<html>
<head>
<style><!--
.hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;
padding:0px
}
body.hmmessage
{
font-size: 12pt;
font-family:Calibri
}
--></style></head>
<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Dear O:E/EI/ICA colleagues, especially those who were been involved in our work in Oombulgurri in some way:<BR> <BR>This came through various channels from Amnesty International. If you search the websites for <em>The Australian </em>and the <em>Australian Broadcasting Corporation</em> (ABC) - especially <em>Radio National</em> - you might be able to locate stories about the Western Australian government withdrawing services from Oombulgurri, information about some of their local issues, and info about the recent move to "flatten" Oombulgurri. The last story gave birth to the Amnesty action.<BR> <BR>It would help if the WA government realises that the audience for their action is world-wide.<BR> <BR>Best wishes<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>Frank Bremner<BR>Adelaide, South Australia<br><br><BR><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><blockquote><div class="ecxhmmessage" style="font: 12pt/normal Calibri; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><b>Dear ICA Colleagues </b></div><div><b>In case you haven’t seen this please read and respond by protesting and/or passing on the information.</b><br><blockquote><div dir="auto"><blockquote><div dir="ltr"><div class="ecxgmail_quote"><br>From:<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><b class="ecxgmail_sendername">Tammy, Amnesty International Australia</b><span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:actioncentre@amnesty.org.au">actioncentre@amnesty.org.au</a>></span><br>Date: Wed, Sep 17, 2014 at 3:30 PM<br>Subject: This homelands community will be destroyed - unless we act<br><div style='padding: 5px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);'><div style="width: 270px;"><table align="right" style="width: 190px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(26, 26, 26);"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 23px; vertical-align: top;"><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-r/" target="_blank"><img width="200" height="133" style="border-width: 0px; display: block;" alt="Olive and Dion from Oombulgurri © Mareike Ceranna" src="http://i2.cmail2.com/ei/y/EE/255/4CC/154332/csimport/olive-dion-cceranna-email_1.jpg"></a>The Government plans to flatten the Aboriginal homelands community of Oombulgurri within days.<br><br>They'll destroy forty homes, the school, the hospital and might even damage sacred Aboriginal sites.<br><br>Demand the demolition be stopped immediately.</div><div style='line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><a style="text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-y/" target="_blank"><img style="border-width: 0px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" alt="Take action" src="http://i3.cmail2.com/ei/y/EE/255/4CC/154332/csimport/btn-take_action_2.png"></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>Dear .................l,</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>This sort of abuse and neglect of Indigenous communities breaks my heart.</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>Oombulgurri is an Aboriginal homelands community in Western Australia. People from all over the Kimberley have lived there for generations -- but now it’s under threat.</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><b>The State Government is planning to flatten the town within days. They’ll not only destroy forty houses, a school, and a health clinic - but may damage sacred sites in the process.</b></div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><strong></strong> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-j/" target="_blank"><b>Join our urgent call to stop the demolition, and to protect sacred Aboriginal sites in Oombulgurri.</b></a></div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>In 2011 the men, women and children living in Oombulgurri were forced out of their homes and off their traditional land.</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>When the Government announced the town would close, many refused to leave. Those who stayed were given just two days to pack up their lives and move on - then the Government closed the health clinic, and shut off the town’s power and water.</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>And just like that the Oombulgurri became a ghost town. It’s residents and traditional owners have been fighting to return ever since. Many have been left homeless by the town’s closure.</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-t/" target="_blank"><b>The people of Oombulgurri want nothing more than to return to their homelands. Demand the destruction of their homes be stopped immediately.</b></a></div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>When I interviewed residents this month I could hear the hurt and confusion in their voices. Respected Elder Tom Birch told me:</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>“We want to care for our homelands. We want people to walk with us and help us, not say its too hard and destroy it.</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>We are recognised by our Elders as the keepers of Oombulgurri. We ask the Government not to pull down our houses. This will break our community forever. This is our place, our spirit, our culture.”</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>Our research has shown that Indigenous Peoples are happier and healthier on their homelands [1]. On homelands they can maintain their spiritual connection with their ancestral lands, and stay close to sacred sites, burial places and dreaming trails.</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><b>What is happening to the people of Oombulgurri breaks international law. It is unlawful to force people from their traditional land without consent.</b></div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><strong></strong> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-i/" target="_blank"><b>I hope that you will stand with the people of Oombulgurri in their fight for their homeland.</b></a></div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'> </div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'>Thank you,</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><br>Tammy Solonec<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><br>Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Manager<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><br><b>Amnesty International Australia</b><span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><br><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-d" target="_blank">@TammyAmnestyOz</a></div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><br>[1]<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-h/" target="_blank"><i>There's no place like homelands</i></a>, Amnesty International Australia</div><div style='padding: 0px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;'><br><br></div><div><div style='color: rgb(89, 89, 89); line-height: 18px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;'>You were sent this email because you subscribed to one of our campaign newsletters with the email address,<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:michael5955@gmail.com" target="_blank">michael5955@gmail.com</a>. If you would prefer not to receive this newsletter use this link to<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-u-itqlyt-wojyjluj-o/" target="_blank">unsubscribe</a>. For more information about all our campaigns please<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-k/" target="_blank">visit our website</a>. If you find this newsletter useful please add us to your address book so that our emails go straight into your inbox. Please also<a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.forwardtomyfriend.com/y-wojyjluj-2F9153BE-itqlyt-l-b" target="_blank">forward this email on to your friends</a>. If you have a query or comment, you can get in touch through our<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 70, 174); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" href="http://amnestyinternationalaustralia.cmail2.com/t/y-l-itqlyt-wojyjluj-u/" target="_blank">online contact form</a>.</div><div style='color: rgb(89, 89, 89); line-height: 18px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;'>© 2010 Amnesty International | Locked Bag 23, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia | 1300 300 920</div></div><img width="1" height="1" style="border-width: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 1px !important; display: block; min-height: 1px !important;" alt="" src="https://cmail2.com/t/y-o-itqlyt-wojyjluj/o.gif" border="0"></div></div></div></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div> </div></div> </div></body>
</html>