Aotearoa: National Day of Action: July 14th - Melbourne

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Friday 6 July 2007

National Day of Action: Stop the Genocide on Stolen Aboriginal Land

A mass community rally will be held in Melbourne on Saturday 14 July, 12:30 pm to voice opposition to the government's escalation of attacks on Indigenous communities and the denial of justice for Mulrunji and other Indigenous people who have been killed in police custody.

Greg Fryer, spokesperson for the Indigenous Social Justice Association, said, "Whilst the Labour opposition has cowardly failed to oppose the sending of police and military forces into Indigenous communities this rally shows that there is massive community opposition to these polices, by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians."

"Howard's intervention goes directly against the recommendations in the Little Children are Sacred Report. Instead, we support the many community controlled initiatives already underway in Indigenous communities to improve the quality of lives for Indigenous children, women and men. If the politicians were serious about protecting the rights of Indigenous children they would support these community controlled initiatives and provide proper funding."

"Decent Australians recognise that these actions have not been motivated by concern for Indigenous communities. At the same time that the federal Government is implementing this despicable land grab the Palm Island community is mourning the denial of justice for Mulrunji after the acquittal of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley. Indigenous lands continued to be destroyed by mining corporations, and many communities do not have proper health and education services."

We are demanding:

• An end to Aboriginal deaths in custody! Justice for Mulrunji and all killed in custody and the proper implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody!

• Land rights not mining rights! No new mines, no new dumps!

• Funding for community controlled services, not troops, cops and martial law! Social welfare, not social control!

• Aboriginal control of Aboriginal affairs! Treaty NOW!

"This community rally will bring together Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from across Melbourne in a colourful and vibrant show of support for Indigenous self-determination, land rights and treaty."

The rally is part of an International Day of Action, with rallies being held in cities across Australia and with solidarity rallies happening across the world.

Day: Saturday 14 July

Time: 12:30pm

Place: City Square, corner of Swanston and Collins Streets

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Rally — Stop the genocide on stolen Aboriginal land

Full endorsement list as of 7 July 2007

Rally — Stop the genocide on stolen Aboriginal land

Endorsements — Australia

Indigenous Social Justice Association – Melbourne

Australian Asia Worker Links

Black GST

Camp Sovereignty

Chilean Popular and Indigenous Network

Freedom Socialist Party

Latin American Solidairty Network (LASNET)

Ongoing G20 Arrestees Solidarity Network

Radical Women

Resistance,

RMIT Student Union

Socialist Alliance

Socialist Alternative

Your Voice

3 KND

Nuclear Free Australia

International Socialist Organisation

3CR

Socialist Party

Electrical Trades Union

Plumbers Union

Union Community Alliance

Communist Party of Australia

Maritime Union of Australia

Geelong Trades and Labour Council

Moreland Peace Group

Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (Victoria)

Campaign for Women’s Reproductive Rights

Indigenous Social Justice Association — Sydney

Anarchist Media Institute

IWW (Australia)

Leonard Peltier Support Group

Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby

Union Solidarity

Anti Nuclear Australia

Australian Student Environment Network

Friends of the Earth

International endorsements

• From Aoteroa

Te Ata Tino Toa

Conscious Collaborations - Global indigenous network

Mana Wahine

Komiti Pasifika

Solidarity Union

Socialist Worker (Aotearoa)

Human Rights Project Aotearoa

Whakaminenga o Te Paatu

Wellington Wildcat Anarchist Collective

Aocafe (Aotearoa Cafe)

Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

Radical Youth (Auckland)

Citizens Against Privatisation (Auckland)

Imagine Native Action

Indiginz

Hone Harawira, Maori Party MP Te Tai, Tokerau

Te Ururoa Flavell, Maori Party MP, Waiariki

Metiria Turei List MP Green party Aotearoa/NZ

• From Canada

MNN Mohawk Nation News

• From Chile

Mapuche Solidarity Coalition

People's Assembly Movement

Colectivo Avanzar - Santiago

• From the United States

Freedom Socialist Party — U.S. Section

U.S. Radical Women

American Indian Movement

Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

Intelligentaindigena Novajoservo