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Fixing Australia

Australia is broken. Democracy has holes in it, cracks in it, and it needs fixing. Since the 2004 Federal election we know that our government is not going to fix it. I think we need to do that fixing, and this blog is a start of getting some ideas together.

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

Palm Island: will Indigenous people get justice for Doomadgee?

"Cameron Doomadgee was found to have suffered four fractured ribs, a ruptured liver and torn protal vein. He died from these injuries he sustained while in police custody on Palm Island. Apparently he sustained these injuries when he fell off a table. Yeah, sure he did." (from Margo Kingston's Webdiary, by James Woodcock)

It is the New Zealand media which reports that a massive Maori contingent is to be expected this week at the time that Mr Doomadgee's funeral will take place:

"Around 3000 Maori are expected to fly to Australia this week to join rallies for Aboriginal human rights. Aboriginal leaders from throughout Australia are planning nationwide protests on Saturday to demand indigenous rights. The protests follow a spate of maltreatment and death of Aborigines in police custody. A group of Maori, led by Tuhoe activist Tame Iti, are said to be flying over to offer support. Aboriginal leader Bert Button said 3000 Maori were flying over to join the nationwide rallies to demand an end to discrimination."

One of the best reports on the Palm Island issue, one that also offers a clear overview of the reporting on the issue in the Australian media - comes from Sarah Stephen, in Green Left Weekly. See below for this report.

The "local" MP for Herbert, Liberal Peter Lindsay, addressed Parliament on 29 November - see the Hansard - but while his speech shows commitment to his local constituents, it fades in significance because he's using it as a selling point for the Howard government's new policy platforms about a new land tenure model - thuis further fuelling the fire of conflict, also within Australia's indigenous people - even more so since Warren Mundine came out and backed the Howard government's new policies.

Mr Doomadgee's funeral may well become the centrepiece for expression of Aboriginal dissent with the handling of this issue, and the fact that 19 Palm Islanders who stand accused were granted bail may not be enough: one of the many bail conditions imposed is that the men not return to Palm Island and attend the funeral. Forbidding friends and relatives to attend a funeral will no doubt gripe deep within the cultural resistance of the 19 men, and it's not a good omen. As Mark Todd in The Age reports, Queensland Chief Magistrate Marshall Irwin was note going to play into the hands of the police when he granted bail to all 19 men charged over the riot: "[Aboriginal leader Mr Murrandoo] Yanner, a cousin of Mr Doomadgee, welcomed the release of the men but was disappointed at the "almost cruel" conditions. He said the direction not to attend the funeral was likely to further harden attitudes."

"In our culture it brings great shame and is a lack of respect to miss the funeral," he said outside the Townsville courthouse."

"Mr Yanner criticised Aboriginal leaders for not speaking out more stridently about Mr Doomadgee's death. "Shame, shame, shame," he said. "Where the hell is the Aboriginal leadership of Australia?"

"If they can't get off their arse and get to Townsville and Palm Island then at least they can pick up the phone and do some interviews. It's pathetic." Mr Yanner would not identify anyone but said there were "clearly 10 or 20 big shots missing in action here"."

FAIRA, the Foundation for Aboriginal & Islander Research Action, issued a press release, and referred to The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody - one of the best Royal Commissions ever conducted, but alas, its more than 300 Recommendations have not been acted upon.

The Palm Island Aboriginal Council wrote to Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, who clearly acted over the heads of the Council when he went in with an attitude of absolute "American Overkill", imposing a State of Emergency and shipping more than 80 SERT Officers on to the Island. Both the FAIRA press release, and the letter from the Council are reprinted below.

STOP BLACK DEATHS IN CUSTODY

Foundation for Aboriginal & Islander Research Action (FAIRA)
Media Release
28 November 2004


The Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action (FAIRA) calls upon the Crimes and Misconduct Commission (CMC) to establish why the rate of Aboriginal imprisonment, and Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, have not improved since 1991.

The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody spent over $30 million to provide more than 300 proposals, mostly to State Governments, to reduce the number of Aboriginal deaths.

More than ten years ago the evidence showed that Aboriginal people were being imprisoned at more than ten times the rate of the Australian population, and that this discriminatory outcome was due to bad laws, biased justice systems, racist policing practices and poverty of the Aboriginal people.

The Queensland Government said that it would address the problems. It has clearly failed to do so.

If the Queensland Government were ATSIC, John Howard would have sacked it, and replaced it with a committee of advisors.

The statistics show that the rate of Aboriginal imprisonment is higher than in 1990 and the rate of deaths in custody continues unabated.

