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microbarn
Jun 26, 2007, 5:18 PM
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In reply to: CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- An Aboriginal town may ban tourists from scaling the giant red rock in Australia's Outback known as Uluru, or Ayers Rock, to protest a heavy-handed government crackdown on child abuse in Aboriginal areas, a local leader says. The threat came from the leaders of Mutitjulu, the Aboriginal township in the shadow of the red monolith in the central Australian desert where media reports last year of child prostitution and of children trading sex for gasoline to sniff prompted a government inquiry. The inquiry recently reported that child sex abuse was rampant in Outback Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, and the federal government last week responded with a radical strategy to protect children in impoverished settlements where substance abuse and violence are rife. The government said it would ban alcohol and pornography in those communities and reduce welfare payments of parents who do not adequately care for their children. The government also plans to send additional police, with the military providing logistical support. The strategy also demands mandatory medical checks of all children living on Aboriginal land for evidence of abuse. Mutitjulu elder Vince Forrester said Tuesday local families are terrified their children will be taken into care. ... http://edition.cnn.com/....html?eref=rss_world
(This post was edited by microbarn on Jun 26, 2007, 5:18 PM)
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sbaclimber
Jun 26, 2007, 11:26 PM
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microbarn wrote: In reply to: ... Mutitjulu elder Vince Forrester said Tuesday local families are terrified their children will be taken into care. ... Considering some of Australia's history, it is quite understandable why they would be afraid of that happening again. I don't think proper climbing is allowed on Ayers Rock anyway....
(This post was edited by sbaclimber on Jun 26, 2007, 11:45 PM)
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ajkclay
Jun 27, 2007, 12:56 AM
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Hmmm, I have been watching this with interest... Not from a climbing perspective (I think that this subject is a little more important than climbing), but more on the subject of intention and whether it will work culturally. Obviously the first concern has to be the protection of children - no doubt there - but I am worried about whether it will work. Prohibition didn't. It could create a couple of problems... 1. bootlegging for sure 2. More importantly if not carried out with adequate consultation and involvement within the aboriginal community (especially elders) that it will create even further feelings of hatred and oppression. My other concern is with the real intent behind the plan; In 2001 the Howard Government was staring down the barrel of an election loss... Lucky John happened to be in Washington on 9/11... Happily for the Howard Government refugees from Afghanistan began to make their way to Australia in boats and the War on Terrorism was declared. Playing on our xenophobic tendencies it was easy to tell the Australian people that there was a really good chance that terrorists were trying to enter our country on refugee boats and surprise surprise! When one of the boats began to sink and people onboard threw their children overboard to save their lives it was portrayed in the media that these terrible people were actually throwing children into the sea to force the navy to pick them up! Average Australia, terrified of being invaded by people whom they believed to be different and scary, voted with their xenophobic hearts and Little Johnny won an election he was certain to lose! Once again, facing an election loss, we are seeing the strong arm of the Government leading the way in the battle against those terrible people who are not white christians... what a great and noble way to win an election huh? Maybe I'm jaded and too suspicious, but to be frank, I would not put anything past "Honest" John... aka Teflon John because he has gotten away with so much. I just really hope that the intentions in such an important situation are good. Peace Adam
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ajkclay
Jun 27, 2007, 1:04 AM
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... by the way, this is not a climbing access issue. The scaling of Uluru (Ayer's Rock) refers to people (read tourists in big shorts and hawiian shirts) walking (puffing and panting) with the aid of a chain to the summit up the least steep face along a well-worn track. Not climbing in any sense of the word.
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microbarn
Jun 27, 2007, 1:07 AM
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ok, sorry for misplacing it. Maybe a mod could move this to campground or soapbox as appropriate.
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ajkclay
Jun 27, 2007, 3:09 AM
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microbarn wrote: ok, sorry for misplacing it. Maybe a mod could move this to campground or soapbox as appropriate. Oh no worries mate, it's not a biggie, I only mentioned that it was not real climbing for posterity's sake - not worth moving it :)
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dynoho
Jun 27, 2007, 3:52 AM
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Take my alcohol and porn? Them thar's fighting words. No matter what the intent, this action is heavy-handed and discriminatory. It will be difficult to enforce. Even if they could, it would take a long time (generations) to have an effect.
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ajkclay
Jun 27, 2007, 4:52 AM
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Well, they are sending in the army, and I know that if that sort of thing was tried in the US there'd be massive outcry... for all our bleating about American History in relation to race relations we are just as bad. Child abuse is not to be tolerated at all, but the report that triggered this response is two years old... kinda funny that it's only happening now that the Howard Government is staring down the barrell of an election defeat. This action is even more touchy when we consider the "Stolen Generation" - to cut a long story short the government came in and forcefully took indigenous children away from their parents and gave them to white people so that they would be brought up properly (like all white kids). There are deep deep scars within the Indigenous Australian Community when it comes to the Government and Child Welfare... and for good reason.
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microbarn
Jun 27, 2007, 11:27 AM
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ajkclay wrote: Well, they are sending in the army, and I know that if that sort of thing was tried in the US there'd be massive outcry... for all our bleating about American History in relation to race relations we are just as bad. Child abuse is not to be tolerated at all, but the report that triggered this response is two years old... kinda funny that it's only happening now that the Howard Government is staring down the barrell of an election defeat. This action is even more touchy when we consider the "Stolen Generation" - to cut a long story short the government came in and forcefully took indigenous children away from their parents and gave them to white people so that they would be brought up properly (like all white kids). There are deep deep scars within the Indigenous Australian Community when it comes to the Government and Child Welfare... and for good reason. 2 years sounds about right for the length of time for legislation to make its way through the government here.
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