PRESS RELEASE 29 July 1999
from: UNWGIP
Palais de Nations
Geneva
Australian Government Report to UN Offends Human Rights Principles
The Australian Government is offending the Charter of the United Nations,
the UN Charter of Human Rights and the various human rights treaties of the
United Nations, said Les Malezer, spokesperson for the National Indigenous
Working Group on Native Title (NIWG).
`The government's paper is critical of the human rights principles relating
to the self determination of peoples, the concept of elimination of racial
discrimination, and the exercise of the civil and political rights of the
individual' he said.
`The government continues its contempt for the legitimate role of
indigenous organisations and leaders, and the fundamental role of
non-government organisations in maintaining a free and democratic society.
`The government still attempts to use misleading information about the
extent of recognition of Aboriginal land ownership, which is a means to
support the government's concept that Aboriginal people are getting too much.
`This ignores information such as the the facts:
- that over 80% of the indigenous population are denied their land rights,
- that the areas where land ownership by indigenous peoples are restricted
to the Northern Territory, mostly regarded as wastelands by the government
and developers; and
- that the current government has sanctioned the wrongful extinguishment
of native title over areas larger than the country of Belgium just in one
of the States alone.
`The government is continuing to attack the Committee on the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination (CERD) which is responsible for the implementation of
the United Nations International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Racial Discrimination.
`This is a dangerous move, which will only anger the United Nations and
other governments.
`If the government is so concerned the CERD Committee does not understand
its policies on Indigenous Peoples, why doesn't the government give a clear
statement of its policies, and why has the government failed to provide the
two outstanding periodic reports due to the Committee for the period since
1994.
`The government is in denial of its responsibilities, and is attacking the
body responsible to the UN rather than facing its own racist views and
actions' Les Malezer said.
The indigenous representatives at the UN meeting are yet to formalise an
official response to the government's papers.
___________________________________
Les Malezer
General Manager
FAIRA Aboriginal Corporation
Deputy Chairperson
National Indigenous Working Group on Native Title
NIWG
Attending:
Working Group on Indigenous Peoples
United Nations
Geneva
Mobile: 0419 710720
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
URL: http//www.faira.org.au
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