Australian conscience: aboriginal deaths in custody. 30 years since the Royal Commission.
Our confrere in the past, Pat Dodson, now Senator, was a member of the Royal Commission and its findings in 1991.
First Nations people continue to be one of the most incarcerated peoples on earth, with numbers nearly doubling since the Royal Commission’s findings were tabled in Parliament three decades ago.
Senator Dodson said after more than a generation of inquiries, royal commissions, high court judgements and reports into land rights, deaths in custody, child removals and stolen generations, there needs to be tangible action.
“There’s enough evidence, there’s enough knowledge about how the nation has behaved towards First Nations peoples —it's time for us to take those lessons and make the reforms necessary”
First Nations people continue to be one of the most incarcerated peoples on earth, with numbers nearly doubling since the Royal Commission’s findings were tabled in Parliament three decades ago.
Claude Mostowik MSC, MSC Justice and Peace, has sent this letter from Common Ground.
Dear friends.
Today marks 30 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody released its final report after investigating 99 Aboriginal Deaths in Custody between 1980-1989. 339 recommendations were made which are still valid today, but very few have been implemented.
In the last 30 years, 474 Aboriginal people have died in custody, 5 just in the past 6 weeks. Some of these deaths could have been prevented if the recommendations of the Royal Commission were implemented and adhered to. Many of the families have never received justice for their loved ones.
We must go beyond the numbers and respect and honour the individual lives lost. Today we honour the legacies of every Aboriginal person who has died in custody, we pray for their families and communities and thank God for their strength and courage to carry on the fight for justice.
As followers of Jesus, this is our fight too.
It says in Hebrews 13:1- 3, “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.”
As Brooke says in her poem, “We Can’t Breathe”, “Just as these Aboriginal Deaths in Custody seem relentless, Through love - let our pursuit for justice be relentless!”
Our prayer is you will be the one today who will “Join us in justice, So it’s not just us.”
