Saturday 13 June 2015

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/06/12/fast-track-derailed-house-deals-blow-corporate-friendly-trade-agenda

Thursday 9 April 2015

Mauna Kea Hui #protectmaunakea campaign gets Hawaii govt support

Following a spirited campaign by Mauna Kea Hui -a collective of Kanaka Maoli with strong local Hawaiian and global support the government of Hawaii intervened ..here's the Mauna Kea Hui media release:

"For Immediate Release 
Contact Kealoha Pisciotta (keomaivg@gmail.com)
April 7 Response to Governor Ige’s announcement of a construction stand down
Mauna Kea Protectors (3:30 p.m.)
We applaud Governor Ige for stepping forward to take some kind of action in this crisis.
His call for a one-week halt to TMT’s construction is a victory for the Mauna Kea Protectors, clear evidence that he recognizes the worldwide groundswell of public support we have for halting further desecration of our sacred mountain. Mahalo, Governor Ige.
However, it is not enough to pause for a week. We need a commitment from the Governor or TMT to stop the desecration until our legal appeals can work their way through the courts to the State Supreme Court.
We’re grateful for the Governor’s action, but this welcome pause does not mean we’re standing down from our vigil of protection, during which so many people have had an opportunity to experience first-hand and from afar the deepest meanings of aloha and the power of peaceful expressions of protest against injustice and environmental disregard.
Many Hawaiians participating in the Merrie Monarch Festival are coming up the mountain with pain in their hearts, so our continued presence for them is essential.
Until there is a commitment from TMT and its international partners to stop their desecration of Mauna Kea, we will stand strong on the mountain to defend it. We are discouraged by the Canadian Prime Minister’s action yesterday to commit his nation’s funds to this lawless project and the desecration of our sacred mountain, and only days after Native Hawaiians were arrested for protecting their mountain. Shame on him!
We also continue to hold our vigil for our brothers and sisters who were arrested last week and who face criminal prosecution unless the Governor or the County Prosecutor drop these unjust and legally dubious charges.
Our Deepest Aloha and Mahalo again go out to all the people across the planet who have expressed their support for our mountain and our cause!
‪#‎protectmaunakea‬ "

Saturday 21 March 2015

SOSBLAKAUSTRALIA Aboriginal Communities send a powerful message to government

ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN
COMMUNITIES SEND A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO GOVERNMENT.

Aboriginal Communities across every state and territory of Australia send a powerful message to the Premier of Western Australia and Prime Minister of Australia.
Kimberley Aboriginal Women took the lead with support from their men folk in sending a powerful message to the Premier of Western Australia Colin Barnett after they instigated a call for a national day of support to the wider Australian nation. The call to action held around Australia on Thursday 19th March resulted in a massive show of support registering collectively more than 20,000 people marching in remote communities, towns and cities. The outpouring of support via social media has resulted in a reach of over 1million people worldwide and continues to grow as awareness spreads. This outcome furthers the feeling and sentiments of the Kimberley community that they will not accept Premier Collin Barnett’s plan to shut off essential services to 150 remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, ultimately forcing them into closure.

The sentiments expressed by local Kimberley, Pilbara, Murchison, Goldfields and South Australian people and supported by the actions throughout the state of WA and indeed across the nation, ranged from fear of uncertainty about which communities would be closed, to questions about what criteria the state would use to justify cutting of essential services, to outright objection of the Premier’s plan, saying that they will not be moved off their homelands under any circumstance and citing that his plans would be a step backward in reconciliation and moreover a playing out of historical policies of further marginalising and disenfranchising Aboriginal people again.

Local Shire President of Broome Graham Campbell who spoke at the Broome event weighed into the discussion stating that even the local Shires of the Kimberley were not in the consultation process to date and were very concerned about the social flow on effects that may eventuate due to displacement of community people targeted in the direct outcome of the Premier’s plans.
Two key messages that came from the Kimberley

Aboriginal community were that the:

· Government, either State or Federal need to consult and create an open and transparent conversation with Aboriginal people within the State / Region / Communities they are targeting for closure.

And:

· Current influential leaders of the Kimberley must create solidarity, to unite and be one voice to represent the Kimberley region in order to present solutions to the issues that affect the region, and that these influential leaders must include their strong Aboriginal women leaders in this process prior to engaging in conversations with the State or Federal Government.

The Kimberley Aboriginal Women will be meeting with the Local MLA for Labor, Josie Farrer next week to discuss a community closure strategic plan. Organisers across the states (WA and SA) will also work on strategic action to take in order to open the discussion with their local State Government representatives.

For All Media Enquiries Contact:
Jodie Bell +61418094287(Jodie.bell@gme.com.au)
Janine Dureau +61 419478614 (Janine.hunter6@bigpond.com)
Mitch Torres +61481054829 (mitchtorres@hotmail.com) 


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