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Koompartoo Aboriginal Sovereignty This affirmation of Aboriginal Sovereignty comes as an Aboriginal response to 1988 - a call for a fresh start, or Koompartoo. Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all peoples have the right to self determination; and whereas we the Aboriginal peoples and nations of the land mass now known as ‘Australia’ have since 1788 been denied this right by the belligerent and illegal oc- cupation of our territories by the British Crown and it’s successors - we affirm our continuing sovereign title to all our lands and territory, waters, resources, which title is derived from our spirit mother the Earth who binds us her people through, our law and custom to our land; And whereas we the Aboriginal peoples and nations have always owned One of only four original copies of The and occupied and used our land inaccor- . ‘ Magna Carta, signed by King John at dance with our institutions, culture and | - Genocide and Etnnocide - partial and | Runnymede in 1215, is on display at law; and whole Brisbane’s Expo 88. It was brought to Considering that the international law | - Continuous violations of human rights | Australia by its guardian, Canon Davis, of the 18th century required acolonising | tO work, raise a family, practise religion | the Australian subdean of Lincoln Cathe- and Land Rights power to obtain new territory by treaty and language dral in Britain. and/or cession from the inhabitants of | - To freedom of movement and associa- The Magna Carta is the basis of consti- that territory; and tion, and natural justice and the right to tutional law; it prepared the ground for Considering that Captain James Cook, life - human rights as we know them today. It by British Admirality instructions dated We Hereby Affirm 4} emphasises that people should not bedis- 30th July 1768, was ordered to take pos- 7 possessed of their land, that they havea session of part of the abovementioned We the Aboriginal peoples and nations right to trial by jury and to freedom. land with the consent of the natives and | affirm our sovereign rights and ways Although it was forced upon King that no such consent was obtained; and | established and provided by our ances- | Johnbyland-grabbersand robberbarons, Considering that the proclamation of tors and our supreme creator, Baiame, the Magna Carta is remarkably contem- British sovereignity made by Captain | and all other totemic spirits through the | porary in it’s emphasis on land rights, JamesCookover the East Coast of Austra- | dreaming to this day. Our sacred dream- | liberty and justice. To quote from the lia was made in breach of his letters of | ing flows from our mother, the Earthand | document: instruction so that such proclamation | from our ancestors who lived before the “If anyone has been disseised [sic] or was an illegal act; and timeof King GeorgelllofEnglandandhis | deprived by us without lawful judge- Further considering that since 1770 | servants Captain James Cook and Arthur | ment of his peers of lands, castles, liber- there has been no act of treaty, cession, | Phillip. ties or his rights we will restore them to nor acquiescence to the illegal invasion of This sacred dreaming continues inall | himatonce....No free manshallbetaken our territories - and that the British occu- | our people today. and imprisoned or disseised or out- pation has been continuously disturbed We hereby call upon all the peoples of | lawed orexiled orinany way ruined, nor by wars and civil acts of resistance | the world to recognise our sovereign | shall we send against him, except by the mounted by our ancestors - which acts | rights to ourlandsand territories, waters lawful judgement of his peers or by the we, theirdescendants, to this day, docon- and other resources contained therein | law of theland.To no onewill wesell,to tinue; and together with our sacred cultural and re- | noone will we deny or delay the right to Taking into account the illegal seizure _ligious rights. justice.” of our land and territory, we the Abori si- We further call upon all the peoples of the Canon Davis has said that with good nal peoples and nations have suffered the world to condemn the attempts to steal | advocates, the Aboriginals could have following grevious acts for which no Nd destroy our territories and culture | used the Magna Carta years ago to secure Aboriginal Sovereignty This affirmation of Aboriginal Sovereignty comes as an Aboriginal response to 1988 - a call for a fresh start, or Koompartoo. Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all peoples have the right to self determination; and whereas we the Aboriginal peoples and nations of the land mass now known as ‘Australia’ have since 1788 been denied this right by the belligerent and illegal oc- cupation of our territories by the British Crown and it’s successors - we affirm our continuing sovereign title to all our lands and territory, waters, resources, which O 085° title is derived from our spirit mother the "“eS0 The Magna Carta Earth who binds us her people through, b and Land Rights our law and custom to our land; One of only four original copies of The And whereas we the Aboriginal peoples and nations have always owned Magna Carta, signed by King John at Runnymede in 1215, is on display at and occupied and used our land inaccor- dance with our institutions, culture and | - Genocide and Etnnocide - partial and law; and whole Brisbane’s Expo 88. It was brought to Considering that the international law | - Continuous violations of human rights | Australia by its guardian, Canon Davis, of the 18th century required acolonising | tO work, raise a family, practise religion | the Australian subdean of Lincoln Cathe- power to obtain new territory by treaty and language dral in Britain. and/or cession from the inhabitants of | - To freedom of