on the process of the construction of autonomy in the Zapatista indigenous communities of Chiapas. For this reason, the EZLN, through its Intergalactic and Sixth Commissions, convokes:

The Second Encounter of Zapatista Peoples with the Peoples of the World.

To be held in Zapatista territory July 20 through 28 of the year 2007, with the following characteristics:

First. Taking into account the difficulties that the rainy season provokes at this time in the state of Chiapas, the locations of the Encounter will not be the 5 caracoles (as was previously announced), but rather 3 caracoles (Oventik, Morelia, and La Realidad), following the schedule that we here detail:

Friday, July 20: Caracol of Oventik, Zona Altos [Highlands Zone] of Chiapas. Welcome and Inauguration.

Saturday, July 21: Caracol of Oventik, Zona Altos of Chiapas. Plenary roundtables with presentations by the Zapatista bases of support of the Autonomous Municipalities of the Altos of Chiapas, and sessions for questions, observations, and proposals by attendees.

Sunday July 22: Transfer to the Caracol of Morelia, Zona Tzotz Choj. Welcome.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, July 23, 24, and 25: Caracol of Morelia, Zona Tzotz Choj. Plenary roundtables with presentations by the Zapatista bases of support of the Autonomous Municipalities of the Tzotz Choj Zone (Caracol of Morelia), the Northern Zone of Chiapas (Caracol of Roberto Barrios), and the Selva [Jungle] Tzeltal Zone (Caracol of La Garrucha), and sessions for questions, observations, and proposals by attendees.

Thursday, July 26: Transfer to the Caracol of La Realidad, Zona Selva Fronteriza [Jungle/Border Zone]. Welcome.

Friday, July 27: Caracol of La Realidad, Zona Selva Fronteriza. Plenary roundtables with presentations by Zapatista bases of support of the Autonomous Municipalities of the Zona Selva Fronteriza, and sessions for questions, observations, and proposals by attendees.

Saturday, July 28: Caracol of La Realidad, Zona Selva Fronteriza. Final Plenary and Closing.

Sunday, July 29: Return.

Second. The themes of the plenary roundtables are:

Health: Presentation given by the Health Promoters of the Zapatista communities.

Education: Presentation given by the Education Promoters.

Organization of the Communities: Presentation given by the municipal commissioners and officials.

Collective Work: Presentation given by the local, regional, and municipal collectives and coordinators of each zone.

The Struggle of Women: Presentation given by the women of the bases of support on their forms of organization at different levels, as “the women that we are.”

Autonomy: Presentation given by the autonomous authorities on the struggles and problems faced in the areas of work, health, education, trade, civil registry, justice, projects, etc.

Good Government: Presentation given by members of the Good Government Councils on their function in the construction of autonomy.

Evaluation of the Process of the Construction of Autonomy: Presentation given by members of the political directive of the EZLN (CCRI) on advances and problems in the 13 years of existence of the Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities in Rebellion (MAREZ) and the 4 years of the Good Government Councils (JBG).

Third. The method of work in the plenary roundtables will be: Presentation of the theme, followed by a session of observations, questions, and answers.

Fourth. In this Second Encounter the EZLN will have as special invitees the compañeros and compañeras of the Landless Movement in Brazil, of the Campesino Movement of Korea, of the Campesino Movement of Madagascar, of the Campesino Movement of the United States, and of other compas of the “Via Campesina” organization in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Given this, there will be a special space for the participation of these compañer@s.

Fifth. Inscriptions and accreditations will begin by internet on July 2, 2007, at the following webpages:

www.zeztainternazional.org and enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx
Email: [send email to encuentrojulio@ezln.org.mx via gmail] encuentrojulio@ezln.org.mx

Accreditations will be distributed starting Monday, July 16, 2007, in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, at:

The office of Enlace Zapatista: Avenida Ignacio Allende 22-A, Barrio de San Antonio, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas.
Telephone: (01) 967 6781013

Additionally, there will be a place for inscription and accreditation in each of the caracoles where the plenaries will be held.

Sixth. It is recommended that those attending bring the necessary items to spend the night. In the caracoles there will be affordable food stands, but attendees can also bring their own food.

We invite all honest, noble, and committed persons of Mexico and the World to attend.

From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.
Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee­General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos.
Sixth Commission.

Teniente Coronel Insurgente Moisés.
Intergalactic Commission.

Mexico, June of 2007.

(Thanks to El Kilombo intergalactico for the translation)