news | action | information | events | contact | search | news | action | information | events | contact | search |
key indigenous australian issues
| home | news lAborigines riot over boy's deathBy Nick Squires in Sydney 17 February 2004 - Telegraph (UK) - Peace was restored yesterday to an inner-city area of Sydney set ablaze by rioters in some of the worst racial violence for a decade. About 150 Aborigines threw stones, bottles and petrol bombs at police in the district of Redfern in protest at a teenage boy's death. Thomas Hickey, 17, died after falling from his bicycle and becoming impaled on a fence post. Locals accused police of causing his death by chasing him in a patrol car. The police strenuously denied this. More than 40 officers were injured in the violence, which began late on Sunday and stretched into the early hours of yesterday. Only five people were arrested, leading to criticism that police had failed to crack down hard enough on the rioters. John Brogden, the leader of the opposition Liberal Party in New South Wales, said young Aborigines faced a future racked by "grog, violence and unemployment" unless the area was demolished and families moved away. Telegraph (UK) Uneasy calm follows Sydney riots 17 February 2004 - Peace has returned to the Australian city of Sydney following riots in a central Aboriginal district which left more than 40 police officers injured. Community leaders had called for an end to the riots, sparked by the death of an Aboriginal teenager. Three separate investigations into the disturbances have been launched. Correspondents say Sunday night's violence was the worst in Sydney for years, and will be a setback for race relations in the city and beyond. At least four people have been arrested and charged over the riot, which lasted for nine hours. Police say they expect more arrests to follow. The three inquiries will be carried out by the state coroner, the police service and a public affairs watchdog. The riot broke out on Sunday night and continued into the early hours of Monday. Angry youths set fire to a railway station and pelted police with petrol bombs and lumps of concrete in the mainly Aborigine district of Redfern. Police reinforcements wearing riot gear were drafted in from across Sydney to quell the violence. Eight of the injured officers had to go to hospital. At the height of the riots, some 100 people were said to have taken to the streets to protest against the death of 17-year-old Thomas Hickey. His mother said he was being pursued by police when he fell off his bike and became impaled on a metal fence. The allegation is strongly denied by the police. A local elder said gloom had descended on The Block, a rundown area of housing where the rioting began. "These kids, they have seen something like this happen, and they feel a huge sense of injustice," Shane Phillips told the Associated Press news agency. "What people need to help them with is how to deal with it so it's not violent." The area is notorious for drug dealing, with heroin being sold openly in a local park. New South Wales state opposition leader John Brogden accused the state government of ignoring the problem. "The fact that 40 or 50 police were injured whilst they stood there and copped it from young Aboriginal thugs and others is an unacceptable position going forward," he said. "I'd bring the bulldozers in because I think allowing this to happen every couple of years, which is what's going to happen, will never fix the problem." Premier Bob Carr responded that The Block was in the process of being pulled down and plans for its re-development would be completed in the next few weeks. Australia's lost generation By Phil Mercer February 16, 2004 - Redfern has been at the heart of Sydney's Aboriginal community for generations. Large sections of property - known locally as "The Block" - were bought with the help of the federal government in the early 1970s. The inner city district is close to the centre of Sydney. Over the years, thousands of people have come from all corners of this vast continent to look for work and to meet up in the "big smoke" with relatives and friends. Today much of The Block is in ruins, its derelict buildings a haven for drug dealers and their self-destructive clients. It is - as one local resident told BBC News Online - like a bomb site. A brave stance was taken here last night... and that will continue while our community is being ostracised and intimidated and traumatised by the racist police of New South Wales It reminded me of a recent visit to the area and memories of a young family living in a tent within sight of the skyscrapers downtown. The decline of what was a vibrant hub for itinerant native workers has mirrored the decay suffered by other indigenous communities around Australia. The disturbances in Redfern have come against a backdrop of poverty, dispossession and welfare dependency. Aborigines are the most disadvantaged group in Australia. Indigenous men die - on average - 20 years younger than their white counterparts and suffer disproportionately high rates of ill health, imprisonment and unemployment. The abuse of alcohol and drugs have made many Aboriginal households extremely dangerous places. A recent study found indigenous women were 50 times more likely to endure domestic violence than white Australian women. Across this country there are hundreds of projects attempting to shine a light through all this darkness. There are programmes for young offenders and victims of abuse as well as educational and vocational training. But the troubles in Redfern are a reminder that much more needs to be done. Cliff Foley, a senior member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), said he was surprised and saddened by the violence. "We don't want to lose another generation to drugs and crime," he said. It may be a forlorn hope. The majority of young Aborigines in Redfern are unemployed. Drug dealing - especially heroin - is a way to make money and an act of defiance against the mainly white police force. Young people complain of constant harassment by the police. Feelings of alienation from the prosperous white world just a few kilometres away - coupled with anger over the death of the Aboriginal teenager, Thomas Hickey - may in part explain the ferocity of these disturbances. The young of Redfern were encouraged by a senior community figure, Lyall Munro, to take a stand. We have full confidence in the police and they have our full backing.... there will be an independent assessment of the tragic death of a young man "A brave stance was taken here last night... and that will continue while our community is being ostracised and intimidated and traumatised by the racist police of New South Wales," Mr Munro told Australia's ABC radio. His allegations have been strongly denied by senior police commanders. There will be three investigations into the rioting.
