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| Australias Human Rights Record Australia has been found guilty by a United Nations body of practising racial discrimination against its own citizens. Australia has agreed to be bound by all major international human rights Conventions and has taken a high profile on promoting human rights internationally - especially in opposing apartheid in South Africa. But both national and international bodies are now saying that Australia is itself guilty of fundamental human rights breaches in its treatment of its indigenous citizens. The UN Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) exists to monitor and end racial discrimination. It considers reports by Governments on racial discrimination in their countries and follows up urgent cases of racial discrimination brought to its notice. The Committee has recently placed Australia on its agenda of urgent business, mainly because of the Governments 1998 amendments to the 1993 Native Title Act (see separate information sheet on Native Title). On 18 March 1999 at its 54th session CERD brought down highly damaging findings against the Australian Government - its first report critical of a Western country. The Committee found that:
The Committee pointed out that while the purpose of the 1993 Act was to recognise and protect native title, the 1998 amendments were about extinguishing and reducing indigenous rights and interests. It also noted that Aboriginal people had not been involved in drafting the amendments. CERD called on Australia to suspend the amendments and enter into full consultations with indigenous people about a way forward. On 19 August 1999 at its 55th session, after considering the Australian Governments defence of their actions, CERD reaffirmed its March decision. The Committee expressed serious concern that Australia was going backwards as regards indigenous land rights.
Further reading and links:
info for aborigines on European campaigning. Guide to intergovernmental, Non-Government + Indigenous Support Organisations, based in Europe.
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