I don't think an 'accepted' space would be of any value. If we decide to go
ahead with our protest it will be on our terms and not a 'nice' agreement
with anyone - on the whole.
This Association supports keeping the games going, we do not support
interruption to the games, but we do support intelligent protest that will
highlight to the world the appalling conditions that Indigenous people are
still subjected to in this day and age.
The purpose of protest, to my mind, is to get a message across to the widest
possible audience - and that is what we will do.
Don
Don Clark
President
Indigenous Social Justice Association
PO Box K555
Haymarket NSW 1240
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
There can be no real reconciliation without social justice
----- Original Message -----
From: Trudy Bray <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: news-clip <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, 21 February 2000 12:33 P.M.
Subject: SMH - Games protest area urged
> Games protest area urged
>
> Date: 21/02/2000
>
> By DEBRA JOPSON
>
> The Aboriginal leader Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue has suggested that an area be
set aside at the Homebush Olympic site for protests during
> the Sydney Games.
>
> "It's not such a bad idea for them to provide a space for protest," Dr
O'Donoghue said.
>
> "It wouldn't be in the precinct where everything's happening, but they
should provide a space where people can be visible."
>
> Dr O'Donoghue, who chairs SOCOG's National Indigenous Advisory Committee,
told the International Olympic Committee president,
> Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch, last week it was inevitable there would be
demonstrations during the Games, and there should be an
> official protest site at Homebush Bay.
>
> "How else are they going to bring attention [to themselves]?
>
> "I don't think it'll just be indigenous people protesting. It'll be
anybody who has a cause, because they want to draw the attention of the
> world community.
>
> "This would be broadcast all over the world, so people who feel strongly
about the cause will want to have that aired. So why not
> provide a space?"
>
> Dr O'Donoghue said Mr Samaranch had told her it was not an IOC matter, but
was for local Olympic authorities to decide. She had then
> suggested the special site to SOCOG's chief executive, Mr Sandy Hollway.
>
> The first question Mr Samaranch had asked was about the prospect of
protests, Dr O'Donoghue said.
>
> She had replied that although Aborigines and others would demonstrate, it
would not be against the Games themselves.
>
> "I said: 'We are not a violent people. You can be sure we won't be
throwing the first punch'."
>
> Dr O'Donoghue said she had briefed Mr Samaranch on indigenous
dispossession and told him about the stolen generations, mentioning
> that she had been removed from her family as a child.
>
> She had also explained the issues of deaths in custody and mandatory
sentencing.
>
> Dr O'Donoghue said she had warned Mr Samaranch that many people's decision
to protest would hinge on the Federal Government's
> response when the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation delivered its
final declaration of reconciliation in Sydney on May 27.
>
> The Australian Democrats' Senator Aden Ridgeway has revealed that the
Prime Minister, Mr Howard, has difficulty with some of the
> wording of the documents.
>
> Dr O'Donoghue said she gained the impression the IOC was "nervous" about
protest, but SOCOG's indigenous program manager, Mr
> Gary Ella, said the meeting had been "nice and cordial".
>
> SOCOG's media general manager, Mr Milton Cockburn, said yesterday there
was no plan to create a special protest area.
>
> An Olympic Co-ordination Authority spokesman said there was no room for
such an area.
>
> "Space will be extremely limited at Homebush Bay while the venues are in
operation. It would be near impossible to allocate any site for
> protests," he said.
>
> There was "extremely limited" access to public areas and "zero public
access to the press centre".
>
> This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or
mirroring is prohibited.
>
>
>
> *************************************************************************
> This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without
> permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment,
> scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
> copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
> the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
>
>
>
>
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