– In Australia, we are extremely concerned that we are being presented as a burden to the rest of the population. This representation is regularly reinforced by the government, which uses whistleblowing declarations, thundered Les Malezer during the meeting of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples in New York.
There are plans to close 150 indigenous communities. The Australian government says it will not spend people’s money to keep the old way of life alive. Malezer is one of Australia’s first people’s leaders in the National Congress.
By dog whistle policy or “dog whistle politics,” Malezer means that they say one thing, but there is a hidden message in what they say. The term is used to refer to a policy that hides the fact that it is racist.
On May 1, people come together to show their support
The treatment that Australia’s indigenous people are now experiencing at the hands of the country’s government has sparked reactions around the world. On Twitter and Facebook, more and more people are joining the massive protests that will take place on May 1st.
“SOS blak Australia” calls itself the movement.
Across Australia, in several major cities in the United States, New Zealand and Canada, protests are taking place against the Australian government’s indigenous policy.
Aborigines are too expensive, this is the government’s message
“The Australian people are paying so that Aboriginal people can live their traditional way of life,” is the government’s message to the population.
– The truth is that the Australian government has never made up for taking our land and resources. They don’t compensate for the use of our land or the extraction of the resources there, explains Malezer.
The largest exports to Australia come from the traditional areas of indigenous peoples. These include coal, gold, natural gas, bauxite and crude oil.
FN: – They don’t deserve this treatment
The UN special rapporteur on indigenous affairs, Vicky Tauli Corpuz, will make her recommendations to Australia. She hopes to be invited to Australia to see what living conditions are like for the Aborigines, but she still wants to raise the issue at the UN.
– I think this is a very sad situation because it shows how serious the racism and discrimination that indigenous people experience is. And I don’t think they deserve to be treated that way, because they are the original owners of the land. No matter the size of their population, they want to live in their traditional areas and the government must take this into account, Corpuz tells NRK.
Arrived in Australia 50,000 years ago
Aborigines arrived in Australia 50,000 years ago, while the British arrived less than 250 years ago. Then began the colonization of the people who already lived there.
It was not until 1962 that Aboriginal people gained the right to vote.
