JANUARY 26 1995 INVASION DAY - RESISTANCE FOR 207 YEARS
There is no confusion or uncertainty in the minds of our people about the
ownership of this country. Settlement in this country happened over 100,000
years ago.
The invasion and occupation of our Ancestral Lands by the British happened
only 207 years ago and it was an act of terrorism. The confiscation of our
Ancestral Lands by the British and the receiving of it by the present white
Australian Government is illegal under International Law.
The establishment of a British Colony on our continent was barbaric even for
the undesirable British Nationals who were cruelly dumped here by their own
boat people.
The systematic violation of human rights against the Indigenous Peoples of
Australia by the British invaders comprised of mass extermination, forced
removal of our people from their Ancestral Lands to other locations where
they were then interned in slave camps where their lives were further broken
down by rape, forced separation from their children, and subjected to
imposed medical sterilisation.
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS OF DREAMING, TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN YEARS OF
NIGHTMARES
As colonisation tightened in its stranglehold, each and every aspect of the
lives of our people was legislated into a policy of control by a foreign
system that totally excluded our participation, or recognition of our Law in
any way whatsoever.
This was the birth of apartheid where the Indigenous People of this country
were now seen as being the legal property of the State and its migrants who
willingly utilised this source of labour for their own benefit and purpose
by upholding the system of slavery.
But later on forced assimilation by the State was seen to be the best
solution that was required "to deal with the problem of the Aboriginals."
while at the same time being seen to be carrying out one's fudicial duty
'in the most humanitarian way'.
The Australian Governments Land Acquisition Fund violates section 51,
Article xxx1, of its own Constitution.
Propaganda and Political Indoctrination :
Indoctrination of the minds of the people by the white Australian Government
is seen to be necessary if they are to maintain the status quo where the
belief that all people in this country live in a free and just society, and
live as equals, provided of course that they are prepares to accept that
violations committed against Australia's Indigenous Peoples, even to present
days are an innocent breach of the law!
This country unashamedly has a two hundred year old colonial history of the
Westminster system with its all white judges presiding over the courts
without shame and guilt themselves, plus their police forces who still act
as political soldiers at the direct disposal of the eighteen non Indigenous
members of Parliament in Australia, who masquerade as Ministers of
Aboriginal Affairs, but who are the major cause of the fourth world
conditions that the Indigenous People of this country are forced to endure
on a daily basis.
Survival Without Freedom:
Rather than coming to terms with the undeniable birthright of the indigenous
peoples of Australia, the white Australian Government has created its own
Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders Commission and the Department of
Indigenous Affairs in order to prevent any real advancement of Indigenous
empowerment, sovereignty and self determination.
These quasi government departments are structured in such a way that tight
government controls are always in place to ensure that major issues are
finally decided upon through the convenience of ministerial discretion.
The incumbent Federal Aboriginal Affairs Minister Robert Tickner admitted
his Aboriginal Health Policies are a failure of catastrophic proportion, and
the fact that "no land has been returned to Indigenous People after twelve
months of Native Title Tribunal Hearings" highlights the inequity that there
is no social justice, and there can be no genuine long lasting
reconciliation as long as the Indigenous Peoples of Australia are expected
to make uncoordinated regional and national agreements within the present
system, where there are oppressive state and federal anti-Land Rights laws
which are conflicting with each other.
Any decisions made have no legitimacy.
SO WHY WILL YOU BE CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA DAY?
What's in it for you? To share in the so called glory of the past?
... or to make a stand and confront the atrocities of an unjust system and
not allow it to continue.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT INVASION DAY?
* Write a letter of protest, fax or telephone the Prime Minister of
Australia Mr Paul Keating about this matter.
* Contact your local Member of Parliament and ask him/her what they are
going to do on this day.
* Ring your local Talk Back Radio Station and give your point of view.
* Ask the management of TV Stations in your area, are they going to
present any of the Aboriginal point of view with equal balance.
* Write to your local newspaper about the injustice of celebrating and
calling it Australia Day.
* Fly the Aboriginal Flag at half mast and explain to people why.
* Distribute this information to friends and other interested parties.
* Join in the resistance activities.
For further information call Yaluritja on +09 342 5394 or your local
Aboriginal organisation about resistance.