New Zealand: Images And Reality
By Ghali Hassan, Countercurrents.org
10 March, 2007

New Zealand prides itself on human rights, social compassion and political “neutrality”. Moreover, New Zealanders pride themselves on being “peace loving” people. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. These images are a distortion of reality. New Zealand is a fully-fledged member of America’s war on Muslims.

I recently spent sometime in New Zealand. As an Australian citizen, I do not need visa to enter or work in New Zealand. However, on my arrival from Melbourne at Wellington Airport, I was singled-out for “questioning” and thorough search. I …

Supporting Genocide In West Papua
from www.heathlander.wordpress.com
March 4, 2007

note by Ahni - the following is slightly skimmed-down version of the original article, which can be found here.

“Since Indonesia gained control of West Papua, the West Papuan people have suffered persistent and horrible abuses at the hands of the government. The Indonesian military and security forces have engaged in widespread violence and extrajudicial killings in West Papua. They have subjected Papuan men and women to acts of torture, disappearance, rape, and sexual violence, thus causing serious bodily and mental harm. Systematic resource exploitation, the destruction of Papuan resources and …

NLC ignoring traditional owners’ wishes, says group
ABC News Online
Feb. 22, 2007

A group of traditional owners say the Northern Land Council (NLC) is going against its wishes by negotiating with the Federal Government over a possible radioactive waste dump in their area.

Three defence sites in the Northern Territory are under consideration as proposed dump sites.

The traditional owners from Muckaty Station, north of Tennant Creek, say their land is also under consideration as an alternative site.

Dianne Stokes represents the traditional owners and says they have written to the federal Science Minister, Julie Bishop, stating they do not want a waste dump.

But …

The shameful treatment of Australian aboriginals
by John Pilger, www.johnpilger.com
19 February 2007

How many days of mourning have I attended? Vivid in the memory are wreaths thrown on to Sydney Harbour, and men in crumpled hats and women in loose frocks standing on foreshores where their forebears saw the first ships carrying white men. On 14 February, there was a day of mourning for T J Hickey, an Aboriginal boy who was chased by police three years ago and ended up impaled on a spiked iron fence in The Block, a ghetto within sight of Sydney’s banks and corporate towers. Commemorative …

Fines cripple disadvantaged
By Margaret Wenham - Feb 08, 2007
www.news.com.au

HUNDREDS of impoverished indigenous people in remote communities have been hit with fines totalling nearly $600,000 for breaking Queensland’s controversial alcohol management laws.

The figures, released this week by the Justice Department, also show that seven people have been jailed and six vehicles confiscated since December 2002 when alcohol management plans (AMPs) were phased in to the state’s 19 discrete indigenous communities.

Reports of the penalty tally was greeted with dismay by Aboriginal leaders who said most people could not pay the fines and the AMPs were not working to curb violence.

Townsville-based …

Media release from Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR)

Amendments to the Native Title Act being debated in the House of Representatives today would increase the powers of the Minister and Native Title Tribunal at the expense of traditional owners, their representative bodies and the Federal Court, according to Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR).

ANTaR National Director, Gary Highland said the amendments would further limit the ability of Indigenous people to have their native title rights recognized. Instead they will create greater uncertainty, conflict and confusion by threatening the independence of native title representative bodies, compromising the …

Court dismisses collective native title claim
ABC News Online
Feb. 5, 2007

The Federal Court has dismissed a native title claim over 160,000 square kilometres of land north of Kalgoorlie, in southern Western Australia.

The claim mainly involved the Wongatha group and another seven overlapping claims.

In handing down his decision, Justice Kevin Lindgren said the groups did not all have a similar cultural attachment to the land, and there was no way they could collectively prove such a connection.

But he left the door open for future claims, saying he believed some native title did exist on the area of land, but it would be …

I found a great map on melbourne.indymedia.org which outlines all the traditional territories of Australia - aswell as a Complete list of Indigenous Nations on the land. This is something people don’t see often so I thought I’d post it, along with the Tent Embassy Declaration which I’ve been meaning to add here…

DECLARATION, ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSY
August 2002

We the Aboriginal Nations of Australia, declare our sovereignty over the country to which we belong.

Each Nation lived as one with the land, respecting the rights of other nations, and observing …

Brisbane, Australia - A major victory has been won by the Indigenous movement in Australia. The Queensland Attorney General’s Department has decided that Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley will be charged with manslaughter over the death of Mulrunji Doomadgee. Mulrunji, an aboriginal man, died in police custody on Palm Island, an aboriginal community, in 2004.

The announcement was greeted with a massive outbreak of cheers, applause and the cry of “justice!” when it was made by Andrew Boe, the legal advisor to the Palm Island council to the seven hundred gathered at the annual Invasion Day rally here.

“I think it is important …

by Takver, at www.melbourne.indymedia.org - Last Sunday I attended for Melbourne Indymedia an important commemoration of a little known historical event of Melbourne. One hundred and sixty five years ago, in 1842, the first judical execution in Melbourne took place: the execution of two Indigenous resistance fighters, Peevay and Tunnerminnerwait.

Thirty people, gubbahs and kouris, gathered at the corner of Franklin and Bowen Street, Melbourne, opposite the City Baths to remember Tasmanian Aborigines Tunnerminnerwait and Peevay, the 165th anniversary of the judicial murder of these two indigenous freedom fighters. They were the first public executions in Melbourne on January …