Australia again denounced for treatment of Aborigines as U.N. investigates

[webfact]

Australia again denounced for treatment of Aborigines as U.N. investigates

By Benjamin Weir

REUTERS

 

Members of the Australian Aboriginal community of Ramingining stand next to a machine used to pay for fuel in East Arnhem Land, located east of the Northern Territory city of Darwin,Australia November 25, 2014. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia came under fresh criticism over its treatment of its indigenous population on Tuesday as a UN investigator examined the impact of a government takeover of remote communities and as Canberra pushes its bid to join the UN Human Rights Council.

 

Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders make up just three percent of Australia's population of 23 million people but have disproportionately high rates of suicide, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse and imprisonment, tracking near the bottom in almost every economic and social indicator.

 

U.N. special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz this week started a 15-day tour to review the impact of laws surrounding the government's 2007 intervention, which was aimed at curbing alcohol abuse, domestic violence and improving health.

 

"The special rapporteur's visit comes at a time we're hearing harrowing allegations from young people brutalised by the youth justice systems," Tammy Solonec, Indigenous Rights Manager of Amnesty InternationalAustralia, said in a statement on Tuesday.

 

"Prime Minister (Malcolm) Turnbull must show federal leadership in setting a national plan to address it."

 

Australia's human rights record on indigenous issues has come under scrutiny with a royal commission in the Northern Territory and a parliamentary inquiry in Victoria hearing allegations of abuses against juvenile prison inmates.

 

Australia is seeking a seat on the 47-member UN Human Rights Council, potentially putting it at odds with the global body which has repeatedly criticised Australia's treatment of its indigenous population.

 

Tauli-Corpuz will investigate issues surrounding indigenous detention conditions, land rights, violence against women and the rate of children removed from their homes, a U.N. statement said. Tauli-Corpuz will report her findings in September.

 

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2016 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners accounted for over a quarter of the total prison population.

 

(Editing by Byron Kaye and Nick Macfie)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-24

[sikishrory]

Stop giving away all this money in foreign aid and setting refugees up in housing commisions with government payments and start spending it on helping these Australians instead you idiots.

[phantomfiddler]

Why not just take away the machine dispensing fuel, as this is going up nostrils causing more incapability to deal with everyday events ?

[Philthyphil]

As an Englishman I hang my head in shame for the damage we have caused all over the planet. 

i read recently that the native Australians refer to Australia Day as Invasion day.  We raped their women, we killed their kids, we poisoned their water supply, we stole their land. And this is the result.

 

I was horrified by the recent London attacks, not because of what happened, but for the over the top reporting.

We, along with the Americans and others have been bombing women and children in their homes and even hospitals in the Middle East for years. Killing and maiming women and children.

Most of our attacks on them don't get even get reported, but their is mass media hysteria about one man with a knife.

 

If you go into a country or region dropping government sanctioned bombs on people you have to expect that some will seek revenge. In reality it was only one locally born man armed with a knife. 

I am surprised we don't see more of it. 

[GreasyFingers]

45 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Stop giving away all this money in foreign aid and setting refugees up in housing commisions with government payments and start spending it on helping these Australians instead you idiots.

If you know anything about these remote communities you would know that money cannot fix them. This is the way they choose to live, just as many do in Thailand but without the handouts. They are given more money and support than what they need. But the will still buy $400 tickets with the government issued credit card to fly from a dry community to a wet one to get drunk for a week but say they are not treated equally.. They are the only ones that can improve their situation but they choose not to.

[yardrunner]

27 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

If you know anything about these remote communities you would know that money cannot fix them. This is the way they choose to live, just as many do in Thailand but without the handouts. They are given more money and support than what they need. But the will still buy $400 tickets with the government issued credit card to fly from a dry community to a wet one to get drunk for a week but say they are not treated equally.. They are the only ones that can improve their situation but they choose not to.

what is that blame the victims again

[jesimps]

53 minutes ago, yardrunner said:

what is that blame the victims again

I've lived in the Top End and seen the situation close up. Regardless of the past, you tell me what the answer is smarty pants, because the locals have more than enough money and help. How do you get them to help themselves? That is the puzzle.

 

[MadMuhummad]

1 hour ago, Philthyphil said:

As an Englishman I hang my head in shame for the damage we have caused all over the planet. 

i read recently that the native Australians refer to Australia Day as Invasion day.  We raped their women, we killed their kids, we poisoned their water supply, we stole their land. And this is the result.

 

I was horrified by the recent London attacks, not because of what happened, but for the over the top reporting.

We, along with the Americans and others have been bombing women and children in their homes and even hospitals in the Middle East for years. Killing and maiming women and children.

Most of our attacks on them don't get even get reported, but their is mass media hysteria about one man with a knife.

 

If you go into a country or region dropping government sanctioned bombs on people you have to expect that some will seek revenge. In reality it was only one locally born man armed with a knife. 

