Seven Australian Indigenous nations seek unity
Michael Anderson | 12.04.2005 10:25 | Anti-racism | Culture | Social Struggles
Goodooga, Northern NSW, 12 April -- Aboriginal leaders and elders from seven nations in New South Wales are to meet on 22 April to form a union of Aboriginal Nations. Coming together in Moree, northern NSW, will be representatives of the Euahlay-I, the Anaiwon of the New England tablelands, the Goombangeil of the Nymboida river area, the Dthun-gaddi of the Macleay River, the eastern Gumilaroi, central Gumilaroi and western Gumilaroi and the Murrawarri of the North West of New South Wales. There will be a press conference at 12 noon on Friday, April 22 at the Moree Council Chambers. For further details on this meeting and the press conference contact Michael Anderson on 0061 (0) 7 46250808.
Michael Anderson
Seven NSW Indigenous nations seek union
Goodooga, Northern NSW, 12 April – Aboriginal leaders and elders from seven nations in New South Wales are to meet on 22 April to form a union of Aboriginal Nations.
“We are all sick and tired of the pretended and the appointed leadership who dictate on matters that affect our lives,” says Michael Anderson, leader of the Euahlay-I Nation, in a release to the media. “It is our intention to treatise with all the Nations in order to form a bonded set of objectives which will carry us forward on our march to self-determination.”
He is convening to Moree, northern NSW, the Euahlay-I, the Anaiwon of the New England tablelands, the Goombangeil of the Nymboida river area, the Dthun-gaddi of the Macleay River, the eastern Gumilaroi, central Gumilaroi and western Gumilaroi and the Murrawarri of the North West of New South Wales.
Mr. Anderson’s release in full:
MEDIA RELEASE
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
EUAHLAY-I NATION
A meeting of historical significance is to take place in Moree on April 22. It will be attended by Aboriginal Elders and leaders of the Anaiwon Nation of the New England tablelands, the Goombangeil of the Nymboida river area, the Dthun-gaddi Nation of the Macleay River, the Eastern Gumilaroi, Central Gumilaroi and the far western Gumilaroi Nation and the Murrawarri Nation of the North West of New South Wales.
The purpose of the meeting is to form a union of Aboriginal Nations. We are all sick and tired of the pretended and the appointed leadership who dictate on matters that affect our lives. It is our intention to treatise with all the Nations in order to form a bonded set of objectives which will carry us forward on our march to self-determination.
The principal objectives at this meeting are to agree to forming the union and establishing a leadership structure based upon our customary laws and traditional ways. We are not necessarily looking at non-Aboriginal ways. There are some European models that we feel can assist us but it will only be the models that we will use.
I know the National and State governments shudder at the thought of Aboriginal people asserting their rights to self-determination because they understand self-determination under international law and fear secession. We know that it is our right to secede if we chose but we believe that through sensible dialogue there will be no confrontation on issues and substantive matters that we will be seeking to negotiate.
Since settlement we have been made paupers and refugees in our own lands. This we seek to change. We no longer want people of other Nations determining what is right for us. We understand our problems and we will address those problems our way. It is our strong belief that governments of all political persuasions must treat Aboriginal people with respect and respect our way of dealing with our own problems and business.
The billions of dollars spent on Aboriginal affairs since 1969 and before has made little to no difference in the socio-economic situation of our people; many of our people live in abject poverty, living from one day to another. This is not at all acceptable and our people want it addressed.
Our second objective at this meeting is to assume total responsibilities for our own affairs and we will make this determination at this meeting.
The meeting intends to hold a press conference at 12 noon on Friday, April 22 at the Moree Council Chambers. For further details on this meeting and the press conference contact Michael Anderson on 07 46250808.
Goodooga, Northern NSW, 12 April – Aboriginal leaders and elders from seven nations in New South Wales are to meet on 22 April to form a union of Aboriginal Nations.
“We are all sick and tired of the pretended and the appointed leadership who dictate on matters that affect our lives,” says Michael Anderson, leader of the Euahlay-I Nation, in a release to the media. “It is our intention to treatise with all the Nations in order to form a bonded set of objectives which will carry us forward on our march to self-determination.”
He is convening to Moree, northern NSW, the Euahlay-I, the Anaiwon of the New England tablelands, the Goombangeil of the Nymboida river area, the Dthun-gaddi of the Macleay River, the eastern Gumilaroi, central Gumilaroi and western Gumilaroi and the Murrawarri of the North West of New South Wales.
Mr. Anderson’s release in full:
MEDIA RELEASE
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
EUAHLAY-I NATION
A meeting of historical significance is to take place in Moree on April 22. It will be attended by Aboriginal Elders and leaders of the Anaiwon Nation of the New England tablelands, the Goombangeil of the Nymboida river area, the Dthun-gaddi Nation of the Macleay River, the Eastern Gumilaroi, Central Gumilaroi and the far western Gumilaroi Nation and the Murrawarri Nation of the North West of New South Wales.
The purpose of the meeting is to form a union of Aboriginal Nations. We are all sick and tired of the pretended and the appointed leadership who dictate on matters that affect our lives. It is our intention to treatise with all the Nations in order to form a bonded set of objectives which will carry us forward on our march to self-determination.
The principal objectives at this meeting are to agree to forming the union and establishing a leadership structure based upon our customary laws and traditional ways. We are not necessarily looking at non-Aboriginal ways. There are some European models that we feel can assist us but it will only be the models that we will use.
I know the National and State governments shudder at the thought of Aboriginal people asserting their rights to self-determination because they understand self-determination under international law and fear secession. We know that it is our right to secede if we chose but we believe that through sensible dialogue there will be no confrontation on issues and substantive matters that we will be seeking to negotiate.
Since settlement we have been made paupers and refugees in our own lands. This we seek to change. We no longer want people of other Nations determining what is right for us. We understand our problems and we will address those problems our way. It is our strong belief that governments of all political persuasions must treat Aboriginal people with respect and respect our way of dealing with our own problems and business.
The billions of dollars spent on Aboriginal affairs since 1969 and before has made little to no difference in the socio-economic situation of our people; many of our people live in abject poverty, living from one day to another. This is not at all acceptable and our people want it addressed.
Our second objective at this meeting is to assume total responsibilities for our own affairs and we will make this determination at this meeting.
The meeting intends to hold a press conference at 12 noon on Friday, April 22 at the Moree Council Chambers. For further details on this meeting and the press conference contact Michael Anderson on 07 46250808.
Michael Anderson
Comments
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Good news
12.04.2005 15:42
One memory of Redfern sums it up.
The government wanted to use the 2000 Olympics as an excuse to bulldoze Redfern and drive out the blacks and the poor. Residents objected. But when it came to a vote by the local housing association on whether to fight or flee, lots of expensive cars turned up and some very middle class people got out. These were members of the Redfern Housing Authority. Sure they were black but none of them had lived in Redfern for years, if at all. The residents were told by these ‘community leaders’ to go quietly. It really summed things up for a lot of us. They claimed to speak in the name of poor blacks but in reality they were collaborators with the government.
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