reu_jkt
Bluelighter
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- Jan 13, 2006
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April 16, 2006 - 3:37PM
Security officers hired by Melbourne City Council have removed a makeshift shelter from an Aboriginal camp near the city centre, protesters say.
Protester Reggae Weston said up to 16 security guards entered the camp site at King's Domain at 2am (AEST) and removed the shelter, made of eucalypt branches and known as a gunyah.
They also took a plastic tarpaulin used as a wind break.
Mr Weston said the guards were hired by Melbourne City Council by-laws officers.
The camp, named Camp Sovereignty, was set up as a protest by Aboriginal people during the Commonwealth Games. The domain is just south of Melbourne's CBD.
About 10 protesters were at the camp when guards arrived, Mr Weston said.
"They just said, 'We've got to tear down your camp site'," he said.
The guards did not remove a second gunyah.
Another protester, Ronald Terrick, said by-laws officers from Melbourne City Council extinguished a cooking fire about 8am (AEST) today.
"I've lit my fire as per tradition and I've explained that to them, that I'm doing this as part of my cultural rights and cultural heritage, so I pointed out that they were prohibited from entering herewith and I pointed out these points of our lore to them," Mr Terrick said.
"They entered here on to our land and they poured water over our fire and extinguished it."
The fire was rebuilt about noon today to cook lunch. Mr Terrick said the council or police had no right to extinguish the new fire because it was allowed under cultural provisions in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (1984).
"I consider it my cultural right to practice my cultural heritage here in the state of Victoria ... in the city of Melbourne," he told about 30 onlookers at the site.
"This is a sacred site. I feel especially privileged to be able to do this.
"This reinstates our culture, reinstates the dance, reinstates the corroboree, reinstates our fire."
Mr Terrick reclaimed the land on behalf of Aboriginal people and the Wurundjeri tribe of Melbourne.
"I hereby take possession of this site, this area that belongs to the Wurundjeri people of Melbourne."
The group has been allowed to stay in the park, and the burning of a sacred fire is permitted after it was given emergency heritage protection for 30 days.
A traditional hut built on the camp has also been allowed if it is used only to house fuel for the fire.
AAP
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...testers-shelter/2006/04/16/1145125996441.html
Security officers hired by Melbourne City Council have removed a makeshift shelter from an Aboriginal camp near the city centre, protesters say.
Protester Reggae Weston said up to 16 security guards entered the camp site at King's Domain at 2am (AEST) and removed the shelter, made of eucalypt branches and known as a gunyah.
They also took a plastic tarpaulin used as a wind break.
Mr Weston said the guards were hired by Melbourne City Council by-laws officers.
The camp, named Camp Sovereignty, was set up as a protest by Aboriginal people during the Commonwealth Games. The domain is just south of Melbourne's CBD.
About 10 protesters were at the camp when guards arrived, Mr Weston said.
"They just said, 'We've got to tear down your camp site'," he said.
The guards did not remove a second gunyah.
Another protester, Ronald Terrick, said by-laws officers from Melbourne City Council extinguished a cooking fire about 8am (AEST) today.
"I've lit my fire as per tradition and I've explained that to them, that I'm doing this as part of my cultural rights and cultural heritage, so I pointed out that they were prohibited from entering herewith and I pointed out these points of our lore to them," Mr Terrick said.
"They entered here on to our land and they poured water over our fire and extinguished it."
The fire was rebuilt about noon today to cook lunch. Mr Terrick said the council or police had no right to extinguish the new fire because it was allowed under cultural provisions in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (1984).
"I consider it my cultural right to practice my cultural heritage here in the state of Victoria ... in the city of Melbourne," he told about 30 onlookers at the site.
"This is a sacred site. I feel especially privileged to be able to do this.
"This reinstates our culture, reinstates the dance, reinstates the corroboree, reinstates our fire."
Mr Terrick reclaimed the land on behalf of Aboriginal people and the Wurundjeri tribe of Melbourne.
"I hereby take possession of this site, this area that belongs to the Wurundjeri people of Melbourne."
The group has been allowed to stay in the park, and the burning of a sacred fire is permitted after it was given emergency heritage protection for 30 days.
A traditional hut built on the camp has also been allowed if it is used only to house fuel for the fire.
AAP
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...testers-shelter/2006/04/16/1145125996441.html