... re UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

In a media release Michael Anderson, Convenor of the Sovereign Union movement said the opposition to the Act of Recognition carried to Commonwealth Parliament by the Sovereign Union protest on 13 February 2013 is very important as it highlights the First Nations peoples continuing resistance to the dictatorial traits of Australian governments, but we must also be very mindful of what it is that we are fighting for as sovereign entities, who have never ceded our sovereignty.

After the protest the Sovereign Union served formal notice of our opposition to the Act of Recognition to the Queen, via the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, all members of the Federal Parliament with copies to all member states of the United Nations.

Graham Merritt

Aboriginal Sovereign Union diplomat Graham Merritt, speaking today from Parliament House Canberra said:

"Today is an historic moment, when on behalf of the Sovereign Union I am serving the Crown via the Governor General Quentin Bryce and the Commonwealth Government of Australia with our formal objection to the Act of Recognition.

"This Act of Recognition is a sleight of hand, as the Crown and Government continue to bypass proper recognition of our continuing Sovereignty. The Commonwealth Government is using the reform process to attempt to bring Sovereign Aboriginal Nations and Peoples into the Constitution of a foreign illegal occupying force."

In a letter sent to all Federal politicians on 12 February, 2013, Sovereign Union alerts them of the manipulation hidden within the apology that excuses the government of being complicit in authorising and legitimising the actions of Australian state governments.

The 'empty vessel' factor and the heartlessness of no compensation is an insult and a dagger to the heart and soul, thereby increasing the pain of traumatised Peoples. Many people argue that the effort on the part of former PM Kevin Rudd to apologise was worth hearing and that it did serve to act as a catalyst towards improving and easing the trauma of our people, but then to say that our people are not worthy of reparation and compensation for those affected is yet another major slap in the face for the survivors and their families of the Stolen Generations.

The current proposals for an Act of Recognition by the Commonwealth parliament is nothing more than a token gesture, but has some very serious implications, said Sovereign Union spokesperson, Michael Anderson.

"This Act of Recognition Bill does not provide for any referendum amongst First Nations and Peoples through out Australia to register whether they accept this imposed process or reject it; whether we want another process to create the fundamental foundation of the right of self-determination as Peoples, and thereby provide for individual Aboriginal nations to negotiate amicable outcomes through a treaty process that reflects the true ambitions, inherent rights and aspirations of each individual Aboriginal Nation.

Recognition Bill forced on First Nations people against their will
First Nations Sovereignty and Land Rights is at risk

First Nations sovereignty activist, Michael Ghillar Anderson, makes clear that an event being organised by the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples (NCAFP) for 26 January 2013 at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra, is NOT an Aboriginal Embassy initiative.

Mr Anderson, spokesperson for Sovereign Union emphasises that the NCAFP is a government funded organisation that has not gained the majority support of grassroots First Nations people.

He said that he recognises the Congress's efforts regarding some reforms but Les Malezer and Congress are publicly supportive of the token Constitutional reform.

Figures show that the number of First Nations children being jailed is rising enormously, as the tide of social dysfunction in urban and regional centres has never been properly addressed.

More than 250 indigenous youth in northwestern New South Wales have been sentenced to juvenile prison terms during the past five years compared with only 12 non-Aboriginal children, The Australian newspaper reported.

Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show the national rate of Aboriginal juvenile incarceration has risen to 31 times the non-indigenous rate and rising.

See also:   Call for review of juvenile sentencing

Indigenous Fijians are interested in formalising an alliance with Australia's First Nations people as they fight to retain land and sea rights and there are plans to organise a Pacific parliament on the lines of the European Union.

Oni Kirwin, is a First Nations woman from Fiji who is passionate about keeping her sovereign rights alive and is currently in Australia forging links with the Sovereign Union movement.

Police arrested an innocent First Nations man and dropped him off at a psychiatric institute in Western Australia who shot him up with so many drugs he had to be taken to a hospital in dire need of medical attention.
The Graylands Psychiatric Hospital staff didn't bother checking him out properly and gave him very powerful anti-psychotic medications which caused the man to develop severe adverse reactions and was treated for medication poisoning.   

The UN Human Rights Committee has asked Australia to explain how a range of laws, policies and practices are compatible with international human rights standards ahead of a major review of Australia's human rights record...

... The expert treaty body has asked the government to explain, for example, how Australia can adequately protect human rights in the absence of a national Human Rights Act. It has also raised prima facie concerns with issues such as violence against women, the necessity and proportionality of Australia's counter-terrorism laws, the human rights compatibility of the continuing Northern Territory intervention, and discrimination against a range of vulnerable groups.

As Tony Abbott dug himself in deeper trying to escape his remarks about "authentic Aborigines" last week, his comments were revealing. The way he described Aboriginality had a significance that went beyond rudeness or violating political correctness.

White settlers have described Aboriginal people in a variety of ways over the years, and it has always served a political purpose. Aboriginal people were described as "dangerous savages" when a rationale was needed to shoot them to clear them off the land. On the other hand, they were described as "passive natives" who had quietly given up their lands and died out due to disease when we needed to justify their decimated numbers to the rest of the world ...