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Statement by Nyungah Circle of Elders to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Edinburgh

The Last of the Nyungah Elders who are standing to Save and Protect our Ancient Culture and Religion and Sacred Beliefs in the Land and not take money to sell our Sacredness

26 October 1997 - PERTH

TO ALL COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT
FROM THE FIRST PEOPLE OF THE LAND OF AUSTRALIA

The Prime Minister Mr Howard is not looking after the Interests of Australia. He is looking after the Interests of a small group of Rich and Powerful People.

Mr Howard, like every Prime Minister before him has always attacked Aboriginal People to get what they want. The Government has a problem, then they turn round and attack Aboriginal people.

Mr Howard's 10 Point Wik Plan to change the Native Title Act

Mr Howard's 10 Point Plan is a Number 1 issue that he is using to attack the Aboriginal People as a Nation. His Plan will smash and destroy our Basic Human Rights where our Religion and Culture and Lifestyle are concerned. His Plan is to totally destroy the Aboriginal people. They will be a Nation of People without any Rights to their own Land.

When Mr Howard speaks of looking after the Interests of all Australians he doesn't mean Aboriginal People. Since coming into power, the first thing on the agenda for him and his Government was to attack and destroy Aboriginal people. John Howard and his Government are creating racism at its worst. His 10 Point Wik Plan will only benefit the Rich and the Powerful. The Poor and the Weak will suffer under the Iron Foot of the Government and its Total Control.

We ask all Heads of Government of the Commonwealth in Edinburgh, Scotland to ask Mr Howard:

What is the Intention of trying to destroy the Aboriginal People with the 10 Point Wik Plan?

Without our Religion and Culture in the Land we don't exist as a Race of People on this Continent called Australia now. Without our Religion and Culture we become nothing but fourth class assimilated people only with a black skin. Yet we are the Original Owners, the First People, the Original Inhabitants. Our Land, our Law and our Sovereignty is taken from us.

America (the USA), Canada, New Zealand and other one-time British Colonies of the Commonwealth - all gave some small recognition of the Rights of the Indigenous People to their Land and Religion and Culture. We ask all the Heads of the Commonwealth Governments of the World to assist the Indigenous People of Australia in their Basic Human Rights to their Land and Religion and Culture.

Mr Howard and Greenhouse Gases

We ask all Heads of Government to ask Mr Howard:

Why will Mr Howard and his Government not assist in trying to help prevent the Destruction of the World with Greenhouse Gases?

All the little islands will disappear. The overpopulated Nations of People on these small islands will disappear. The People of the World will suffer sickness and death.

Mr Howard and Uranium

We also ask all the Heads of Government meeting in Edinburgh to ask Mr Howard:

Why is it he and his Government wants to mine uranium to send to all other parts of the World when we all know as a Family of the Nations of People of the World how destructive this uranium can be. It kills People.

When all Nations of the World speak of disarmament of atomic weapons, uranium is the core of it. It is the power. It is the most destructive power to kill mankind if used by one nation to destroy another Nation. We speak of Kakadu and the Aboriginal People there who are trying to stop the uranium mine.

We the Aboriginal people as a Nation say to John Howard and his Government:

You are digging inside our Mother's Guts. You want to undermine and dig under the land and waterways and destroy all things above that Nature has created. Birdlife will automatically be damaged and cease to exist if this is done by taking out the uranium and shipping it elsewhere. It will destroy our Spiritual Dreaming which is our Religious Beliefs and Culture.

Mr Howard and Reconciliation and the Olympic Games

It is hard to imagine that campaigning for Reconciliation has been going on for a lot of months and years, and yet we have the Prime Minister of Australia and his Government coming up with a Destructive 10 Point Wik Plan to destroy all Hopes and create Total Destruction of us as an Aboriginal Nation of our Country.

The Year 2000 will be the Coming of the Olympic Games to this Country and yet the Government of John Howard won't accept us and is taking away the last Bit of Rights we've got left to our Own Land.

From The Nyungah Circle of Elders and The Last of the River People of the Swan Valley.

Source: Nyungah Circle of Elders

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