6 October 1993
Mr Paul Keating
Prime Minister
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Mr Keating,
Mabo legislation and genocide.
The Mabo legislation presently being drafted by the
Commonwealth of Australia may seek to extinguish native title
in a deliberate way.
It is my opinion that the deliberate extinguishment of the
special relationship between First People and their living
countries, without their consent and without the provision of
compensation to enable them to live full lives, will impose
upon them conditions of life which will bring about their
physical destruction in part or in whole.
This will place the Commonwealth of Australia in breach of the
United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide.
One of the principles which has been established since the
passing of this Convention is that genocide is not an internal
matter but one of international concern.
The Commonwealth may also be in danger of contributing to
further genocide against Australia's First People by
suspending the protection of their hard won human rights
provided by the Racial Discrimination Act.
Could you assure me, as an Australian citizen, that the
Commonwealth's proposed Mabo legislation is framed to:
(a) prevent further genocide against Australia's First
Peoples, and
(b) fully recognises and protects their existing human
rights?
Yours truly,
(signed)
Bruce Reyburn
cc Mr R. Tickner, Minster for Aboriginal Affairs.