In 1990 Aboriginal people comprised over 20% of the prison population even though we are only 2.5% of the total population in Queensland. In Year 2003, the rate of imprisonment is even higher at 24%.

The Aboriginal people are entitled to answers.

Why are so many of our people being imprisoned, and why are our people dying in jails? Are the laws on peace, order and safety targetting Aboriginal people, particularly our youth? Why is alcoholism being treated as a crime instead of a health and social ailment?

FAIRA welcomes the action by the Commissioner for Police to use the powers of the Crime and Misconduct Commission to expose the Palm Island incident.

We believe this step will help the family of the deceased, and the community, to cope with the tragic event.

The Commission must give a timely report on the incident including the circumstances of the death and the exercise of the duty of care of the police.

But the Commission has an obligation to examine this case in the context of human rights law, and to also find if responsibilities have been upheld by policy and law makers.

We call upon the Commission to provide a thorough report and not just a convenient and short-term media show for the public.

FAIRA Spokesperson
Les Malezer
0419 710 720

Open Letter from Palm Island Aboriginal Council to the Premier

Sunday 28 November 2004

CC: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy Minister Liddy Clark, Police Minister Judy Spence, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson & Media


Dear Mr Beattie

The Palm Island Aboriginal Council, with the support of the Aboriginal Local Government Association of Queensland, would like to express their deep disappointment at the criticisms which have been levelled at our Councillors and community over the past 24 hours.

As you may be aware the Council has sent a response to your statement, "Premier calls for Palm Island Council to show leadership", to the media late yesterday.

The Council has been frustrated you have not seen fit to communicate with us directly on these matters before now.

Our hands have been tied for these past few days by the "State of Emergency" imposed upon us and our people are feeling under siege after seeing the various - and some incorrectly reported media items yesterday on radio, television and print news.

A man has died in police custody. Our people are angry. We are all affected by this, including our Council members.

The following issues need to be resolved immediately:

1. The removal of these services from the island has been extreme and unnecessary.

There has been a mass exodus of services from the island. Of immediate concern is the lack of medical staff at the hospital. Negotiations to re-staff and restore full medical services to the island are of utmost priority.

For reasons it is difficult to understand teachers from our schools Have also been evacuated from the island and we are concerned that our children will miss schooling as a result of this evacuation. What arrangements will be put in place to cater for our children between now and the end of the school year?

No fresh bread or milk has been delivered to the island since Friday morning which has been of great concern to parents on the island - when will these deliveries be restored?

2. The police have been more than heavy-handed in their dealings with the community and community people, including our children, are feeling terrorised. The heavily armed presence of 80 police is not necessary at this time and those extra police should leave the island as soon as possible so real order can be restored by the Council and the people they serve.

To date 13 people, including a minor, have been removed from the island and taken into police custody. Late last night three of those people were on suicide prevention watch. Yesterday the police systematically raided the homes of those they believe to be suspect over yesterday's events - we have had many reports of both children and old people being unnecessarily frightened and mistreated by the police while these raids have taken place.

We have had one report of a man who already had a broken bone being thrown to the ground in front of children and stomped on by police officers this is terrorising our community people. Council has also had reports that Task Force officers are "running the streets" in full armoured uniform including balaclavas, and fully armed in some areas of our community. The island is otherwise calm, and has been for the past 24 hours, other than where these raids have taken place. The raids are scaring our people and adding to feelings of fear and uncertainty.

At no time have these heavily armed and numerous police ever had need to "fear for their lives", as reported by one media outlet. Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson should clarify and retract his statements to the contrary as soon as possible.

Despite the numbers of police currently on the island, the police have drawn Council's attention to a weapon missing from the police station and asked the Council to investigate this matter themselves.

The only description they have offered is that the missing weapon is 'high powered'. No explanation has been offered as to how or why this weapon was able to be removed from the police station by a member of our community.

The Council would like a guarantee there will be no police presence, or evidence of a police presence, at the funeral service of the young man who died when it occurs.

3. Alcohol has not played a role in any of the events of the past three days after the Palm Island Canteen was closed by the Palm Island Council on Tuesday. Statements by the Police Minister to the contrary should be retracted.

4. The declared State of Emergency has prevented our Council from taking up a leadership role.

Three members of our Council have not been able to return to the island as a result of the State of Emergency declared on the island. Council also understands more than 50 people were left stranded in Townsville on Friday evening after ferry services to the island were unnecessarily suspended and further concern has been caused by the inability of people to either get to or leave the island since then. When will our normal transportation services be resumed and what compensation will the government offer the innocent people who were affected by the suspension?

