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Criminalizing Indigenous Rights in CanadaDavid Parker The Dominion September 8th, 2008.HALIFAX – In September of 2007, the United Nations adopted the non-binding Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Four high profile countries notably voted against the declaration – namely Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.[1] All four countries are states that were established by white settlers on indigenous lands, and all four are currently in disputes with indigenous peoples over land and sovereignty.The Canadian state, built on the theft and occupation of indigenous lands, continues to benefit from its unjustly acquired assets…………………………Recent cases of indigenous protest in Ontario have been in opposition to government authorized resource extraction on native lands. Despite legitimate demands for sovereignty and decision-making power over their traditional lands, native protesters have been incarcerated:

Damning report on Aboriginal scheme
Sydney Morning Herald Stephanie Peatling and Joel Gibson
October 14, 2008

THE radical intervention into remote indigenous communities in the Northern Territory has “fractured” the relationship between governments and indigenous people and led to an even greater sense of betrayal and misery among many people, an independent panel has found.

The board commissioned by the Federal Government to review the intervention after 12 months found it had not led to anyone being arrested for child sexual abuse – the grounds on which the previous government justified the intervention………………………….The board called for the intervention’s exemption from the Racial Discrimination Act to be removed and supported the reinstatement of the permit system for entry to lands…………………………………..

Pat Turner, of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the Northern Territory, said she hoped the Government would take the report seriously and amend its approach.

She applauded its recommendations to compensate Aboriginal landowners on just terms for compulsory leases over their land and for its call for the intervention to be subject to the Racial Discrimination Act.

But Ms Turner, who has called the intervention a Trojan horse designed to seize Aboriginal land,

NT intervention unconstitutional, elders tell court
THE AUSTRALIAN Nicola Berkovic | October 03, 2008

KEY aspects of the Northern Territory intervention, including the federal Government’s five-year takeover of Aboriginal townships, were unconstitutional, the High Court heard yesterday.

Traditional land owner Reggie Wurridjal and his sister Joy Garlbin, from Maningrida in western Arnhem Land, and the township’s Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation, have mounted a challenge to the intervention launched last year by the Howard government.

They say the forced five-year lease of their land amounted to an acquisition of their property rights and the commonwealth failed to do so on “just terms” as required by the Constitution.

Bawinanga chairman Peter Danaja, who was part of a delegation that travelled to Canberra for the hearing yesterday, said the intervention had “completely stripped” traditional owners of their land rights………………………………The NT Government has intervened in the case to support the group’s argument that the commonwealth must acquire NT property on just terms.

Land claim determination closer

ABC News 29/9/08 The Aboriginal land commissioner will today move a step closer to resolving the last land claim to be filed in central Australia.

In July, justice Howard Olney travelled to the northern part of the Simpson Desert, seven hours drive from Alice Springs.

He heard evidence from Eastern Arrente traditional owners and visited sacred sites in the area, one of the most remote in Australia.

The claim covers 18,000 square kilometres of land south of Atula homestead, some of which was part of an earlier land rights claim.

Today, the commissioner will sit in Melbourne to hear from anthropological experts.

Justice Olney will then call for written submissions before making a determination on the claim, which is expected to be the last for the central Australian region.