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Aboriginal leader calls for national action day
Wednesday, 1 December 2004
2:11:24 PM
NATIONAL, Dec 1: Indigenous leaders want people in capital cities throughout Australia to march in a peaceful protest against Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Brisbane-based Aboriginal activist Sam Watson, who has relatives on Palm Island, said he was meeting with other Indigenous leaders in Brisbane today as they planned a national day of action on Saturday, December 11.
Mr Watson said nothing had changed since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody handed down 339 recommendations.
"Nothing has changed and the situation is getting worse," Mr Watson said.
"All we can see the system is hardening about Aboriginal people and we really fear for our young people on the streets of Australia.
"Police officers just use their shields and their blue uniforms as devices to bash and terrorise and kill Aboriginal people."
He questioned why police took 36-year-old Cameron Doomadgee, who died in the police watchhouse on Palm Island two weeks ago, to a cell instead of place of refuge after his arrest.
Yesterday, Aboriginal activist Murrandoo Yanner threatened "pay back" in a violent retaliation against police.
But Mr Watson said the marches on Saturday week would be peaceful and non-violent and he did not advocate violence.
"Brother Murrandoo was very deeply hurt - very grievously and spiritually wounded because the loss of a young person in these circumstances hurts us all.
"We are bleeding spiritually and it's only natural we should react with strong language but there won't be any of that.
"All we are asking for is the white legal system and the white police to do what they would do in any other situation where a person has unlawfully met his death, and that is investigate the matter quickly and arrest the wrongdoers, charge them and process them through the courts." - AAP
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