Responding to two challenges by Karen earlier today (yesterday Australian time): 1) "Why does nobody jump up and call it racist when a white person dies in custody?" 2) "... what everyone else's definition of reconciliation is." 1) "Why does nobody jump up and call it racist when a white person dies in custody?" Amnesty International has for years tried to draw attention in Australia to the tragedy of certain "white" deaths in custody, investigated and reported by countless official (like Coroner's) inquiries, revealing circumstances of concern similar to those found by the 1987-91 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Although this is neither a measure of Amnesty's concern nor its focus of campaigning, Amnesty International has issued, over the years, more media releases on white Australian deaths in custody than Aboriginal ones -- with very limited media echo. That said, it is not to deny the fact that the proportion of Aborigines among those who die in custody each year remains unacceptably high -- and is caused mainly, but not exclusively, by their high arrest and imprisonment rate, with some added factors increasing the likelihood of Aborigines being arrested and dying behind bars which don't apply equally to other Australians. Pointing fingers may not get us anywhere, but Australian Government records for 20 years now show that race unfortunately does play a role in anyone's statistical chances of surviving prison or police custody. I just disagree with any suggestions that white deaths in custody have not generated concerns. Like juvenile justice concerns, the problem seems largely systemic, but made worse by Aboriginality. 2) "... what everyone else's definition of reconciliation is." In the light of Karen's thought provoking definition of her view of reconciliation, maybe it's worth looking the word as used in an international context. This should not be seen as an attempt to counter Karen's words, but merely to add another perspective: While the term "reconciliation" was not used in the Australian Government (Coalition) submission to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in January last year, nor in the Committee's official conclusions on the submission and meeting with the Australian delegation, there's a reference in an older UN meeting record regarding Australia. The context in that document is the Australian Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation's work to develop a philosophy as to what reconciliation meant in Australia. The UN document cites the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination's hopes (in 1994) that Australia's efforts on reconciliation could "eventually serve as a model for other States confronted with the same problem". Here is the quote in context: "29. The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act 1991 [...] was a measure of great potential interest. Reconciliation between ethnic groups was a problem in many countries and any reconciliation policy deserved the closest attention and general publicity. That could be arranged within the plans for the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. The first two annual reports of the Council (which had seven more years in office) suggested that it was still formulating a philosophy. It was to be hoped that it could eventually serve as a model for other States confronted with the same problem. The Committee would appreciate being informed about its progress." Source: Statement by the Committee's then Country Rapporteur for Australia, Mr Banton, responding to the leader of the Australian Government delegation, and to Mick Dodson (as then Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner). Reference: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Summary record of the 1058th meeting : Australia. [published 05/08/96. ] http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/MasterFrameView/2a9f50375fd56250c12563a200439db6?Opendocument [This UN document summarizes statements made on the occasion of the Committee's 1058th meeting (on that day a routine meeting to discuss Australia's periodic report under its voluntary committment to the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination). Such meetings are routine for state parties (governments which have signed up to the treaty), and Australia is participating just like everyone else. ] Reconciliation was also used on that occasion as a concept, and defined by the Australian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (Robert Tickner) in the government's presentation to the Committee which the Committee Rapporteur summarized in this way: "The Australian Government was also endeavouring to meet indigenous peoples' aspirations and to extend the possibilities of dialogue between Aboriginals and the non-Aboriginal community in local administrations, churches, business circles, the trade union movement and community organizations. A process of reconciliation had been launched in 1991 with three objectives: first, the preparation of a formal document on the basis of consultations particularly with a view to the celebration of Australia's centenary in 2001; secondly, the promotion of social justice for indigenous peoples; and, thirdly, a campaign of sensitization to the history, culture and dispossession of Aboriginal people. That campaign, directed by Patrick Dodson, called for good will by all concerned to move forward the process of reconciliation in the Commonwealth of Australia. In conclusion, he wished to extend an invitation to all members of the Committee to visit Australia for the centenary of its federation and to see at first hand the progress being made by the country in the field of human rights. [...]" Heinz Dr. Heinz Schurmann-Zeggel Asia-Pacific Regional Program Amnesty International International Secretariat 1 Easton Street London WC1X 0DW United Kingdom Ph: +44 171 413-5720 Fax: +44 171 956-1157 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce 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." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