Why were the police told to evacuate all white people and "any decent blacks" from the island?

The current status of the State of Emergency has not been communicated to the Council - no officer in charge has been identified and no certificate, as per the Public Safety Preservation Act (1986), has been issued.

5. The inability of Council to communicate directly with yourselves and/or the people able to make decisions about the issues outlined here has prevented us from taking on the leadership role you have accused us of lacking.

There were published (Townsville Bulletin, 23 Nov) calls for police and government representatives to come to the island to allay the concerns of our community about the death in custody as early as Tuesday this week which were ignored. Had the government heeded these calls and accepted the leadership of those who made these calls the events of later in the week would have been averted.

In regards to the bigger issues - the reasons for these current events - Council would like to make the following statements:

1. The young man this community has lost was know to be reliable and jovial, although generally of a quietly spoken and calm disposition. This young man was a hunter for the community and had never been in trouble with the law or the community. He was a fine example for our young people and admired for his character by our elders. His loss will be felt keenly by many of our people, particularly his family. Our people feel strongly that a grave injustice has occurred.

2. Deaths in Custody have been an issue in all our communities for many years - two deaths have occurred on DOGIT communities in the past two years and the systems in place for preventing these preventable deaths are inadequate. For 13 years there have been 297 recommendations for preventing deaths in custody, not nearly enough of them have been implemented.

Regardless of the causes of those injuries to the young man it is inexcusable that he was left unattended in the watch house until it was too late - the government and the police must accept blame for the current situation.

The Palm Island Council and community and all the Aboriginal people of Queensland call on the government yet again to re-visit the recommendations and implement all of them as soon as possible so the events of the past week never happen again.

3. Council has received reports that this is not the first time Police Sergeant Chris Hurley has had to be removed from a community because a similar series of incidents. If this is the case Council would like to know why Officer Hurley was re-assigned to another Aboriginal community without consideration.

3. There were no deaths or injuries as a result of events on Friday.

4. The Council is in no way to blame for the events of the past week.

In terms of a way forward Council would like to state that the people who make the decisions need to be coordinating with the Council to put processes in place to resolve these issues.

The way forward over the coming weeks and months will be difficult. Trust has been broken and needs to be restored. The people of Palm Island must be able to live in peace and with confidence there will be never be a repeat of the events of past week.

The way the government and authorities deal with the Council and the community in future should be respectful and on equal terms so all parties are able to take on their appropriate responsibilities with all lines of communication remaining open regardless of circumstance.

Erykah Kyle, Palm Island Mayor, and Vince Mundraby, Interim President, Aboriginal Local Government Association of Qld

GLW's Sarah Stephen's report:

Palm Island: Police terror follows death in custody

Sarah Stephen
Green Left Weekly
December 8 2004


At 11.20am on November 19, a 36-year-old Aboriginal man, Cameron Doomadgee, died in the police watch-house on Palm Island, 70km north of Townsville. An hour earlier he was very much alive, singing along the street. He was arrested for public drunkenness and locked up as a "public nuisance".

The first autopsy found that he had four broken ribs and a ruptured liver and spleen, and had died from internal bleeding. The state coroner released a statement to the media on November 26, which said "the forensic pathologist is of the opinion that [Doomadgee's injuries] are consistent with the deceased - and the policeman with whom he was known to have been struggling - falling on to a hard surface, such as the steps outside the watch-house".

Brad Foster, chief executive of the Carpentaria Land Council and spokesperson for the Palm Island community, told the media that people "just don't believe it was an accident. They think it was murder." Palm Island mayor Erykah Kyle told the November 29 Brisbane Courier-Mail that she had seen the full autopsy report and it mentioned that heavy pressure or a weight might have been placed on Doomadgee's chest.

On November 30, Sister Christina McGlynn, a pastoral carer at the Palm Island hospital, told Tony Koch from The Australian: "It is a tragedy this gentle man died in custody. But to say that four broken ribs and a ruptured liver is a consequence of a fall is something I, as a trained nurse, find hard to accept."

Koch wrote in The Australian on November 29: "Two Aboriginal men who were in the cells at the time have given statements that they saw [Doomadgee] being punched and beaten by Chris Hurley, a senior sergeant."