"We have full confidence in the police and they have our full backing," he said. "I want to extend condolences to the family of Thomas Hickey and to say to them there will be an independent assessment of the tragic death of a young man." This has been the worst violence Australia has seen in years. What is certain is this horrific episode will be a major setback for efforts to improve relations between black and white Australians. Aboriginal Leader Warns of More Violence By Belinda Goldsmith
Aden Ridgeway, the sole Aboriginal member of the national parliament, said anger over the lack of progress in narrowing the social divide between black and white Australians over the past decade was growing, creating potential hotbeds of violence. This flared up Sunday night when about 100 Aborigines, angry over the death of 17-year-old Aboriginal Thomas Hickey, pelted 200 riot police with Molotov cocktails, stones and bottles, in the worst civil unrest in Sydney in over a decade. Hickey was impaled on a metal fence after falling from his bicycle Saturday. He died in hospital Sunday with his family blaming the police for harassing the teen-ager. "There's been simmering tension building up in communities...and Thomas Hickey's death became the trigger point for this stress and anxiety to be expressed in such an extreme way," Ridgeway told Reuters in an interview. "This isn't being harnessed by any particular political movement but instead you have young people feeling a sense of hopelessness and despair about life's opportunities." Australia's 400,000 Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who make up two percent of the continent's 20 million population, remain the nation's most disadvantaged group despite government funding of more than A$1 billion ($787 million) a year. Many Aborigines live below the poverty line, dying 20 years younger than other Australians and with far higher rates of imprisonment, unemployment, welfare dependency and alcoholism. "STOLEN GENERATION" In addition, victims of the so-called "Stolen Generation" still suffer mental scars from the seizure of up to 100,000 Aboriginal children, including Ridgeway's father. They were taken from their parents between 1910 and 1970 to be assimilated into white culture. Ridgeway said anger was growing over the lack of commitment to address social problems and a refusal by the government to apologize for past injustices inflicted on the nation's original inhabitants in the 216 years since British colonization Instead the conservative government has adopted a pragmatic approach to racial reconciliation, using the army to build housing for outback Aboriginal communities. Ridgeway said this feeling of alienation had been exacerbated by a dramatic shift in the profile of the indigenous population, with about 70 percent of Australia's blacks now aged under 25. Young Aborigines led the nine-hour riot in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern Sunday night and into Monday morning. "They feel the government hasn't done enough to alleviate the poverty they find themselves in," said Ridgeway, a member of the Gumbayyngirr people who was elected to parliament's upper house Senate five years ago. He said it was critical the authorities handled the aftermath of the Sydney riot correctly, and called for an independent, far-reaching inquiry to look at the social needs of Aborigines and not just the circumstances of Hickey's death. Ridgeway urged the government to adopt a longer-term approach to the indigenous problems. "If the inquest comes up with a report that doesn't satisfy demands about getting answers, it is more than likely you will end up with another outbreak of violence." Source: Reuters Australian riot throws the spotlight on Aboriginal despair February 17 2004 - SYDNEY - The 188-year-old Sydney suburb of Redfern, seen for generations as the urban heart of Australia’s indigenous population, was peaceful on Tuesday, the day after being exposed as the despairing underbelly of one of the world’s most liveable cities. Aboriginal elders and grieving locals gathered around slow burning fires in the ghetto to ensure there was no repeat of the riot in which 40 police were injured under a hail of bricks, bottles and petrol bombs in the early hours of Monday. The anger and violence flared after 17-year-old Thomas Hickey died tragically