ANTaR welcomes the UN Special Rapporteur's report

Image Via: ABC TV

The United Nations' Special Rapporteur -- Professor James Anaya -- spent 12 days in the Northern Territory during August, visiting Aboriginal communities. Included in his brief was to report back to the UN on the effects of the Northern Territory Intervention on Aboriginal people and communities.

Speaking generally, Professor Anaya reported there is a need "to develop new initiatives and reform existing ones -- in consultation and in real partnership with indigenous (sic) people -- to conform with international standards requiring genuine respect for cultural identity and self-determination".

"(Do) not diminish the spirit of the apology by subverting universal human rights of first Australians in the Northern Territory." - Professor Anaya.

He also stated that the NT Intervention is incompatible with Australia's obligations under two treaties that Australia is a signatory to (Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) in addition to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which Australia endorsed earlier this year.

ANTaR supports Professor Anaya's moderate and measured approach and agrees with Anaya's criticism of the Australian Government's Northern Territory Emergency Response.

For more information, please refer to ANTaR's media release.