Many questions remain unanswered, such as why, following the alleged scuffle, was Doomadgee left in a cell without medical attention? Kenny Georgetown, manager of the Brisbane Murri Watch program, doesn't believe that Doomadgee should have been taken into custody in the first place. Georgetown asked Brisbane's November 30 Courier-Mail why, if Doomadgee had been picked up drunk, he was not taken to a "safe place" as the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act requires. "This policy is supposed to be operating right around the state and came out of the Royal Commission" into Aboriginal deaths in custody.

The coroner's report into Doomadgee's death was read to a community meeting on Palm Island on November 26. Anger at the report's findings boiled over and 300 people marched to the police station 100 metres away, demanding that the police officers come out. The court house, police station and police barracks were set on fire.

In a complete overreaction, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie immediately declared a state of emergency, evacuated teachers and medical staff from the island, and sent in 80 Tactical Response Group commandos on the night of November 26, armed with riot shields, balaclavas, helmets with face-masks and semi-automatic weapons. They took over the local school to use it as a command post. They roamed the streets, arresting unarmed and unresisting members of the Aboriginal community. They even used Tasers, paralysing electric-shock weapons, on at least three people.

Looking for what they called the "ringleaders" of the "riot", they stormed people's houses, forced children face-down onto the ground and pointed guns at their heads. Koch, who was present at one such arrest, recounted how a young man who refused to supply a signed statement was handcuffed and taken to the airport to be flown to Townsville and locked in the watch-house. "No admissions, no statement, no legal representative on the island, so a convenient 'holding' charge gets this suspected villain off the island."

There was widespread condemnation of the heavy-handed tactics, but Beattie defended the use of force as "appropriate". "I don't expect police to deal with these matters with one hand tied behind their backs", he said.

Foster was furious at the police's actions. He told Koch on November 28: "They deliberately closed off the island while they practised their terrorist drills on unarmed Palm Islanders. If they asked the council and put up the list of people they wanted to speak to, they would have been presented to them without the arrests being made at gunpoint and women and children being terrorised in their homes." He said it was "appalling" that no-one from Aboriginal Legal Aid was allowed on Palm Island to help those being arrested.

Aboriginal activist Murrandoo Yanner, Doomadgee's cousin, told ABC's PM on November 29: "A couple of blokes burned down the police station [and] they're immediately caught and charged by the largest armed contingent since we sent soldiers over to Iraq. It's ridiculous."

Eighteen people were immediately arrested, among them a 14-year-old boy. By December 2, police had charged 28 people with 64 offences. Charges included riot, arson, going armed with intent to cause fear, serious assault on police, burglary, wilful damage, unlawful assembly, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and possession of a drug utensil. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service solicitor Kevin Rose told ABC News on November 30 that the rioting charges could be particularly serious. "Riot simplistically is three years, but if it involves with it the destruction of a building, it's life imprisonment maximum."

In a statement released on November 29, state coroner Michael Barnes said: "Given the sensitivities around the man's death, and [the fact] that medical evidence will be crucial to establishing how the man died, it is important that I have a second opinion." A second autopsy was performed by a different pathologist on November 30. The results won't be known until the second week of December, after which time Doomadgee's funeral will take place.

With just 48 hours' notice, 130 members of the Murri community attended a meeting in Brisbane on December 1 to plan action. Green Left Weekly spoke to Sam Watson, a Murri activist and one of the meeting's organisers, about the mood among the community in Brisbane.

"Indigenous people are so angry and hurt about this latest death in custody, and the fact that the police who committed this horrific act of violence on Cameron Doomadgee are still walking around at large. We're angry that the police are being held up as martyrs, and that radio stations and newspapers are running appeals for people to donate furniture and whitegoods! Not a cent has been offered to the family to help with funeral expenses.

"Already, the mindset is that we're going to blame the victims - attack, dehumanise and terrorise the Aboriginal community in the wake of the latest outrage, and continue to absolve the police of any blame."

The media and the Beattie government ignored Doomadgee's death when it happened on November 19. Yet two days after the Palm Island police station burnt down, journalists jumped on planes to get on-the-spot reports, Beattie visited the island and it became an international news story. Yet the cause - the death of an Aboriginal man in custody in extremely suspicious circumstances - continues to be ignored.

The "dangerous" situation on Palm Island was greatly exaggerated. The police were cast as martyrs, fearful for their lives and apparently too scared to ever return to the island. The Queensland Police Union launched an appeal for police who lost their belongings in the fire and Beattie was quick to assure the QPU that no officers would be left out of pocket. He hasn't been so forthcoming in expressing sympathy for Doomadgee's family.

