Leaders of the Mutitjulu community today questioned
the need for a military occupation of their small
community.
We welcome any real support for indigenous health and
welfare and even two police will assist, but the
Howard Government declared an emergency at our
community over two years ago – when they appointed an
administrator to our health clinic – and since then we
have been without a doctor, we have less health
workers, our council has been sacked all our youth and
health programmes have been cut.
We have no CEO and limited social and health services.
The government has known about our overcrowding
problem for at least 10 years and they have done
nothing about it.
How do they propose keeping alcohol out of our
community when we are 20 minutes away from 5 star
hotel? Will they ban blacks from Yulara? We have been
begging for an alcohol counsellor and a rehabilitation
worker so that we can help alcoholics and substance
abusers but those pleas have been ignored. What will
happen to alcoholics when this ban is introduced?
How will the government keep the grog runners out of
our community without a permit system?
We have tried to put forward projects to make our
community
economically sustainable – like a simple coffee cart
at the sunrise locations – but the government refuses
to even consider them.
There is money set aside from the Jimmy Little
foundation for a kidney dialysis machine at Mutitjulu,
but National Parks won’t let us have it.
That would create jobs and improve indigenous health
but they just keep stonewalling us. If there is an
emergency, why won’t Mal Brough fast track our
kidney dialysis machine?
Some commentators have made much of the cluster of
sexually transmitted diseases identified at our health
clinic. People need to understand that Mutitjulu
Health Clinic (now effectively closed) is a regional
clinic and patients come from as far away as WA and
SA; so to identify a cluster here
is meaningless without seeing the confidential patient
data.
The fact that we hold this community together with no
money, no help, no doctor and no government support is
a miracle. Any community, black or white would
struggle if they were denied the most basic resources.
Police and the military are fine for logistics and
coordination but healthcare, youth services, education
and basic housing are more essential. Any programme
must involve the people on the ground or it won’t
work. For example who will interpret for the military?
Our women and children are scared about being forcibly
examined; surely there is a need to build trust. Even
the doctors say they are reluctant to examine a young
child without a parent’s permission. Of course any
child that is vulnerable or at risk should be
immediately protected but a wholesale intrusion into
our women and children’s privacy is a violation of
our human and sacred rights.
Where is the money for all the essential services? We
need long term financial and political commitment to
provide the infrastructure and planning for our
community. There is an urgent need for 10’s of
millions of dollars to do what needs to be done. Will
Mr Brough give us a commitment beyond the police and
military?
The commonwealth needs to work with us to put health
and social
services, housing and education in place rather than
treating Mutitjulu as a political football.
But we need to set the record straight:
?? There is no evidence of any fraud or
mismanagement at
Mutitjulu – we have had an administration for 12
months that found nothing
?? Mal Brough and his predecessor have been in
control of
our community for at least 12 months and we have gone
backwards in services
?? We have successfully eradicated petrol
sniffing from
our community in conjunction with government
authorities and oil
companies
?? We have thrown suspected paedophiles out of
our
community using the permit system which our government
now seeks take away from us.
?? We will work constructively with any
government,
State, Territory or Federal that wants to help
aboriginal people.
-Nizza Siano, Mutitjulu Community
July 7, 2007 at 10:07 pm |
Please publish correction to this article. The press release was originally sent by Nizza Siano from Mutijulu Community, and in the original forward email, the short message from Nizza Siano appeared. Requesting that the press release be forwarded. The correction is that:Lesia and myself forwarded this message and signed our names, but the press release did not originate from us. I support and agree with the content, that is why I forwarded it on my networks, but I did not make the press release, as I am not from Mutijulu Community, or work in that Community. In the past, I have worked in Pitjantjatjara communities. and support their independence and sovereignty on their Lands. During my work in the Communities and since then I have made strong bonds with people from there. I am strongly committed to human rights, and self determination.
Katalin Mindszenty
July 8, 2007 at 10:13 pm |
Thanks for the feedback Katalin.
The correction has been made. Keep up the good work!
Oh, and thanks for visiting….