Antinuclear

Our Land Our Culture Our Sovereignty Indigenous Self-Determination Gathering  Aboriginal News Group  by: Ana , 5 April 2010, INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS SOLIDARITY GATHERING IN ALICE SPRINGS JULY 10, 11

Indigenous communities around the world are supporting the International
Indigneous Gathering in Australia, there will be 6 international
Indigenous leaders visiting Alice Spring during July 10, 11 with the
intention to solidarise with their brothers and sisters in Australia.

2010 is the Year of Indigenous People and we want to celebrate and honour indigenous people from around the world by holding a gathering in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia on July 9,10 and 11.

It was decided to hold this year’s gathering in Central Australia in response to the curtailment of the rights of  the Indigenous communities of the Northern Territory embodied in the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER), the de-funding of the homelands, the threats to bi-lingual education, and the compulsory takeover of the Alice Springs town camps.
Last year Australia endorsed the UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, however the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples has stated that the Northern Territory Emergency Response (Intervention) is racist and violates the UN Conventions that the Australian Government has signed. This gathering will be a chance for individuals and organisations to begin asserting their rights as the first peoples of this world.

The gathering will focus on the environmental impacts of mining, proposed uranium dumping, and tourism on indigenous communities in this region and Australia wide. The mining companies often seek to divide indigenous people by holding out false promises of jobs and the payment of compensation to pay for improvements to the infrastructure that should by rights be a governmental responsibility. There are many indigenous activists campaigning against environmental destruction and there will be plenty of workshops and forums at the gathering where they will be able to share information and strategies.
Indigenous world views are largely neglected in debates around social change, the impact of globalisation and climate change. However, Indigenous peoples have long histories of resistance, and differing models of social organisation and ways to protect homelands.
By bringing together indigenous and non indigenous communities, we can start to build the bridges that will create a constructive dialogue between peoples, and share not only knowledge and experiences but come closer to understanding our radically different world views……

The conference is organised by the Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET), Barbara Shaw Mont Nancy Camp Town and Friends of the Earth (FoE).

For more information please contact: Sue Leigh, LASNET activist 0466 480331 Marisol Salinas, Friends of the Earth activist 0413 597 315 Barbara Shaw, Mont Nancy Camp Town Alice Springs activist 0401 291 166Labels: Aboriginal, Barbara Shaw, Indigenous Solidarity

Aboriginal News Group: Our Land Our Culture Our Sovereignty Indigenous Self-Determination Gathering