In a November 28 Herald Sun article titled "Palm rioters almost killed us: police", QPU acting president Denis Fitzpatrick made the ridiculous and inflammatory comment that he expected rioters to be investigated for attempted murder. The November 28 Queensland Sunday Mail reported that there were "fears that hidden weapons and a large supply of alcohol could fuel more riots". It quoted police minister Judy Spence saying, "that is why we are very concerned about the next 24 hours, in case people start drinking again and tensions flare up".

Beattie presented a five-point "peace plan" to the Palm Island council when he visited on November 28. A key proposal was for an alcohol management plan, yet alcohol had nothing to do with the protest. Tony Koch confirmed that sales of alcohol stopped on November 23, so there was nothing more than anger and grief fuelling the protesters' actions. "Beattie and his five-point plan can go take a running jump", Watson commented.

Yanner told ABC News on November 27: "If the system works we'll respect it. The system not only is not working for us, it has never worked for us or delivered justice. What is going on on Palm Island is a genuine reflection of how all Aboriginal people are feeling at this stage across Aboriginal Australia."

The Crime and Misconduct Commission is investigating the death, and deciding whether any charges should be laid. Watson said: "The Aboriginal community has no confidence in the CMC. We see it as a rubber stamp for police brutality and terrorism. Neither the Criminal Justice Commission nor the CMC [which replaced it a few years ago] have ever recommended criminal proceedings against any police officer. In every situation, the Aboriginal person is the wrongdoer and the police are the good guys."

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2004/609/609p6.htm

Green Left Weekly also includes a post-rally statement from Socialist Alliance:
The brutal imposition of martial law and the use of armed Tactical Response Group officers against the Aboriginal community on Palm Island has shocked many Australians. Yet another Indigenous person has died in police custody. Yet another community must mourn the loss of one of its sons.

Instead of treating this horrific death with sympathy or consideration, the Premier and the Queensland police have completely bypassed the local Indigenous authorities on the island's council and have chosen instead to invade the island, treating it as a legitimate target for state terror. Children, pregnant women and the elderly have been forced to bury their faces in the dirt by police officers toting laser-guided machine guns.

The island has been isolated, its services cut off, its residents stranded and the desire of the community to mourn its loss has been thwarted by the determination of the state to vigorously impose the rule of law on a people who have been so poorly served by it. Palm Island is a creature engineered by the chronic racism of successive state governments. This is an undeniable historical fact. The guilty aren?t those young men incarcerated in Townsville jail and the victims are not the Queensland police.

Any comment contrary to that expressed by the Queensland Police Union or Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson is denigrated out of hand. Is Queensland now run by its police force? As Murri Indigenous leader and Socialist Alliance activist Sam Watson says, the Queensland Crime Misconduct Commission "is just a rubber stamp for a vicious corps of armed, violent and racist thugs who act with impunity to terrorise our communities. Neither the CMC nor its predecessor [the Criminal Justice Commission] have ever recommended a single criminal charge against any police officer for alleged violence against an Aboriginal person."

This state's Indigenous community has suffered much at the hands of those who would displace them. With the brutal events of the past week, the Indigenous community must feel that they are under siege and that their struggle for justice has reached a low ebb.

Human Rights Day Townsville: 2000 Aboriginal marchers hail charged 'warrior'

The Age
By Mark Todd
Townsville
December 10, 2004


Elizabeth Doomadgee ran across the street and, gently sobbing, buried her face in the shoulder of her brother's best friend. "You are my warrior," she said as she embraced Lex Wotton on the steps of the Townsville police headquarters.

Cheers erupted from 2000 protesters. It was clear that Wotton, the alleged ringleader of last month's riots on Queensland's Palm Island, had become a powerful folk hero.

Banned under the conditions of his bail from taking part in yesterday's protest march through the streets of Townsville, Wotton had waited in the baking sun for the march to come to him.

A broad smile spread across his face as he recognised Ms Doomadgee, whose brother Cameron died in police cus-tody on Palm Island on November 19.

Wotton, who police say led the mob that set the Palm Island police station alight with as many as 19 people inside, raised his arms to the sky, fists clenched, and the marchers cheered louder. Aboriginal dancers rushed up the steps outside the police station for their most emotion-charged performance of the day.

"This is a warm-up dance," said Ashley Saltner, 14. "It is for the spirits as we get ready for battle."

Reporters asked Wotton if he felt proud. "Yes," he replied. What was he proud of, then? "Everything," he said.

The march was peaceful, with black and white walking side by side.

"Whether Lex is right or wrong, people are looking at him," one protester said as the march moved on.