when he fell from his bicycle and was impaled on a spiked fence. His family claimed he was being chased by police, a claim vigorously denied by police but which will be minutely examined in official inquiries now underway, one by the coroner and one by a police internal affairs squad overseen by the Ombudsman. But Aboriginal leaders say no matter the findings, the inquiries will not go far enough in examining why Australia’s 400,000-strong Aboriginal population, dispossessed of their lands 200 years ago, are now among the most deprived, sick, jailed, ill-educated and poverty-stricken race on earth. The death of Hickey and its violent aftermath have once again thrown the spotlight on an issue governments on both sides of politics have been wrestling with for decades. Since a 1967 referendum belatedly allowed Aborigines to be considered as Australians, Redfern has been seen as the birthplace of indigenous self-determination. Millions of dollars have been poured into schemes to help the indigenous communities, but Aborigines still have an average life expectancy 20 years shorter than other Australians. Source:Associated Press Aborigines' deep anger By Roger Maynard February 17 2004 - SYDNEY - Whatever the truth surrounding the death of 17-year-old Thomas Hickey, whose fatal injuries sparked one of the worst race riots in Sydney for many years, the tragedy is symbolic of a much deeper malaise in Australian society. For years, relations between the police and aborigines in inner-city Redfern, where the violence broke out, have been volatile. Poor living conditions, drunkenness, petty crime and perceived racism among certain officers of the New South Wales police have only added to the tensions. To be fair to the police and the government authorities, there have been numerous plans to improve relations with the largely Aboriginal community in Redfern in the past. Sadly, it takes only an isolated incident, hot weather and alcohol to light the racial powder keg and turn the streets of inner Sydney into a battleground. Mr Chris Cuneen, a senior academic at Sydney University's Law School, may have put his finger on the cause yesterday when he referred to deep-seated antagonism among local indigenous people. 'Clearly, there's an ongoing level of antagonism which is underlying the riot or conflict that occurred irrespective of whether the police were involved in the death of the young boy or not,' he said. 'There's enough antagonism in the community in relation to the police for people to believe they were involved in it.' That antagonism is not simply the result of poor relations with the law enforcers but generations of injustice which has turned Aboriginal Australia into a race of welfare- dependent losers with little or no hope of gaining a foothold in respectable middle-class society. Some make it into the professions but the statistics speak for themselves. Recent figures showed only 61 out of 44,144 medical practitioners in Australia are aborigines. Only 14 out of 6,925 psychologists and just 58 out of 15,666 solicitors are indigenous people. The unemployment rate for indigenous youth is twice that of young white Australians. And death rates among aborigines aged between 25 and 54 remain up to five times higher than for others. Child mortality is little better. A recent report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed Aboriginal babies had more than double the chance of dying before their first birthday compared with their white counterparts. Frustrated by the apparent unfairness of it all, many young aborigines turn to crime. While this may not justify the Redfern race riots, it casts a light on the factors that might have contributed to the discontent that exploded in Sydney on Sunday evening. Only the coroner's report will establish the truth about whether the police played a part in the death of young Tom Hickey. But among Australia's indigenous population of 400,000, there are many who have already made up their minds. Aboriginal elder Lyall Munro accused police of harassing local young people on a daily basis. 'This type of thing is going to happen and our young people are going to die in this way whilst ever the police are allowed to get away with it,' he said. He warned Redfern could become the next Brixton, in a reference to the race riots in the south London suburb in the l980s. 