The Universal Declaration of Indigenous Peoples' Rights
This is inspired by a post by bcholmes on the subject.
If there was ever any evidence that the current government sucked harshly, it was the opposition to "The Universal Declaration of Indigenous Peoples' Rights" at the United Nations a day or so ago, by voting against it. The other countries that voted against it were the U.S.A., Canada, and New Zealand - all counties which once had (or still do have) a significant indigenous population that is no longer in the majority..
Non indigenous Australia has a disgraceful history of treating the folk who were here before them, by about 40,000 years. Almost as soon as the continent was colonised by Europeans, they started shooting, baiting, poisoning, massacring, swindling and dispossessing them of their inheritance. Not all settlers did this of course, but few resisted or stood up and decried the injustice of the genocide.
After Australia became an independent nation, it continued to abuse its indigenous folk. Families were torn apart when children were taken from their parents for "their own good" and placed in foster care, for no better reason than that the authorities could. Indigenous Australians had no right of vote until a referendum in the 1967 granted them citizenship. Currently, the Federal Government has sent the army in to occupy selected indigenous townships in a Northern Territory Intervention in order apparently, 'to prevent child abuse, and improve the health of indigenous Australians'. Funny they never did this in the previous 10 years of government, that only now in an election year where re-election is uncertain does it become an issue.
And my government has the gall to vote against the measures suggested in a voluntary declaration, that might help restore some dignity to these people. Like bcholmes, I'm adding a "i think my government might suck" tag to my own journal. Grrr!
