CJ Morgan,
You say the nicest things!

I can picture the conversation as it may have run - of course, this is only conjecture.

Van Laambert: "You look just like Marcia Hines."

Dickie: "Who?"

Van Laambert: "You know, the negro singer."

Like I said, conjecture. Why she needed to clarify race is unclear - if Dickie is a darker-skinned South African, then she could safely assume that Marcia Hines was also the bearer of a darker complexion.

Unfortunately, based on my dealings with many indigenous people, calling someone "black" is also skating on thin ice. How do we refer to race or skin colour without running the risk of causing offence? It seems that news presenters are painfully aware of this problem, too. Here in Townsville, we regularly get news reports of a servo being held up. The description of the offender is given: "male, early twenties, medium build, dark hair". A picture is also shown, with the offender clearly dark-skinned. The reluctance to mention this feature in the verbal description - most likely because of the risk of offence - could result in valuable information being missed by people who may have been able to help. What terms can be used without offending anyone?

Now, as I didn't know that "negro" was so offensive, I could have fallen into the same trap. The name Van Laambert sounds suspiciously South African, though, so perhaps (again based on wild speculation) the offender should have known better. Based on what my South African rellies have told me, though, the word "kaffir" is much more offensive; referring to someone as "coloured" also implies (apparently offensively) mixed blood.

Don't worry, Leigh. No-one would say you're just a little bit racist.

Sancho,

What gave you the idea that I have the slightest interest in what you think of me or my opions?

If you allow me to get under your skin, as you so obviously do, I suggest that you refrain from reading my posts.

PART ONE

United Nations to query Australia on possible human rights breaches
PARTS of Australia's immigration and indigenous policies have been named potential human rights violations by the United Nations. The UN also has concerns about Australia's anti-terror laws and will ask the Federal Government to explain how it is ensuring they don't contravene international law.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/united-nations-to-query-australia-on-possible-human-rights-breaches-20090312-8wid.html

Does Australia Violate Human Rights?
Yes, it does. The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has found on several occasions that Australia has breached the fundamental human rights of people living in Australia.
Since 1990 the UNHRC has heard almost fifty complaints against Australia. In seventeen (17) of those cases, the UNHRC found that Australia violated ICCPR rights. While some Australians find it embarrassing or outrageous that a foreign tribunal can sit in judgment of Australia, Australia does not have a Bill of Rights so our own courts cannot hear complaints about human rights violations.

The table below summaries those violations. The table is followed by a summary of each case.

http://www.nswccl.org.au/issues/hr_violations.php

UN rights panel concerned about Rwanda, Australia
UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Reuters) - A U.N. panel of independent human rights experts on Friday expressed concerns about reports of summary executions and poor prison conditions in Rwanda, and about Australia's anti-terrorist legislation.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N03335627.htm

A FAIR GO FOR ALL: YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The National Human Rights Consultation is now underway
http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/2008/

Amnesty reports to UN on Australia’s human rights failures
MARCH 2009
Australia’s failure to comply with some of the country’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2009/03/amnesty-reports-to-un-on-australias.html

UN gives Australia one-year deadline on human rights
Posted Apr 06 2009, 01:59 AM by Lawyers Weekly
The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has given the Australian Government a year to live up to its international human rights obligations
http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/blogs/top_stories/archive/2009/04/06/un-gives-australia-one-year-deadline-on-human-rights.aspx

Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

CONTINUE

PART2
UN Human Rights Committee releases Concluding Observations on Australia 2009
The Committee’s recommendations consider:
the lack of legal protection of human rights at the national level - the Committee recommends the enactment of comprehensive human rights and equality legislation, such as a Human Rights Act;
the incompatibility of aspects of Australian counter-terrorism law, policy and practice with fundamental human rights - the Committee recommends amendment of the Criminal Code, the Anti-Terrorism Act and ASIO legislation;
the continued suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act in relation to the Northern Territory Intervention - the Committee calls for re-design of the Intervention in direct consultation with Indigenous peoples and conformity with international human rights obligations;
the need to establish an adequately resourced national Indigenous representative body;
the need to make adequate reparations to the Stolen Generations - the Committee urges Australia to establish a national compensation scheme;
the need to take further steps to address ongoing issues of violence against women and homelessness;
the need to take ‘urgent and adequate measures, including legislative measures, to ensure that nobody is returned to a country where there are substantial grounds to believe that they are at risk of being arbitrarily deprived of their life or being tortured or subjected to other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’;
the co-operation of Australian law enforcement officials with overseas agencies, which may expose Australians to the real risk of the death penalty - the Committee urges Australia to enact legislation to ensure that no person is extradited to a country where they may face the death penalty and also to ensure that Australian law enforcement officers do not provide assistance in the investigation of crimes which may expose people to the death penalty;
the excessive use of force by police without adequate oversight, including the use of Taser guns and lethal force;
the continued policy of mandatory immigration detention and the use of Christmas Island as a remote detention facility - the Committee urges Australia to abolish mandatory immigration detention, close Christmas Island and enact new migration legislation which respects fundamental rights
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide
Continue