I am surprised we don't see more of it. 

Give it a rest mate. Yes the English are responsible for some of horror in the past but why should you hang you're head in shame? I can understand your concern but you're clearly Going a bit fair my old mate.

[MadMuhummad]

2 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Why not just take away the machine dispensing fuel, as this is going up nostrils causing more incapability to deal with everyday events ?

Most, if not all, of the fuel dispensed up north is the Opal 'unsniffable' type mate.

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, yardrunner said:

what is that blame the victims again

Silly comment by someone who has no grasp on the real situation. Billions of dollars has been given to help aboriginals, but with little result. As someone else pointed out, sooner or later people have to take responsibility for their own actions and life. Sucking on the welfare teat isn't helping.

[nuakmuaynina]

22 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Silly comment by someone who has no grasp on the real situation. Billions of dollars has been given to help aboriginals, but with little result. As someone else pointed out, sooner or later people have to take responsibility for their own actions and life. Sucking on the welfare teat isn't helping.

Could say the same for yours. 

 

They don't get chances, what would actually help them, is jobs, guidance and proper support.  The Aust government cannot just throw money at people, which in reality they don't anyway. Society in Australia needs to change. There is a lot of racism in Australia, and because of past issues there is little opportunity for them. 

 

These people have had it bad since white people set foot on their land, its going to take time to fix, and yes it is our fault.  

[sikishrory]

I had a cousin who went to alice springs and said they were disgusting, drinking in the gutter, sniffing and being ferals.

Mum went on a tour in a van and stopped in a lot of aboriginal communities on the way. Particularly in west Australia. She said they were friendly, very nice to her and she made some good friends.

There is truth to both sides of the story. Particularly the comment above. It wasn't long ago that these people were being butchered, stolen and chained at the neck like animals.

If you were classified as fauna, not allowed to be a citizen and stolen away to be "reformed" by being raped and bashed you may have some kind of issue as well.

Meanwhile in New Zealand they are embracing Maori culture and teaching haka to schools and sports teams.

Giving away billions of dollars to help cambodia, indonesia and all these other countries without first fixing Australia is what annoys me.

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, nuakmuaynina said:

Could say the same for yours. 

 

They don't get chances, what would actually help them, is jobs, guidance and proper support.  The Aust government cannot just throw money at people, which in reality they don't anyway. Society in Australia needs to change. There is a lot of racism in Australia, and because of past issues there is little opportunity for them. 

 

These people have had it bad since white people set foot on their land, its going to take time to fix, and yes it is our fault.  

You really have no idea do you? To want a job you have to have a work ethic, something aboriginals lack, but that's never been part of their culture, not a criticism, a fact, and why would you want to work when you get paid for doing nothing, or "sit down money" as aboriginals call it. You can't turn back the clock unfortunately, the white man is in Australia to stay.

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

I had a cousin who went to alice springs and said they were disgusting, drinking in the gutter, sniffing and being ferals.

Mum went on a tour in a van and stopped in a lot of aboriginal communities on the way. Particularly in west Australia. She said they were friendly, very nice to her and she made some good friends.

There is truth to both sides of the story. Particularly the comment above. It wasn't long ago that these people were being butchered, stolen and chained at the neck like animals.

If you were classified as fauna, not allowed to be a citizen and stolen away to be "reformed" by being raped and bashed you may have some kind of issue as well.

Meanwhile in New Zealand they are embracing Maori culture and teaching haka to schools and sports teams.

Giving away billions of dollars to help cambodia, indonesia and all these other countries without first fixing Australia is what annoys me.

There is no "fixing" it. The USA has had, and still has a problem with native Americans, and they were dispossessed long before the aborigines. 

[nuakmuaynina]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

You really have no idea do you? To want a job you have to have a work ethic, something aboriginals lack, but that's never been part of their culture, not a criticism, a fact, and why would you want to work when you get paid for doing nothing, or "sit down money" as aboriginals call it. You can't turn back the clock unfortunately, the white man is in Australia to stay.

 

I do actually, have been to Aus many times and have met young aboriginals who are frustrated because no one will give them a job.  

 

How would we know anything of their culture?we have just tried to stamp it out, and done everything to beat them down and break their spirit, over generations, that takes time to fix. 

[nuakmuaynina]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

There is no "fixing" it. The USA has had, and still has a problem with native Americans, and they were dispossessed long before the aborigines. 

 

Yes and what did white people do to native Americans? In Canada they forcibly took children from birth and forced them into residential schools, with the prime objective of making them less native, i believe the last one of those shut in the 90s!shameful. In the USA and Canada there is a lot of racism towards them, they have no rights are are forced into reservations, with no jobs or prospects. 

 

That's not to mention the missionaries, or just trying to wipe them out. 

 

Like the Aborigines these problems go back years and won't change overnight..

