Convergence of black and white to fight for Aboriginal rights
Aboriginal people fighting to protect their land from mining companies and the government described uranium mining and nuclear waste dumping in detail. “Breaking the nuclear chain” was a forum that included Diane Stokes from Muckaty, whose community is fighting to stop the government from dumping nuclear waste on their land…….
“The students are really passionate, and they’re up with what’s happening, through the internet and networks. The Aboriginal people are more isolated and we haven’t got all the technologies to campaign on the same scale.
“But we’re directly affected. So that’s why we need to fight for change together.”
Alice Springs convergence condemns NT intervention , Green Left, July 10, 2010, By Jay Fletcher, Alice Springs
“…….The convergence brought together Aboriginal communities affected by the Northern Territory intervention to speak and coordinate with anti-intervention and Aboriginal rights groups from around the country.
The NT intervention was set up by the then-Howard government in July 2007. It weakened Aboriginal control on traditional lands, and put 50% of Indigenous people’s welfare payments on a Basics Card in targeted Aboriginal communities. Money on Basics Cards can be spent only on food, clothing and medical supplies.
Despite heavy rain, people travelled from many surrounding Aboriginal communities and there were representatives of various language groups. Some came from the Adnyamathanha Pitjantjatara Yankinytyatjara lands, as well as Muckaty and Arabunna country in central South Australia. There were representatives from the Arrente, Walpiri, and Alyawarr language groups.
Aboriginal community leaders such as Harry Nelson, Murray George, Barb Shaw, Uncle Kevin Buzzacott and Richard Downs — along with many others — addressed and facilitated forums covering the full scope of attacks on Aboriginal people, their land, culture and language………………
Aboriginal people fighting to protect their land from mining companies and the government described uranium mining and nuclear waste dumping in detail. “Breaking the nuclear chain” was a forum that included Diane Stokes from Muckaty, whose community is fighting to stop the government from dumping nuclear waste on their land.
Human rights lawyer George Newhouse said the Muckaty campaign was “one that we can win”.
Uncle Kevin Buzzacott, part of the campaign against the Olympic Dam uranium mine in Roxby Downs, said of Prime Minister Julia Gillard: “The first thing she done was open the door to mining companies.”
Motions were passed to organise community support, and snap actions when necessary, to defend land threatened by mining and waste dumping…………
Richard Downs, spokesperson for the Alyawarr people who walked off their community in protest against the intervention, said “There’s a huge role for the different activist groups to play, and for us as Aboriginal people too, to engage and bring everyone in.
“The students are really passionate, and they’re up with what’s happening, through the internet and networks. The Aboriginal people are more isolated and we haven’t got all the technologies to campaign on the same scale.
“But we’re directly affected. So that’s why we need to fight for change together.”
Alice Springs convergence condemns NT intervention | Green Left Weekly
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