The Sydney Morning Herald We mustn't falter on rights, warns GG By TONY STEPHENS The Governor-General, Sir William Deane, has urged that Australians not falter on human rights if the national qualities of the fair go, tolerance and mutual respect are to be maintained. Sir William's words were offered in support of a documentary film festival which opened in Melbourne last night. When it begins in Sydney next week, one of the opening night films, Cry from the Heart, deals with the stolen generations. Sir William's letter of support was written before the latest controversy over the separation of indigenous children from their parents, but his sympathy is well known. While trying to balance his sense of social responsibilities with the need to be above politics, the Governor-General has previously called the separation of families our "legacy of unutterable shame". He has paid tribute to Sir Ronald Wilson and Mr Mick Dodson, authors of Bringing Them Home, the report on family separation now being attacked by the Government. Sir William said it was of "inestimable national importance". Calling for reconciliation between indigenous and other Australians by 2001, he has also said that reconciliation was "essential if we are not to enter our second century as a diminished nation". The film festival, "REAL: life on film", features documentaries from around the world and focuses on human rights. It opens at the Chauvel, Paddington, on April 13. Cry from the Heart, directed by Jeni Kendel, tells the story of one Aboriginal family who suffered trauma, grief and loss through forcible separation. The main character, however, turns his life around. Sir William says in his letter that events such as the festival play an important role in promoting awareness of human rights and cultural diversity in Australia and abroad. "As Australians we pride ourselves on our national qualities of supporting a fair go, of showing tolerance and mutual respect and of defending the rights of those less fortunate than ourselves," he wrote. "These qualities have manifested themselves in the way that we have built one of the most culturally diverse yet harmonious societies in the world. "Nevertheless, if we are to maintain a fair and inclusive society which respects the rights and backgrounds of all its members, we must be constantly vigilant. And it is essential that we are particularly alive to situations where our commitment to human rights might falter ... It is more than likely that those whose human rights are trampled will have no voice of their own. And so we rely on others to speak for them." -- _________________________________ Truth is a pathless land. --- Krishnamurti ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
