Jess to witness NT intervention first hand

In July, Socialist Alliance election candidates will be taking a trip to the Northern Territory to personally witness conditions under the federal government's intervention into Aboriginal communities.

SA youth candidates — and Resistance members — Jess Moore, Zane Alcorn and Ewan Saunders will join Indigenous activists, students, community groups and campaigners from across the country in Alice Springs for an important gathering of intervention-affected Aboriginal communities.

As Aboriginal rights activists, they are part of the national campaign to repeal the intervention, and will return home more aware and more inspired to act against injustice and wage effective solidarity campaigns

Jess Moore, candidate for Cunningham

The intervention promised to "close the gap", but it only delivered racism.

Aboriginal people continue to be disadvantaged and discriminated against. They are being forced to live in Third World conditions in wealthy Australia, under legislation that required the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act.

For access to essential goods, services and infrastructure — a basic right for white Australia — communities are being forced to sign over their land rights. It’s a policy of starving people out to take their land.

All those who support social justice have a responsibility to put the human impact of the racist intervention on the agenda this election. Out of sight cannot be out of mind. We must put an end to this!

Calls to fund infrastructure and social services in all Aboriginal communities across Australia need to be actively supported. Local community control, which has been undermined by successive governments, must be restored.

The movement for Aboriginal rights must take its lead from Aboriginal-led resistance, such as the Ampilatwatja walk-off. The convergence of activists and traditional owners at the "Defending Indigenous Rights: land, law, culture" convergence is an enormous opportunity to do just this.

It is an important means to further the campaign against the intervention, to protect and advance Aboriginal land rights and culture, draw attention to the struggle for justice and to support Aboriginal people.

For more visit: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/44557