The Daily Telegraph
Tents to put racism on program
By MONICA MELKI
19may00
AN Aboriginal tent embassy, to be attended by
up to 10,000, is proposed for a site 2km from
the Homebush Olympic venue in a bid to focus
the world's attention on "racist" government
policies.
The Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
wants to build the tent embassy at Wilson
Park, Silverwater.
Auburn council, which has frequently clashed with Olympic authorities
on various
issues, has thrown its support behind the $2.8 million project, which
will be
sourced from "related Aboriginal organisations".
The council decided on Wednesday it supported the concept but it could
not
approve the event because Wilson Park is covered by the "public
domain"
provisions of the new Homebush Bay Operations Act.
Therefore, the council concluded approval would have to come from the
Olympic
Co-ordination Authority. The OCA is yet to receive a proposal.
The council though did decide to assist organisers to find an
alternative site in the
council area.
A proposal before the council said the embassy would cover 5000sq m
from
August 25 to October 1.
"The purpose is to focus world attention on the Australian
Government's racist
policies, which have denied legitimate Aboriginal rights to land
ownership,
sovereignty and self-determination," the proposal says.
"It is not a protest forum against the Olympics."
The MLALC proposal includes a private campground, as well as a
separate area
open to the public from 1pm to midnight including 60 arts and crafts
booths,
demonstrations and food and drink booths.
Although it does not say how many people could be camping at the
riverside park,
it does say a minimum of 5000 and a maximum of 10,000 visitors are
expected
each day.
A nominal fee may be charged.
MLALC creative director David Russell declined to comment on whether
the group
would seek approval from the OCA to hold the event in Wilson Park.
"There are still a number of issues which need to be resolved and I
expect that will
be done over the next week," Mr Russell said.
--
**********************************
'Click' to protect the rainforest:
Make the Rainforest Site your homepage!
http://www.therainforestsite.com/
**********************************
------------------------------------------------------
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/
