UN condemns Aboriginal treatment

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

UN condemns Aboriginal treatment

A senior United Nations human rights official has criticised Australia's measures to fight child abuse and alcoholism in Aboriginal communities.

Prof James Anaya said the measures were discriminatory and stigmatised indigenous people.

He spoke after a tour of Aboriginal townships prompted by complaints that the government intervention was racist.

The restrictions include rules on how welfare payments can be spent and a ban on alcohol and hard core pornography.

The intervention was launched under the conservative government of former Prime Minister John Howard, but was kept largely in place by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd after he took office in 2007.

Dozens of townships in Australia's Northern Territory were taken over by the federal authorities, and the government suspended the Racial Discrimination Act to allow the controversial policy to be implemented.

Medical staff and social workers were also deployed as part of the intervention, in an attempt to combat violence and the rampant abuse of children in some Aboriginal communities.

Treaties 'broken'

Professor Anaya, the United Nations Rapporteur on Indigenous People, said there was "entrenched racism" in Australia and the ongoing intervention in the Northern Territories continued such discrimination.

"These measures overtly discriminate against Aboriginal peoples, infringe their right of self-determination and stigmatise already-stigmatised communities," Prof Anaya said in Australia's capital, Canberra.

Mr Anaya, an American professor of human rights law, visited Australia at the request of indigenous groups, church leaders and social justice organisations.

Some campaigners have argued that the measures violate human rights because they only target Aborigines.

After touring some of Australia's most disadvantaged communities, Prof Anaya agreed with those arguments.

"As currently configured and carried out, the emergency response is incompatible with Australia's obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - treaties to which Australia is a party - as well as incompatible with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples," he said.

A recent study found that the gap between non-indigenous Australians and their Aboriginal counterparts was growing on issues such as child abuse and domestic violence.

Prime Minister Rudd said it was "a devastating report" on an unacceptable situation.

Shortly after taking office, Mr Rudd made a formal apology for the past wrongs caused by successive governments on the indigenous Aboriginal population.

But there is still resentment at Mr Rudd among Aboriginal Australians for not reversing the intervention, says the BBC's Sydney correspondent, Nick Bryant.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8223881.stm

[almaty 19]

terrible..where is brother boo yah at ..to set the record straight?

[Heracles 417]

This is ridiculous considering the benefits they give them. Who gets paid $15K tax free on top of a free degree to get your masters? if half bludgers in the UK knew about this they'd claim their indigenous just to get the benefits.

People need to realize many of them choose to live like that. The government buys them new cars, only to have them rip the doors off and pop the windows out, mad max style. They build them homes in their communities, only to have them go inside and start fires inside the building.

They have setup zero alcohol zones due to chronic alcohol abuse; something classified as discrimination. You guys realize in certain areas they have to lockup and add additives to methylated spirits because they would pop them open and drink the pure alcohol.

It's clear that the dramatic measures they are taking to try help these communities is not recommended by professor. Perhaps the professor can enlighten them on what they should do, rather than simply telling them how dead wrong they are.

Edited August 31, 2009 by haza

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I just posted the article for comment.

[almaty 19]

This is ridiculous considering the benefits they give them. Who gets paid $15K tax free on top of a free degree to get your masters? if half bludgers in the UK knew about this they'd claim their indigenous just to get the benefits.

People need to realize many of them choose to live like that. The government buys them new cars, only to have them rip the doors off and pop the windows out, mad max style. They build them homes in their communities, only to have them go inside and start fires inside the building.

They have setup zero alcohol zones due to chronic alcohol abuse; something classified as discrimination. You guys realize in certain areas they have to lockup and add additives to methylated spirits because they would pop them open and drink the pure alcohol.

It's clear that the dramatic measures they are taking to try help these communities is not recommended by professor. Perhaps the professor can enlighten them on what they should do, rather than simply telling them how dead wrong they are.

glad to see you here brother boo..and get a different view...

[jodee 30]

I have to agree with Boo-Yah. I have lived not far from Aboriginal communities, and have had daily interactions with them, when I was working in the bank. The "dry" communities were set up to help protect these people, to help give them a sense of independence, and to try and stop them abusing the system, by restricting what they can waste the $$ on. It is sad to watch, as these people waste away, with alcohol, and other dependencies. Our supermarkets now carry methylated spirits, and any alcohol related cleaning products under lock and key, becasue they are so desperate for a fix. I think Boo-Yah was being cautious with his descriptions of what they get from the government. What he mentioned is ony the tip of the iceberg. I used to bust my butt, watching these people coming in to get free $$ from the government, which was nearly always double, or more of what I earned.

I respect them, but also feel they need to have these restrictions in place.

[Heracles 417]

Not to mention all of the royalties many receive monthly from companies mining on aboriginal land.

The professor acts as if Australia is deliberately taking these measures solely because of their race, or to suppress them; which is dead wrong.

He also fails to mention the hundreds of various programs and benefits available to them and nobody else, including guaranteed place into universities.

Edited September 1, 2009 by Booyah!

[natty bumppo 297]

Not to mention all of the royalties many receive monthly from companies mining on aboriginal land.

The professor acts as if Australia is deliberately taking these measures solely because of their race, or to suppress them; which is dead wrong.

He also fails to mention the hundreds of various programs and benefits available to them and nobody else, including guaranteed place into universities.

do the aboriginal peoples have a historical dependency issue? or was this a recent/ modern times introduction?

[Heracles 417]

do the aboriginal peoples have a historical dependency issue? or was this a recent/ modern times introduction?

I guess it's a clash of cultures. Many in the remote areas just have no intention in trying to integrate or better themselves. Western ways, like alcohol substances have had an extremely negative effect on them, as has drugs use.

Edited September 1, 2009 by Booyah!

[natty bumppo 297]

do the aboriginal peoples have a historical dependency issue? or was this a recent/ modern times introduction?

I guess it's a clash of cultures. Many in the remote areas just have no intention in trying to integrate or better themselves. Western ways, like alcohol substances have had an extremely negative effect on them, as has drugs use.

begs the question ... was the introduction of alcohol substances an original trade commodity as the cultures met?

[_Simpson_ 250]

The restrictions include rules on how welfare payments can be spent and a ban on alcohol and hard core pornography.

What they can spend welfare money on alcohol and hardcore porn !

They dont want to restrict soft porn!

[Heracles 417]

begs the question ... was the introduction of alcohol substances an original trade commodity as the cultures met?

Who knows.. What it is now is what counts.

Take affirmative action and multiply it by 10,000. That is what they make available to them but it still does not help.

The restrictions include rules on how welfare payments can be spent and a ban on alcohol and hard core pornography.

What they can spend welfare money on alcohol and hardcore porn !

They dont want to restrict soft porn!

Welfare does not come in the form of food stamps there. You are paid in cash.

Edited September 1, 2009 by Booyah!

[_Simpson_ 250]

begs the question ... was the introduction of alcohol substances an original trade commodity as the cultures met?

Who knows.. What it is now is what counts.

Take affirmative action and multiply it by 10,000. That is what they make available to them but it still does not help.

The restrictions include rules on how welfare payments can be spent and a ban on alcohol and hard core pornography.

What they can spend welfare money on alcohol and hardcore porn !

They dont want to restrict soft porn!

Welfare does not come in the form of food stamps there. You are paid in cash.

Ok I see, so how do they plan on regulating it then?