One of the events for International Human Rights Day in Melbourne was a rally outside the State Library attended by about 100 people on Saturday December 10. Issues canvassed by speakers included opposition to mandatory detention of asylum seekers, treatment of indigenous Australians, opposition to the "anti-terror" laws, and scapegoating of the muslim community.
"anti-terror" laws, and scapegoating
AUSTRALIA: MELB: At one point members of the crowd repeated an oath of disaffection against the government as a challenge to the new sedition laws.
After speeches the crowd marched down Swanston Street, then up Bourke Street and ended at the Eight Hour Day monument.
Waleed Aly from the Islamic Council of Victoria told the ABC that human rights issues are not on the political agenda and the community needs to engage in the topic again. "Hopefully today's rally is a way in which people can begin to start thinking about issues through a human rights framework, rather than through, for example, an economic framework or a security framework," he said. "Just broadening the thought to keep in mind human rights as an issue and just keep it alive on the political agenda."
In a similar rally in Sydney the ABC reported that former Guantanamo detainee Mamdouh Habib attended and said that his human rights do not exist. "I don't believe in human rights anymore," he said. "The human rights are taken away from everybody ... I was, four years ago, tortured and kidnapped and I haven't done anything wrong."
See also:
The Age: Protesters want terror laws repealed
http://tinyurl.com/78kcu
People for Constitutional Human Rights
What can a Citizen Do when the State Declares War on its Citizens?
http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/10/97700.php
Jaara Elder Susan Rankin
Jaara Elder, Susan Rankin, spoke on Genocide charges to be issued in regards to religous persecution and crimes against humanity by Queen Elizabeth the 2nd as head of the Anglican Church and the Crown and the Vatican as head of the Roman Catholic Church
See Press Release:
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101099.php
Richard Franklin
Writer, film director, and musician Richard Franklin spoke to the crowd and played a song or two.
Richard Franklin stood for the One Voice Party as a candidate for the Victoria for the Senate.
Flag of many dimensions
Brian Walters, President Liberty Victoria
Brian Walters, President of Liberty Victoria, attacked the Howard Government for
* the mandatory detention of refugees,
* the deportation of a non-violent peace activist, Scott Parkin, and refusing to disclose the factual basis of the negative security report.
* for not defending the rights of an Australian (and now the only westerner), David Hicks, tortured and incarcerated by the USA on evidence so flimsy that it would not stand up in an American court of law.
* Sedition laws revamped with increased penalties that can target and criminalise dissent
* New extended powers for ASIO
See Eureka Dawn Lantern Walk in which Walters was the Leading Light in 2005:
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/100894.php
Parkin dismisses ASIO investigation
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101107.php
Free the Pine Gap protestors
"Christians Against All Terrorism" ARRESTED at PINE GAP
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101263.php
MEDIA RELEASE: CHRISTIAN PACIFISTS ENTER PINE GAP
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101215.php
Christains Against ALL Terroism set to reform Pine Gap
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/100969.php
On the march
Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
After speeches the crowd marched down Swanston Street, then up Bourke Street and ended at the Eight Hour Day monument.
Waleed Aly from the Islamic Council of Victoria told the ABC that human rights issues are not on the political agenda and the community needs to engage in the topic again. "Hopefully today's rally is a way in which people can begin to start thinking about issues through a human rights framework, rather than through, for example, an economic framework or a security framework," he said. "Just broadening the thought to keep in mind human rights as an issue and just keep it alive on the political agenda."
In a similar rally in Sydney the ABC reported that former Guantanamo detainee Mamdouh Habib attended and said that his human rights do not exist. "I don't believe in human rights anymore," he said. "The human rights are taken away from everybody ... I was, four years ago, tortured and kidnapped and I haven't done anything wrong."
See also:
The Age: Protesters want terror laws repealed
http://tinyurl.com/78kcu People for Constitutional Human Rights
What can a Citizen Do when the State Declares War on its Citizens?
http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/10/97700.php Jaara Elder Susan Rankin
Jaara Elder, Susan Rankin, spoke on Genocide charges to be issued in regards to religous persecution and crimes against humanity by Queen Elizabeth the 2nd as head of the Anglican Church and the Crown and the Vatican as head of the Roman Catholic Church
See Press Release:
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101099.php Richard Franklin
Writer, film director, and musician Richard Franklin spoke to the crowd and played a song or two.
Richard Franklin stood for the One Voice Party as a candidate for the Victoria for the Senate.
Flag of many dimensions
Brian Walters, President Liberty Victoria
Brian Walters, President of Liberty Victoria, attacked the Howard Government for
* the mandatory detention of refugees,
* the deportation of a non-violent peace activist, Scott Parkin, and refusing to disclose the factual basis of the negative security report.
* for not defending the rights of an Australian (and now the only westerner), David Hicks, tortured and incarcerated by the USA on evidence so flimsy that it would not stand up in an American court of law.
* Sedition laws revamped with increased penalties that can target and criminalise dissent
* New extended powers for ASIO
See Eureka Dawn Lantern Walk in which Walters was the Leading Light in 2005:
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/100894.php Parkin dismisses ASIO investigation
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101107.php Free the Pine Gap protestors
"Christians Against All Terrorism" ARRESTED at PINE GAP
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101263.php MEDIA RELEASE: CHRISTIAN PACIFISTS ENTER PINE GAP
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101215.php Christains Against ALL Terroism set to reform Pine Gap
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/100969.php On the march
Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