 

We need to take some responsibility for this, we force them into an alien way of life and did everything we could for hundreds of years to persecute them, if that is your heritage no wonder you become dispossessed, I think it would be hard not to be. 

 

[GreasyFingers]

2 minutes ago, nuakmuaynina said:

 

I do actually, have been to Aus many times and have met young aboriginals who are frustrated because no one will give them a job.  

 

How would we know anything of their culture?we have just tried to stamp it out, and done everything to beat them down and break their spirit, over generations, that takes time to fix. 

As I said before, go and live there before you make a judgement. I have worked and lived in the remote communities. The young ones are given free university courses if they have the want to progress. It is their attitude that is the problem just as it is with ourselves. Wrong attitude, no progress.

[GreasyFingers]

9 minutes ago, nuakmuaynina said:

How would we know anything of their culture?we have just tried to stamp it out, and done everything to beat them down and break their spirit, over generations, that takes time to fix. 

You really have no idea of what you are talking about. No one is trying to break their spirit. Quite the opposite they are given every opportuntity to develope their culture and language (all 100+ of them) apart from the white culture. It is up to them to do so.

[Philthyphil]

4 hours ago, MadMuhummad said:

Give it a rest mate. Yes the English are responsible for some of horror in the past but why should you hang you're head in shame? I can understand your concern but you're clearly Going a bit fair my old mate.

 

Rape, murdering and stealing might be ok in your world Muhummad, but not in mine. 

Some of the horror ? or most of it. In the past ? or... Read the headline.

I will tell you when we are mates, mate.

[GreasyFingers]

11 minutes ago, Philthyphil said:

 

Rape, murdering and stealing might be ok in your world Muhummad, but not in mine. 

Some of the horror ? or most of it. In the past ? or... Read the headline.

I will tell you when we are mates, mate.

Then you go to gaol for the sins of the past

[Philthyphil]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

There is no "fixing" it. The USA has had, and still has a problem with native Americans, and they were dispossessed long before the aborigines. 

The native Americans I think have a problem with the English descended whiteys who overran the place and now don't want other races and religions entering and act as if they own the place.

 

They shoulda built that wall 500 years ago. To keep the English out.

[Scott]

A post containing a racial slur has been reported and removed.  

[sikishrory]

Maybe we should build a wall greasy? 

[sanemax]

3 minutes ago, Philthyphil said:

The native Americans I think have a problem with the English descended whiteys who overran the place and now don't want other races and religions entering and act as if they own the place.

 

They shoulda built that wall 500 years ago. To keep the English out.

What does this have to do with the topic ?

Yet another "In America" post 

[Philthyphil]

3 minutes ago, sanemax said:

What does this have to do with the topic ?

Yet another "In America" post 

If you read above, you find that both countries had native populations that were overrun by immigrants from England who didn't assimilate and  who enforced their own language and rules to the detriment of the rightful owners.

[sanemax]

3 minutes ago, Philthyphil said:

If you read above, you find that both countries had native populations that were overrun by immigrants from England who didn't assimilate and  who enforced their own language and rules to the detriment of the rightful owners.

Yes, but this thread is about Aborigines in Australia, this thread isnt about Native American Indians in the USA

[anon4546543]

I am an Aussie who before I moved here had his home broken into constantly by aborigines whilst I was doing 12 hour shift work. In saying this, I am not condemning aborigines. They are condemned to petty crime from the time they are born. Their parents are mostly alcoholics and/or drug addicts. They are given a good pension which they choose not to spend on healthy food or decent housing. Many are affected by fuel inhaled gases. Many have brain issues whilst in the foetal stage. Most don't/will not go to school. It is an ongoing generational thing.  I wish there was an easy solution. But the solutions would impinge on their human rights. 

Years ago, young babies were taken away from their drugged and alcoholic mothers. Many of these children became world class athletes, musicians, politicians and more. But the outcry over the "Stolen Generation" will ensure that does not happen again. 

Billions of dollars have been spent on the "Aboriginal Problem". To no avail. The UN is a useless over bloated waste of time. But if someone has a solution, please feel free to add to a debate by good people that has been going on for many decades.

[Wonderboy]

If you read above, you find that both countries had native populations that were overrun by immigrants from England who didn't assimilate and  who enforced their own language and rules to the detriment of the rightful owners.

Rightful owners? By that logic only white persons have a right to be in Europe, or?

WB

[chilli42]

Remote native communities in Canada have similar issues.  We try to fix things 'our' way,  They dont want to opt into the way the rest of the country operates/lives.  Hand outs don't work.  Integration does not work.  I think everyone is at a loss on how to move forward.

[rodney earl]

What the hell would they know about them. They have had more money and benefits given to them. And what do they do with it? Most of them keep the outback

hotels in business and the houses that are given to them are wrecked and the Public works has to come and fix them and then they are given back to them to do

it all over again. And when they wreck their houses, they live and drink outside and use the house as their toilets.!!!!!