This is so infuriating!
Howard was told on all sides he should consult. Aboriginal people were
there willing to consult and Howard didn't listen. He was too busy
'telling'. He wasn't hearing what he wanted to hear.
Now the govt. is excusing itself for taking away Indigenous land rights
by saying it was 'impossible to consult with Indigenous Australians'??
How pathetic!
I hope Harradine is taking this on board because he facilitated the
dispossession!
Trudy
**********************************
UN may continue urgent review of Aborigines
Source: AP | Published: Tuesday March 16 9:45:42 AM
GENEVA, March 15 AP - A UN expert leading an urgent examination
of Australia's treatment of Aborigines proposed
today that the panel against race bias continue its review
beyond its current session.
Gay McDougall of the United States, one of 18 independent
experts on the UN Committee on the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination, said she saw some merit in the Australian
Government's argument that it was unable to cure
past injustices.
But she said she was concerned that some of the injustices
occurred between 1994 and 1996 - not just in the
distant past.
At issue primarily is Australia's legal treatment of indigenous
land rights. The government delegation recognised
that many Aborigines had been dispossessed and their rights
extinguished.
It said the government had tried to consult indigenous people in
drafting the Native Title Amendment Act but found it
"impossible to do so."
As one of the 153 countries that has ratified the treaty against
racial discrimination, Australia ordinarily takes its turn
to submit to reviews by the committee, which supervises
adherence to the accord.
But Australia's appearance this year has attracted attention
because it was called under an urgent procedure
known as "early warning measures" ordinarily used for countries
accused of gross abuses like Rwanda, Yugoslavia
and Sudan.
Instead of lasting the scheduled 90 minutes Friday, the session
concentrated on Australia all Friday afternoon and
then resumed this morning.
The committee is to issue written findings on Australia before
it ends its three-week session Friday.
But McDougall said the committee should discuss whether they
could continue the urgent deliberations after the
panel adjourns.
-------------------------------------------------------
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