Hi Graham,
My line of reasoning was:
The olympics afford opportunity to attract a wide audience to the plight of
aboriginals via peaceful
protests along the route to the games...its our moment to garner more support. My
observations are,
they insulted aboriginals via the refusal to say Sorry, failed to intervene on
mandatory sentencing,
and what a low blow to insult us by saying the Stolen Generation "only" represented x
percent of
aboriginals...that was enough, aboriginal people were understandably feeling betrayed,
angry and
disillusioned.
Tempers swelled in some people, and there were bold statements of embarrasing protests
during the
olympics, perhaps even violent clashes. The mood in the aboriginal nation steadily
becoming more
unstable, with aboriginal leaders rushing into damage control to calm people. Just as
things quieten
a bit, the Tent Embassy in Sydney is suddenly threatened with removal, aboriginal
athletes are
threatened... 'no medals' if they fly the aboriginal flag at the olympics (c'mon they
know how proud
we are of Cathy). But these issues were just useful distractions; stir us up and then
placate us -
the Tent Embassy can stay now...oh we'll let them fly the aboriginal flag after all.
This is playing
with people's emotions and its cruel, shouldn't be tolerated.
As the Cubillo and Gunner cases come up in the media again, aboriginal people were
praying for
decency to prevail...then hopes are dashed, more legal jabberwocky and technicalities,
and
ultimately two fine people who have laid bare their pain are insulted. Tempers flare
again...then
media announces "hurried" changes to Emergency Defence legislation. Of course many
aboriginal people
assume the worst...why wouldn't we...one disappointment rolling after another, the
Govt seemingly
hostile to human rights issues. We're not the only ones who were sucked in with this
latest move, of
course unionists and activists assumed potential threat to their future rights to
public protest
too.
I honestly don't feel that the changes to this legislation will be utilised against
general domestic
protests either. They're not gonna bring in the army to shoot aboriginals at an
olympic protest, nor
arrest unionists on a picket line - civilian law enforcement has always been more than
adequately
prepared to handle domestic problems. But I feel that the 'topic' was approached and
presented at
this time to implant suspicion and fear. I just wanted to express my opinion that upon
reflection of
the entire 'string of events' it all seems to be 'orchestrated' to psychologically
inflame,
disorient and intimidate the aboriginal people into continued submission. An effective
strategy if
your aim is to totally de-rail reconciliation.
Re Woomera: I was thinking if they wanted the bill passed then the 'quell the illegal
immigrant/potential terrorist' ploy was coincidentally useful to convince senators to
adjust their
view of security legislation vis a vis confuse personal assesments of "risk". It
seemed to further
expose to me the "tactics" that this Govt seems to employ to manipulate opinion. I do
"not" agree
with violent protest, not at all; facilities for other refugees were wrecked,
disadvantaging others
considerably. But I can reason intelligently that people don't generally pursue this
line of protest
without due provocation. Ruddock seems proficient in his methods.
The average aussie is going to simply absorb that there was a "serious threat" to
security; public
opinion sways, and less lobbying against 'emergency defense legislation ammendments'
ensue along
with diminished regard for the welfare of refugees as a whole. Its the 'perceptions'
the public make
that the Govt seems to be using for all it's worth. The reality of the situation often
becomes small
adjuncts to what was yesterdays' news; most people don't follow through a story and
dig to the
details - they're too busy trying to keep afloat of their own problems.
The manipulation I personally see is an insult to the intelligence. The pace and
variety of issues
presenting is becoming too much for political and human rights activists to keep on
top off. At risk
is inevitable disinterest from the public at large, thus support for human rights is
being
undermined across the board.
I gotta admit, yeah my response to the riot news was alarming, I apologise. I felt so
angry because
I had mentioned this potential weeks back to others, and was quite aghast that my
suspicions ran
true! Reconciliation is still a prime priority for me; I'm just hugely disappointed
that this Govt
seems to be relatively predictable. I'll enjoy them voted out so we can continue with
reconciliation. In the meanwhile I'm just so annoyed at how fast they can erode the
reconcilation
gains that people worked hard to acheive.
Suze
----- Original Message -----
From: "Graham Young" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 11:49 AM
Subject: Re: [recoznet2] Aid to the civil authority
> I don't necessarily think you should refrain, and while the issue is not
> squarely on Reconciliation, I can see that it has some relevance in that it
> has a bearing on our society's treatment of people we see as outsiders.
>
> But, if there were a conspiracy, wouldn't it be more likely that people
> trying to disrupt the passage of the bill would have organised this rather
> than the other way around?
>
> And as we have broached the issue of the codification of the army's powers
> in the context of "domestic violence", while I think I would take a similar
> position to John Dowd who criticised it in the last few days, I think some
> of the debate has bordered on the hysterical. We are being asked to believe
> by some that our troops, just having come home from East Timor where they
> would have been acutely aware of the problems that arise when you mix the
> army up in civilian policing, are going to somehow be used to suppress
> unarmed innocent civilians or unionists by force. I don't think so. And I
> don't think any government who tried to do such a thing would stand any
> chance of getting re-elected at the next election.
>
> Graham
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Suze" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 12:58 AM
> Subject: Re: [recoznet2] Aid to the civil authority
>
>
> > I respect your comment Kasey. Being new to this list I wasn't sure what
> the 'tone' was. I'll
> > refrain.
> >
> > Suze
> >
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