"Sometimes it takes something tragic for something beautiful to emerge. This has sparked people into action."

One of the white walkers, Heather Bond, said Townsville was a racist place. You only had to look at the swastikas painted on walls.

"I'm terrified this whole issue could become very divisive," she said. "To some people you're either in one camp or the other. I don't know what could happen if this isn't handled properly."

It was certainly a mixed gathering, with signs both for and against the police.

One young boy held a placard with the slogan - "Deaths in custody: legal genocide".

He shook his head when asked what the sign meant. "He doesn't know the big words," said his nan, Lilian Willis. "But this is all about justice and it's about people coming together."

Link to article in The Age

Rebel yell

Townsville Bulletin
By VIKKI CAMPION
10dec04


ABORIGINAL activist Murrandoo Yanner has delivered a fiery speech urging people to heckle politicians and "if you go to jail, go for something honourable''.

Speaking to the large crowd that rallied in Central Park yesterday, Mr Yanner demanded to know where Member for Herbert Peter Lindsay, Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney and Member for Towns ville Mike Reynolds were. "Where the hell are they?'' he asked. "Do they only support white people or what?''

Mr Yanner urged people to challenge politicians on their silence in the wake of Cameron Doomadgee's death in custody on Palm Island and the following riot.

"If you can't get into a boardroom because you aren't dressed the right way, when they leave for lunch heckle them, up them. Spit on them if you have to. It don't take much you know.''

Mr Reynolds did march and attend the rally. Mr Lindsay was in Canberra and Cr Mooney had a prior engagement.

Mr Yanner urged Aborigines to resist. "Stop using that stupid white fella word 'riot'. "It's resistance, something honourable. "If you go to jail, go for something honourable.

"Deck that policeman hurting your brother, burn that police station hiding a murderer. "Stop bashing wives, start bashing racist coppers."

He said what happened on Palm Island was a joyous occasion of heroic acts of resistance, where the community finally felt free.

Mr Yanner asked the rally: "Is Lexy Wotton a criminal?" The crowd shouted, "No." "Is he a hero?" Mr Yanner asked. The crowd yelled, "Yes." "Is Beattie a criminal?" "Yes." "Well, I hope that was heard in Brisbane," he said.

"Peaceful day today, passive resistance is totally useless without people turning up the heat. We have got to turn up the heat until they come begging us for a bit of peace."

"We have been talking peace for a long, long time and they are still killing us."

Mr Yanner called for a "proper Royal Commission, one run by us this time".

"We need to draw a line in the sand and send a clear message. No one should have been charged." Australia's leaders were dehumanising indigenous people, he said.

He said the rioters who were not allowed back to Palm Island for Cameron Doomadgee's funeral were being dehumanised.

"It's very bad they can't go to the funeral, (it's) gonna haunt them for a long time."

Mr Yanner said politicians pushed indigenous people around. "One bloke gets drunk, none of us can drink; if they sniff fuel, they take it all away and we can't drive motorcars. Today, right around us, Howard and Beattie are pushing all these stupid ideas. We will continue to resist and riot until they sit back and listen - listen for once in their lives."

Link to article in Townsville Bulletin

1 Comments:

  • At Thursday, November 16, 2006 12:38:00 AM, Blogger Curaezipirid said…

    Hiya, I am a Muslim Australian Socialist and white with Indigenous ancestry so well within the full blast of local Aboriginal Kinship here in Brisbane. Though my less than usual conglomerate of affilations is not what most folk find normal, it suits me fine, and I am finding that many Aborigines readily orient towards Islam.

    Good blog about needing to prevent black deaths in custody.

    I found it while researching the web for info about Palm Island. The realm of what is out there on the web is bleak. So I am making a sort of self ethnography about why that might be.

    I shall post it as a blogger blog linked to some of my other essays. They are often to God oriented for socialists, but I am actually a Marxist as all real Muslims are if only they stop feigning. Socialist economy is embedded in the culture of Islam. Those Muslims whom would refute such are able to be regarded by the rest of us as law breaking at a death penalty if we want to bother. But then they also regard us as law breaking, (eg, I don't cover my hair every day, and listen to electronic music at times etc etc etc - it all depends upon the degree to which you personally value specific laws- which also defines who will and who will not be saved in the general picture of Prophesy, which is really about climate change etc.)

    Anyhow, I am making a blog about Mulrunji also, check it out, it is not there yet but will be linked to another named "The Phantom of Sarah Rezip".

    Salam=Waram Aborigine way.

     

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