Attempting to Define Aboriginal Sovereignty and Genocide in Australia

This is a work in progress...

In recent chats with various Aboriginal Elders, particularly in the eastern states, it seems there is a current push for the gnu-radicalisation of Aboriginal politics and Sovereignty. Groups are forming and poking at the current political fabric - much like the late 1960s and 70s Aboriginal activism.

With plenty of reasons and evidence to suggest continual "Genocide" in Australia various action groups are speaking and acting radical in the face of John Howard's Right-wing stance. However the responses by Australian authorities are less than sympathetic.

On 7 April 2005 Uncle Kevin Buzzacot was given good behaviour bond in the Emu and Kangaroo case [Regina v Buzzacott SCC 72 of 2004]. "Uncle Kevin Buzzacott, Arabunna Elder and traditional owner of Lake Eyre has just returned to the Aboriginal Embassy Fire, where he is continuing his healing after the Tactical Response Group brutally removed him..."

Currently Aunty Sue Rankin and members of the Jaara Briging Them Home Campaign are organising a national Sovereign Tour: The‘Sovereign tour’ is leaving from the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra in January 2006, walking via communities along the Murray river, stopping in with the Yorta Yorta at the Barmah Beats festival and converging in Melbourne for the ‘Stolenwealth games’ actions in March. Post the Stolenwealth Games we will be travelling on to communities and major centres across Australia. [Burning the Sacred Fire]



END ABORIGINAL GENOCIDE: A recent attempt at High Court case involving the Genocide Convention [see notes below] was considered "vexacious and frivilous" at the first level and rejected at face value. [Aboriginal Tent Embassy]

The "BLACK GST" campaign is moving along with a recent well attended meeting in Melbourne. This group will take action at the "Stolenwealth Games" in 2006. What is the Black GST?




Aboriginal Genocide - International Criminal Court Genocide Litigation


Union of Aboriginal Nations: Aborigines of the Gumilaroi Nation are about to move onto several pastoral properties in western NSW to reclaim them as Aboriginal land, says the spokesman of the Nation, Michael Anderson. [Story]

I recently spoke with Michael Anderson - one of the founders of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972. We were discussing Aboriginal Nations, Self Management, Indigenous Sovereignty and a positive and powerful way forward for his people. He said "We intend to carry on our confrontation with the govermnent through peaceful dialogue... to be dealt with as a nation of people." He wants an end to "racist paternalism."

Michael Anderson, Sue Rankin, Kevin Buzzacot and many other respected Aboriginal people are speaking out - articulating the fundamental flaws in the legal and political systems of this country.

With strong Aboriginal voices like these and clusters of grass-root encouragement there is a growing movement messin with the political tectonics, a sway under the grand-suited politics of Canberra - and its a positive shift toward radical Aboriginal rights.



What is Genocide?

Australia's PASSIVE INDIGENOUS GENOCIDE

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1948 and came into effect in January 1951. It defines and outlaws genocide, as a result of campaigning by Raphael Lemkin who had coined the term some years earlier. The total number of state parties is 135.

The Convention (in article 2) defines genocide as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such:"

(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Article 4: "Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article 3 shall be punished, whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals..."

Stolen Generation

Some recent stuff on Perth Indymedia:
URGENT! Aborigines to repossess NSW pastoral properties
Aboriginal Sovereignty NOT Sorry Day


Another Work in Progress:
Neglected History of This Volatile Country - Aboriginal Resistance


Aboriginal Activism
Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972 - KOORIWEB