The Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Grannies Group is the local chapter of the national network Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR) which is led by Aboriginal families directly affected by the forced removal of children by child welfare agencies.
On February 11, 2016, GMAR will rally at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy
in Canberra and march on Parliament House to protest against the
escalating mass removal of Aboriginal children from their families. We will conference at the Embassy until February 13. This date will mark eight years since then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made an Apology to the Stolen Generations of the 20th century – we say “sorry” means you don’t do it again!
We are writing to seek the formal endorsement of your organisation for
the protest and, if possible, a donation to help cover costs.
You can view a short story from NITV news covering our 2015 rally in
Canberra here:
Currently, there are more than 15,000 Aboriginal children in
“out-of-home care” on any given night. This is more children than were
forcibly removed at any point in Australian history. More than half of
these children have not been placed back with their Aboriginal family,
despite the “Aboriginal placement principle” being mandated by law in
every State and Territory. The has also been a national push for
changes in legislation that are seeing many more children removed
until 18 years of age, with new “permanent guardianship” laws either
planned or in place across Australia.
Since forming almost two years ago, GMAR members have been at the
forefront of challenging forced removals, with consistent work
assisting families fighting to have their children returned, protests
that have forced the issue into the national spotlight and
negotiations with welfare departments in an attempt to change
practice.
We demand Aboriginal control of Aboriginal child welfare. We want to
see resources and opportunities provided to struggling families,
rather than the punishment and trauma of forced removal. We want 2016
to be the year when these horrible statistics start to turnaround and
the children are brought home. This will only come when a people’s
movement grows to challenge racist departments and put Aboriginal
people in control of their own communities.
Join us in Canberra on February 11 to stop continuing Stolen Generations.
Please send notice of your endorsement to
stopstolengenerations@gmail.com or contact:
Debra Swan (NSW): 0413 732 344
Karen Fusi (Qld): 0455 728 617
Vanessa Culbong (WA): 0448 054 686
If you are able to contribute to hiring a bus so that Brisbane Grannies can attend this event please contact Karen Fusi on 0455 728 617 or Cepha Williams on 0473140985