Racism ‘out of control’ as grieving communities suffer
A federal investigation into racism against Aboriginal people has reportedly been launched; At a time of significant suffering and remote communities suffering, racist narratives are spiraling out of control.
The Alice Springs-based Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council has issued a scathing assessment of the consequences of the alleged murder of a five-year-old girl.
“Over the last 48 hours, at a time of serious distress and distressing business, racist narratives have spiraled out of control,” council spokeswoman Jessica Baker told a hearing in Adelaide on Friday.
“This is a national disgrace and remote Aboriginal communities are suffering.”
Little Baby Kumanjayi, a name used posthumously in line with cultural tradition, was reported missing from a house in a town camp on the outskirts of Alice Springs on 25 April.
Her body was found in the bushes on April 30, and 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis was charged with murder.
Ms. Baker said there have been “alarming rates” of racism against First Nations people in the media over the past two weeks.
“We have seen revered veterans and elderly people booed by neo-Nazi groups at Anzac Day commemorations across the country and a comedian who allegedly mocked the tragic death of Little Baby Kumanjayi,” he said.
Right-wing media were “perpetuating hate by crossing cultural boundaries, disrespecting family members for bad deeds, and creating stories that do anything but address rising rates of violence against women and girls.”
“We know that women and girls are losing even more protection due to racist narratives and hate, but this revolves around blaming mothers rather than focusing on the risks women and girls face in their own communities,” Ms Baker said.
Ms Baker said National Leader Matt Canavan’s recent call for a royal commission into sexual abuse against Indigenous communities was “both horribly disrespectful and inherently racist”.
“This is reminiscent of the Howard-era intervention in 2007, which used false accusations to perpetuate lies about Aboriginal people and sought public attention by claiming that public funds were being misused in remote communities.”
He said two members of the traditional healing team were recently injured by police in separate but similar situations.
“One was pepper sprayed and tasered, the other was thrown to the ground and both elderly and innocent people were seriously injured,” Ms Baker said.
Respected and prominent members of the community “were left with the trauma and humiliation of these interactions and were unable to fulfill their role in supporting the communities”.
Racism was “a poison that seeped into the soil, the rivers, and the air we breath.”
“It’s become so commonplace it’s impossible not to breathe,” Ms. Baker said.
NPY Women’s Council wants the federal government to hold state and territory governments accountable, demanding that funds be directed appropriately to “decolonization systems”.
“There needs to be a real commitment from governments to address systemic violence such as income inequality and housing insecurity,” Ms Baker said.
“When basic needs are not met, efforts to prevent, respond to, and ameliorate a wide range of social problems are constrained.”
The National Commission for Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People is also seeking action, calling for urgent investment in safe housing provided through Aboriginal community-controlled organisations.
The commission is also seeking long-term funding for Aboriginal community-controlled organizations to lead family support and recovery programmes.
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