[Nettime-bold] Australian Federal Police Desecrate Aboriginal Sacred Ceremony

[francesca da rimini <gashgirl@systemx.autonomous.org>]

> URGENT MEDIA RELEASE >
 -From the Aboriginal Tent Embassy Canberra-> PLEASE CIRCULATE > > 

The Cops Have Done It Again 

In the name of Reconciliation the National Capital Authority (NCA) and the
Australian Federal Police (AFP) on Monday the 30th July 2001 at 4:30 in
the  afternoon once again desecrated indigenous sacred peace ceremonies.

Acting  Chief Executive of the NCA Mr Lindsay Evans with the standover
tactics of the AFP, without any written or verbal notice, moved onto the
site of a sacred  ceremony between the now under construction Commonwealth
Place and the  existing Aboriginal Tent Embassy and impounded the
ceremonial objects,  destroyed Humpies, extinguished the three ceremonial
fires with chemical  extinguishers and impounded the keepers of the
ceremonial fires' camps  including tents and swags, food, cooking gear and
personal effects.  

The  violation of this sacred peace ceremony is the greatest sacrilege
under  Aboriginal Law. 

 Uncle Kevin Buzzacott, keeper of the ceremonial peace fires at the
Aboriginal Tent Embassy questioned "who or what gives these people the
authority to desecrate our sacred ceremonies? We (at the Aboriginal Tent
Embassy) are yet to obtain any written notification.  They (the NCA and
the AFP) do not have any jurisdiction or authority or law to desecrate our
sacred peace ceremonies". 

 The cultural insensitivity and inappropriateness of the AFP and NCA
illustrates the gross chasm between the action of the government agencies
and the feel good reconciliation rhetoric flounced around by all levels of
government.  These actions of the National Capital Authority and the
Australian Federal Police are, under the banner celebrating federation and
reconciliation are perpetuating cultural genocide. 

 "We ask the question 'Is there any justice for indigenous peoples', the
original peoples of this land.  If they are able to do this to our sacred
ceremonies the Aboriginal Tent Embassy does not stand a chance against
these  corrupt people" - Uncle Kevin Buzzacott. 

CALLING FOR JUSTICE  Tuesday the 31st July 2001 at 10.00am Aboriginal
People and their supporters  will march from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy
to Parliament House in Canberra  to demand justice.  We call on all people
to attend to show their support. 

 CONTACT UNCLE KEVIN BUZZACOTT  0401 835 053  FOR MORE DETAILS 


_______________________________________________
Nettime-bold mailing list
Nettime-bold@nettime.org
http://www.nettime.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/nettime-bold