movement and associa- The Magna Carta is the basis of consti- that territory; and tion, and natural justice and the right to tutional law; it prepared the ground for Considering that Captain James Cook, life - human rights as we know them today. It by British Admirality instructions dated We Hereby Affirm 4} emphasises that people should not bedis- 30th July 1768, was ordered to take pos- x possessed of their land, that they have a session of part of the abovementioned We the Aboriginal peoples and nations right to trial by jury and to freedom. land with the consent of the natives and | affirm our sovereign rights and ways Although it was forced upon King that no such consent was obtained; and | established and provided by our ances- | Johnbyland-grabbersand robberbarons, Considering that the proclamation of tors and our supreme creator, Baiame, the Magna Carta is remarkably contem- British sovereignity made by Captain | and all other totemic spirits through the | porary in it’s emphasis on land rights, JamesCookover the East Coast of Austra- | dreaming to this day. Our sacred dream- | liberty and justice. To quote from the lia was made in breach of his letters of | ing flows from our mother, the Earthand | document: instruction so that such proclamation | from our ancestors who lived before the “If anyone has been disseised [sic] or was an illegal act; and timeof King GeorgelllofEnglandandhis | deprived by us without lawful judge- Further considering that since 1770 | servants Captain James Cook and Arthur | ment of his peers of lands, castles, liber- there has been no act of treaty, cession, | Phillip. ties or his rights we will restore them to nor acquiescence to the illegal invasion of This sacred dreaming continues in all | himatonce....No free manshall be taken our territories - and that the British occu- | our people today. and imprisoned or disseised or out- pation has been continuously disturbed We hereby call upon all the peoples of | lawed orexiled orinany way ruined, nor by wars and civil acts of resistance | the world to recognise our sovereign | shall we send against him, except by the mounted by our ancestors - which acts | rightstoourlandsandterritories, waters | lawful judgement of his peers or by the we, theirdescendants, to this day, docon- and other resources contained therein | lawoftheland.Tonoonewill wesell,to tinue; and together with our sacred cultural and re- | noone will we deny or delay the right to Taking into account the illegal seizure ligious rights. justice.” of our land and territory, we the Aborigi- We further call upon all the peoples of the Canon Davis has said that with good nal peoples and nations have suffered the world to condemn the attempts to steal advocates, the Aboriginals could have following grevious acts for which no and destroy our territories and culture used the Magna Carta years ago to secure compensation nor redress has ever been and we ask for their support for our his- land rights, Earlier this year the Anglican made, namely: toric struggle for an act of decolonisation | Church formally asked for forgiveness - Trespass and land theft, past and con- so that we can freely determine our politi- from the Aboriginal people for two cen- tinuing cal, cultural and economic future. turies of continued injustice. 16 NEXUS New Times Five - Winter 1988 Aboriginal Sovereignty Consiuering that tne preciamation vr Cee Pea ere: British sovereignity made by Captain | and all other totemic spirits through the porary in it’s emphasis on land rights, James Cook over the East Coast of Austra- | dreaming to this day. Our sacred dream- | liberty and justice. To quote from the lia was made in breach of his letters of | ing flows from our mother, the Earthand | document: Aawaway instruction so that such proclamation from our ancestors who lived before the “If anyone has been disseised [sic] or was an illegal act; and timeof King GeorgelllofEnglandandhis | deprived by us without lawful judge- Further considering that since 1770 | servants Captain James Cook and Arthur | ment of his peers of lands, castles, liber- there has been no act of treaty, cession, | Phillip. ties or his rights we will restore them to nor acquiescence to the illegal invasion of This sacred dreaming continues inall | himatonce....No free manshallbetaken our territories - and that the British occu- | our people today. and imprisoned or disseised or out- pation has been continuously disturbed We hereby call upon all the peoples of | lawed orexiled orinany way ruined, nor by wars and civil acts of resistance | the world to recognise our sovereign | shall we send against him, except by the mounted by our ancestors - which acts | rightstoourlandsandterritories, waters | lawful judgement of his peers or by the we, theirdescendants, to this day, docon- and other resources contained therein | lawoftheland.Tonoonewill wesell,to tinue; and together with our sacred cultural and re- | noone will we deny or delay the right to Taking into account the illegal seizure _ligious rights. justice.” of our land and territory, we the Abori si- We further call upon all the peoples of the Canon Davis has said that with good nal peoples and nations have suffered the world to condemn the attempts to steal | advocates, the Aboriginals could have following grevious acts for which no and destroy our territories and culture }| used the Magna Carta yearsago to secure compensation nor redress has ever been and we ask for their support for our his- land rights, Earlier this year the Anglican made, namely: toric struggle for an act of decolonisation | Church formally asked for forgiveness - Trespass and land theft, past and con- so that we can freely determine our politi- from the Aboriginal people for two cen- tinuing cal, cultural and economic future. turies of continued injustice. 16 NEXUS New mes Five - Winter 1988 We Hereby Affirm