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International solidarity delegation to visit Redfern Block

26 March 2005 - Media Release -International guest speakers at the Globalise Justice Asia-Pacific conference in Sydney this weekend will be visiting the Redfern Block at the invitation of the family of 17-year-old T J Hickey, whose controversial death during an alleged police pursuit sparked riots in Redfern on February 14, 2004.

The international delegation will include community activists, trade unionists and political leaders, including international award-winning human rights recipients, Dita Sari and Joessef Isak. Helmuth Markov, a member of the European Parliament will also be part of the delegation.

Gail Hickey, the mother of T J will ask Mr Markov to raise the case of her son in the European Parliament in Brussels.

The rally will be addressed by community activists and international conference guests. There will be a performance by indigenous rapper Jakalene Extreme and at 10.30am there will be a march around Redfern.

REDFERN PROTEST ACTION:

Justice Now! Re-open the TJ Hickey inquest!

International rally & march in solidarity with Aboriginal communities

Fresh calls to re-open TJ Hickey Case

13 March 2005 -NEW SOUTH WALES: About 100 protesters have called on the NSW government to reopen an inquest into the death of Aboriginal teenager Thomas Hickey.

Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA) president Ray Jackson told a rally outside NSW Parliament House last Friday that vital information had been withheld from the inquest, he described as a “cover-up of corrupt police actions”.

The state government is refusing to reopen the case of 17-year-old TJ, who was impaled on a fence while riding his bicycle in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern on February 14 last year.

He died in hospital the following day from neck and chest injuries.

TJ’s death sparked violent riots in the area after claims police were chasing the teenager at the time.

A coronial inquest in July last year cleared police of any wrongdoing.

“The government needs to realise that the Aboriginal community won’t rest until all the evidence has been heard,” Mr Jackson said.

“People with any knowledge of police or coronial procedures clearly recognise that the TJ inquest was nothing other than a cover-up of corrupt police actions.”

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon called on the government to consider the evidence of a NSW Police Aboriginal liaison officer who was present at the accident.

“It is absolutely critical that the Aboriginal liaison officer is interviewed, he has critical information about the role of the police that day.”

TJ’s mother Gail Hickey said NSW Premier Bob Carr and Police Commissioner Ken Moroney should front the protest and explain why her pleas for justice were being ignored.

“I just want Bob (Carr) to come and talk to me, to explain to me why the inquest was not conducted properly,” she said. “It just looks like he got what he wanted all along and there won’t be any justice for my son.” – AAP

Source: National Indigenous Times

Further information: redfern riots page

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