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Brits back Aborigines

30 July 2004 - A BBC documentary highlighting the plight of Aborigines has stirred the hearts of black Britons and jogged memories of frustration for David Akinsanya.

The film-maker, who took footage of the events surrounding the riots that took place in the country last February, has received a barrage of messages of support from people who say they had no idea of the plight faced by Australia’s indigenous people in their own country.

He said: “Loads of black people want to find out more about the Aborigines. We learnt something about them, and they were very interested in us. They wanted to know about my experience here in England.

“When you see Aboriginal people on telly you think you don’t have anything in common with them, but they really treated me like a brother. They were just as into the youth market as any other kid; they want to go to McDonald’s and watch The Simpsons, too. For young Aborigines, this is the nearest thing they can find to identify with.

“But my biggest frustration was that it it was difficult to conclude a programme like this. You want to come up with a solution, but there was no solution.”

The programme, called The Boy from the Block, followed the story of Thomas ‘T J’ Hickey, a 17-year-old who was flung off his bike and impaled on railings when he ran away from police.

Source: The Voice

related links :

• Hounded out of Australia for speaking the truth about Aborigines
  Blink (UK) - A black filmmaker who made a television documentary on Aborigines has been hounded out of Australia after receiving death threats BBC journalist David Akinsanya was forced to leave Australia ahead of schedule following a newspaper interview he gave to at Sydney newspaper criticising Australians their treatment of Aborigines.
  • Aboriginals: Foreigners in their own land?
  • The Boy from The Block: Send us your comments
• BBC blast for 'white' Australia
  21 March 2004 - A BBC documentary into the Redfern riots promises to give Australia a "very uncomfortable" hour's viewing. British reporter David Akinsanya, who made his name with TV programs about his own tough life in British institutions, said of the film: "As a black man I feel I am treated better in Britain as a stranger than Aborigines are treated in their own land."
• BBC World
• Redfern riot: clippings and links
• BLINK: Your Shout! Are Australians racist?

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