'If Palestinian kids can fight....tanks with sling shots, our kids can do the same,' he added. Television pictures shocked Australians and brought condemnation from politicians. Mr John Brogden, opposition leader in the New South Wales parliament, branded those involved in the violence as thugs. 'Put aside all the social problems that are well known down here in Redfern and none of what happened is acceptable,' he said. Source: AFP Sydney mourns Aboriginal teen Although peaceful, an undercurrent of anger ran through the ceremony. "Young Thomas is one of the many that have been sacrificed over the years," said Aboriginal leader Kevin Smith. Hickey's mother accused police of chasing her son when he crashed his bike and became impaled on a metal fence. Police strongly denied this. Mourners recited Christian prayers, performed traditional dances and played the didgeridoo in Pemulwuy Park in Sydney's Redfern suburb. Speakers spoke of their sorrow at Hickey's death. He was described as a fun-loving boy who had been denied opportunity. At the time of his death he was wanted for breaching an apprehended violence order over an assault. "Welfare aid is not a solution, it is band-aid, it only offers lazy attitudes. Give our kids a chance, give us a chance," said Mr Smith. Aden Ridgeway, the sole Aborigine in the national parliament, told the gathering that the tragedy had focused Australia on the plight of its indigenous population. Aborigines are the most disadvantaged group in Australia. Indigenous men die - on average - 20 years younger than their white counterparts and suffer disproportionately high rates of ill health, imprisonment and unemployment. "I am asking the rest of Australia to change their mind, to understand the hurt we are feeling within indigenous communities. We are crying out for change and this is not coming from the government. "Let's hope that young Thomas' death was not in vain," Mr Ridgeway said. Just two uniformed policewomen watched the memorial from across the park. In the nine-hour riots in Redfern which followed Hickey's death, more than 40 police officers were injured. Three separate investigations into the disturbances have been launched. Hickey will be buried next week in his home town of Walgett in New South Wales state, Australian Associated Press reported. Source: BBC Redfern, Sydney szégyenfoltja Kiss Csaba Február 17. 2004 - A rendorség és az ausztrál nagyvárosokban élo oslakosok között állandó ugyan a feszültség, de az utóbbi ötven évben nem volt olyan durva összecsapás közöttük, mint a hét végén Sydneyben. Ausztrália a semmibol röpke 150 év alatt utolérte a világ legfejlettebb államait – ám az oslakosokról ugyanez nem mondható el. Az 1960-as évek elején az a veszély fenyegetett, hogy a kontinensen kihal a teljes oslakosság. A nagy gazdasági fellendülés okozta eufóriában ekkor eszmélt rá a többségi társadalom és a kormányzat, hogy a szédületes haladás mellett humanitárius tragédia fenyeget. De az azóta eltelt szuk ötven esztendo sem volt elegendo ahhoz, hogy a XXI. század szintjére hozzák a kokorból alig kétszáz éve indult oslakókat. Mindemellett a nagypolitika egyre látványosabban szereti az oslakosokat. A 2000-es sydneyi olimpián például bennszülött futóno, Cathy Freeman gyújtotta meg a lángot. Vagy: a tervezett új ausztrál lobogón az angol zászló helyett a bumeráng szerepelne. Ausztráliában az oslakost nemzeti kincsnek tekintik. Már ha az eredeti lakhelyén – messze bent a szárazföld közepén vagy az északi területeken – él, és eredeti, vagy legalábbis az eredetit megközelíto életmódot folytat. Például krokodilfarmot üzemeltet, emut tenyészt, vagy valamilyen mezogazdasági tevékenységet folytat, és a külvilággal az állam által biztosított interneten át tartja a kapcsolatot. Gondot a nagyvárosokban élo oslakos közösségek okoznak. A húszmilliós Ausztráliában ez 100-120 ezer embert jelent, akiknek a felmenoi is hiába próbáltak megkapaszkodni a nyugati civilizációban. Az együttélés következtében külso jegyeikben már 95 százalékban félig fehérek a nagyvárosi életet választó bennszülöttek, de életesélyeikben meg sem közelítik ugyanezt a szintet. A megértobbek azt mondják, nem lehet ekkora kulturális különbséget néhány évtized alatt behozni. A közvélemény jelentos része viszont az oslakosokat teszi felelossé saját sorsukért. Redfern – ahol a zavargás történt – a tündöklo Sydney