Women for Wik are back.
Women for Wik is a group of Australian women, including indigenous women and allies to the cause of rights for indigenous people. Founders and supporters include Lady Deane, writer Rosie Scott, former Chairperson of ATSIC Lowitja O’Donoghue, writer-producer of the film Rabbit-Proof Fence Christine Olsen, Tamie Fraser, and archaeologist Associate Professor Claire Smith.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports: “Wik women sign up for a new battle in Territory”.
Formed a decade ago to oppose the “buckets of extinguishment” in the Government’s 10-point native title plan, Women for Wik had the backing of more than 100,000 people at its height in the late 1990s, including Hazel Hawke, Germaine Greer, Elizabeth Jolley, Faith Bandler, Ruth Cracknell, Dame Roma Mitchell and Marie Bashir, before she became NSW governor.
The group held rallies supporting native title rights and calling for an apology to the stolen generations. Six of its members appeared in chains outside Parliament House protesting against the Northern Territory’s mandatory sentencing laws, now repealed.
The president of the World Archaeological Congress, Claire Smith of Adelaide, said yesterday that she and the Sydney filmmaker Christine Olsen had decided to kick-start the network last Friday after conversations with ordinary women who felt impotent over an intervention they saw as well-intentioned but flawed.
You can endorse Women for Wik here, and join in the forum here.
[For background on the Wik decision, see the Northern Land Council and ANTAR summaries.]
Similar Posts:
- “I can’t believe I forgot!” by Lauredhel
- International Day of Action on the NT Invasion, November 17 by Lauredhel
- Aboriginal people “scared stiff”, and workforce challenges: more reactions to the Howard war on indigenous autonomy by Lauredhel
- Linkfest: Cultures ‘n’ Vultures edition by Lauredhel
- Linkation: Broken trust, Hammer time, and dino shoes. by Lauredhel
{ 1 comment }
Lauredhel,
Thanks flor putting this on your blog. I had not thought of blogs as a way of getting political action from normal people – I hope people who read your site also go through to the Women for Wik – Monitoring the Intervention site.
As someone emailed to me tonight – ‘Nothing can ever
happen without someone doing something.’
Through the internet, we can all do something.
Cheers, and thanks,
Claire
Comments on this entry are closed. If you wish to re-open this discussion, please leave a comment on the latest Open Thread.