DINGAAL LAND RIGHTS ADVOCATES ARE VICTIMS OF RACISM AND ASSAULTS

DINGAAL ARE VICTIMS OF ABORIGINAL RACISM, FORCED LAND ACQUISITION, AND LOSS OF INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY AND TREATY LAND RIGHTS IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

The Dingaal Clan in Queensland, Australia are victims of racism, death threats, assaults, forced land acquisition, loss of Indigenous sovereignty and traditional Land Rights contrary to their Native Title determination. They need help to get their story out and are seeking alliance and support from Idle No More in Australia and Canada.

Ruth Schaefer, Aboriginal Rights Advocate and legal adviser to the Dingaal Clan, is a victim of assaults, home break-ins and death threats. Ruth is a Canadian white woman who has lived in Queensland for over 20 years. She was adopted by the Star Blanket Tribe in Saskatchewan.

Gordon Charlie, full-blood Dingaal Elder and Aboriginal Land rights activist, has been driven from his traditional territory in Hopevale, Cooktown, and Cape Flattery by thugs working for Noel Pearson and the Cape York Land Council. Pearson is a lawyer and mixed blood aborigine without Native Title. Gordon has also been assaulted and is seeking refuge with Ruth in Mareeba. Dingaal traditional laws and customs are under attack and being ignored by the status quo.

Lizard Island is a sacred place for the Dingaal aborigines of Queensland but is off limits to the original people and traditional owners as a Natural Park and Tourist Destination.

The black aborigines in Queensland are subject to racism. Gordon is often called a "monkey" or "ape" by non-aboriginal and white people and too "ignorant" to have Native Title to the land.

The Dingaal Native Title encompasses the Cape Flattery Silica Mines Pty. Ltd. owned by Mitsubishi with deep water port within the Great Barrier Reef. It is the largest global exporter and world's biggest manufacturer of silica sand for the glass, foundry and chemical industries.

Dingaal Clan entitlements to royalties are in jeopardy with forced acquisition of their traditional land rights and Native Title with other Clans under the control of the Cape York Land Council and its various subsidiary groups. The Council is a Native Title Representative Body appointed under the Native Title Act 1993 (NT) to assist Indigenous people of the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. Balkanu, the Cape York Development Corporation, a not-for-profit indigenous organization, is owned by the Cape York Aboriginal Charitable Trust on behalf of the Aboriginal people of Cape York.

Noel Pearson has used his influence and resources for court injunctions to stop the mining royalties and land from the Cape Flattery Silica Mind going to rival groups in the Cape York Aboriginal community of Hopevale.

The Hopevale Congress represents 12 Native Title groups and holds 110,000 ha of land in trust for the benefit of the local Aboriginal people and receives $6 million royalty payments from the Cape Flattery Silica Mine. However, Gordon Charlie of the Dingaal Clan, the original occupants of Cape Flattery, claims his people receive very little for their Native Title rights.

Gordon has been in a battle for royalties with the Cape York Land Council since 1998 with legal help and support from Ruth. In 2003 he demanded the Council hand over a copy of the controversial Heads of Agreement signed by all 13 Hopevale clans in Feb. 1996. The Council failed to hand over the deeds of trust set up for Cape Flattery Silica Sand Mine royalties to develop business and other economic opportunities for the traditional owners.

Gordon was pressured into signing the agreement with the promise of receiving his royalties. He has not received any substantive benefits or economic support since then. Ruth says if the parties were not properly dealt with during the signing process then the contract would be illegal. Gordon believes there are $millions in the trust.

Ruth is suffering from post traumatic stress from the assaults and the court has recognized her as a victim of crime. She is seeking compensation for Aboriginal Healing in Canada. She was awarded compensation by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal but the decision was appealed by the Attorney-General in December 2012.

Ruth Schaefer, Legal Advocate, and Gordon Charlie, Dingaal Clan Elder, need help with email and basic communications. They do not have the technical support and material resources to set up and maintain a FaceBook account, Blog, or website and upload content. They are seeking volunteers and assistance to increase public awareness and raise funds for legal costs.

Contact:

Ruth Schaefer,
Dingaal Legal Advocate
Mobile:

International
011-61-447-178-329
National Australia
0-447-178-329

Gordon Charlie,
Dingaal Clan Elder Custodian
Mobile:

International
011-61-447-769-121
National Australia
0-447-769-121

P.O. Box 1322
Mareeba, Queensland
Australia 4880

Marlyn Monroe
blondeoncape@yahoo.com.au

consultant.community@yahoo.com

Reference Links:

Lizard Island National Park - Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizard_Island_National_Park

Language, Totems, and Stories - Reef Educations

http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/explorer/hot_topics/gbr_traditional_owners/language,_totems_and_stories

Nature, Culture and History - Queensland Dept. of National Parks

http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/lizard-island/culture.html

Cape Flattery Silica Mines Pty. Ltd. - Corporate Website

http://www.cfsm.com.au/berthing.htm

Cape Flattery Silica Mines, Coexistence with Environment and Local Communities - Mitsubishi

http://www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/csr/sustainability/sustainability03.html