The Institute Specific Issues Committee, Indigenous Concerns, reflects on the progress of reconciliation and the impact of discrimination. Committee member, Anne McGuire RSM asks: how is it that we are comfortable with a lack of human rights for Aboriginal while so insistent on the immediacy of our own human rights?
For me the question Anne has posed connects to the recent 'questioning' by come politicians of the value of beginning meetings and events with acknowledgement of country. The practice of acknoweldging the original indigenous people, reminds me of the past realities that have shaped our present context. I am still ashamed to recall that my aboriginal school friends in Kempsey were not considered Australians until 1967. Let's be vigilant to preserve acknoweldgment of the original peoples.
Marie Butcher said...
Thank you this is a very informative and challenging article. I certainly wouldn't like my rights to be taken from me. it would be interesting to list the rights as defined by the UN in the Universal declaration of Human Rights and under each right reflect on how it is seen in the Aboriginal Communityt.
Fri 12 March, 2010 17:16