szégyenfoltja. Itt omladozó házakban, mocskos és buzös utcákon elképeszto nyomorban élnek az „abok” (a köznyelv leginkább csak így, emlegeti oket, bár ezt a nevezettek kifejezetten sértonek tartják). A Redfern ma olyan Sydneyben, mint néhány évtizeddel ezelott Harlem volt New Yorkban. A városnegyed a drog, a prostitúció és a bunözés melegágya. Az itt lakók kevés kivételtol eltekintve munkanélküliek, és állami segélyekbol próbálják fenntartani magukat. A redferni oslakosoknak az öntudatukon kívül lényegében semmijük sincs. Meg akarnak viszont élni, így a megélhetési bunözés a sydneyi rendorök számára sem ismeretlen fogalom. A helyi lapok óvatosan fogalmaznak az eset kapcsán, és igyekeznek elkerülni, hogy etnikai színezete legyen a történteknek. Sydneyben nem feketék vagy félvérek és fehér rendorök csaptak össze, hanem bunözok és a jóléti társadalom hivatalos orei. Perth, 2004. február Népszabadság Online (Hungary) Les émeutes du quartier aborigène de Sydney ébranlent toute l'Australie Frédéric Therin 19 Feb. 2004 - Redfern, où des affrontements ont fait 50 blessés, est devenu le cœur d'un vaste trafic de drogue. Dans le quartier de Redfern, la vie "normale" a repris son cours après l'une des pires émeutes qu'a connues Sydney depuis les années 1970. Au bout de la rue Everleigh, au cœur d'un pâté de maisons qui forme un ghetto d'Aborigènes, une femme aux yeux hagards propose de la drogue aux passants. A cinq mètres de là, des policiers font comme si de rien n'était. Le "Bloc", comme on l'appelle ici, est une marmite qui ne demande qu'à exploser de nouveau. Une centaine de jeunes Aborigènes vivant dans ce secteur aux allures de bidonville, situé en plein centre de Sydney, ont bataillé pendant plusieurs heures contre 200 policiers, dimanche 15 février. Une cinquantaine de membres des forces de l'ordre ont été blessés par des jets de briques et des cocktails Molotov. "J'ai balancé une brique sur un flic et il s'est écroulé à terre", se vante un collégien de 13 ans. Des jeunes du même âge s'en sont ensuite pris à la gare de Redfern en tentant de l'incendier. Ces émeutes ont été provoquées par le décès, dans des circonstances troubles, d'un jeune de dix-sept ans, Thomas Hickey, retrouvé mourant par des policiers, samedi matin, après s'être empalé sur une grille suite à une chute de bicyclette. "TJ", comme on l'appelle dans le "Bloc" avait quitté, il y a deux ans, sa ville natale de Walgett (dans l'ouest de l'Etat de Nouvelle-Galles du Sud) avec sa famille pour emménager à Redfern. Les forces de l'ordre nient toute responsabilité, mais les jeunes du quartier sont persuadés que "TJ" est tombé, alors qu'il essayait d'échapper aux policiers qui le poursuivaient. "Les flics n'arrêtent pas de nous harceler", explique un adolescent. Les troubles n'ont pas vraiment surpris les résidents de Redfern. "Les jeunes étaient tristes et en colère après la mort de "TJ" et ils ne savent pas manifester leur frustration autrement que par la violence", dit Shane Phillips, un Aborigène de 39 ans. "UN VÉRITABLE TAUDIS" Des incidents de moindre ampleur avaient émaillé les dernières années. "Pour être franc, ajoute Bruce, le volontaire d'une association aborigène qui enseigne à des jeunes le métier de marin, je ne souhaiterais pas habiter dans ce coin. C'est un véritable taudis et la drogue est partout présente." Dans les années 1990, le "Bloc" est devenu le centre d'un important trafic d'héroïne. Redfern "a été corrompu par les drogues et le crime", regrette Peter Valilis, l'un des dirigeants de l'Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC), l'association aborigène propriétaire des maisons du "Bloc". La ruelle Everleigh est surnommée la "ruelle à 1 million de dollars" - une allusion aux revenus qu'emmagasineraient chaque année les trafiquants de drogue du quartier. L'allée Caroline est l'endroit où les héroïnomanes procèdent aux injections. A Redfern, la présence de nombreux Aborigènes remonte aux années 1920. Beaucoup de membres de communautés reculées s'y sont retrouvés pour travailler dans les chantiers alentours. "Les logements étaient très bon marché", explique Adrian Newstead, le propriétaire d'une importante galerie d'art aborigène de Sydney. Dans les années 1970, le "Bloc" a été le théâtre de nombreuses émeutes entre résidents et policiers. La décennie suivante a marqué un certain renouveau de cette zone. Les "anciens" du quartier sont partisans d'une solution radicale. "Il faudrait que les policiers arrêtent les trafiquants, qui sont la véritable cause des problèmes ici, au lieu de s'acharner sur les gamins qui commettent des petits vols", estime Shane Phillips. "Il faudrait ensuite raser les maisons du quartier pour reconstruire des habitations de meilleure qualité et les confier à des familles originaires du "Bloc". Les trafiquants ne sont pas des gars qui sont nés ici", ajoute-t-il. Les bulldozers ont déjà détruit 70 des 90 maisons de la zone au cours des sept dernières années. "Nous sommes dans un cercle vicieux, avoue Mick Mundine, le directeur général de l'AHC. Les logements ne cessent de se dégrader en raison du trafic de drogue. C'est pour cela que nous détruisons les maisons et essayons de redévelopper le "Bloc"." Les vingt résidences qui n'ont pas encore été démolies devront l'être d'ici à 2005, a promis le gouvernement de Nouvelle-Galles du Sud. Mais la communauté aborigène craint d'être obligée de déménager dans des banlieues éloignées. Car Redfern est un rêve de promoteurs immobiliers. Situé tout près du centre d'affaires de Sydney, le quartier est un lieu de résidence idéal pour les "bobos". Ces dernières années, de nombreux immeubles de luxe ont été construits tout autour du "Bloc". D'autres chantiers sont en cours. "Mais on va tout faire pour rester là, prévient Shane Phillips. La terre du "Bloc" nous appartient, après tout", précise l'Aborigène, qui a passé toute sa vie dans ce ghetto. Source:Le Monde (France) Emeutes après la mort d'un jeune en Australie Par Jean-Dominique MERCHET 17 Février 2004 - Sydney a été le théâtre, dimanche soir, d'émeutes raciales, à la suite de la mort d'un garçon de 17 ans. Une quarantaine de policiers ont été blessés au cours des affrontements avec les jeunes d'un ghetto aborigène. Samedi, Thomas «TJ» Hickey s'était blessé mortellement, en s'empalant sur une grille, à la suite d'une chute de vélo. Selon sa mère et de nombreux Aborigènes du quartier de Redfern, «TJ» était poursuivi par une patrouille de police. Les policiers ont catégoriquement démenti cette version des faits, affirmant qu'il n'avait jamais été pris en chasse, parlant de «désinformation et d'intoxication». Le gouvernement de l'Etat des Nouvelles-Galles-du-Sud a ordonné une enquête pour établir les faits. Thomas Hickey était recherché par la police pour une affaire de vol et, selon des témoignages recueillis par la presse, il aurait pris peur en voyant le véhicule de police. Le compagnon et trois frères de sa mère sont déjà en prison. «Cette étincelle a mis le feu à la poudrière raciale», écrivait hier le quotidien The Australian. Dimanche soir et pendant neuf heures, plus d'une centaine de jeunes s'en sont pris aux forces de police, à coups de cocktail Molotov et de pierres. De nombreux policiers ont été blessés et cinq émeutiers arrêtés. Le Premier ministre de l'Etat, Bob Carr, a estimé que «la chaleur et l'alcool ont joué un rôle important» dans ces violences. A Sydney, les esprits sont en effet échauffés. John Brogden, le leader de l'opposition, s'en est pris aux «voyous aborigènes» et a proposé de raser une partie du quartier, surnommé le «Block», à coups de bulldozer. De son côté, un responsable de la communauté aborigène, Lyle Munro, affirmait : «Si les enfants de Palestine combattent les chars avec des frondes, nos enfants peuvent faire la même chose. » Le quartier de Redfern est l'un des points les plus sensibles de Sydney, où les affrontements avec la police sont fréquents. Lieu de tous les trafics, le «Block» est un quartier interdit dans les faits à la population blanche de Sydney. Ce «lieu de démolition, d'aliénation et de dégradation», selon le quotidien The Age, est également «l'épicentre de la culture aborigène». Les 400 000 Aborigènes représentent moins de 2 % de la population du pays et forment une communauté largement marginalisée. Source: Libération
|
a new |
|
New South Wales Premier Bob Carr has said alcohol and hot summer temperatures contributed to the unrest. He has given his support to the officers on duty in Redfern. 
February 17, 2004- CANBERRA - Simmering tension in Australia's black communities could spark more of the violence witnessed this week when Aborigines clashed with police in Sydney, the country's biggest city, a key black leader warned Tuesday.
