16-Dec-2005

OUTRAGED and undignified by the racially motivated violence that took place in New South Wales last weekend, the South Australians have organised an anti-racist rally in front of the Parliament House today.

A rally of 300 people was addressed by the Senator Kate Reynolds from Australian Democrats, Mr Tom Bertuleit from Socialist Alliance and a representative from the Australian Greens.

Ms Reynolds described the incidents in Cronulla Beach in Sydney as the work of 'thuggish' neo-nazi groups. She said the Australian Democrats condemn such racially motivated violence.

The Democrat Senator also said such incidents are the manifestation of discriminatory policy and practices held against racial minorities by the Commonwealth Government. She point out that the Children Overboard scandal, the deportation of Vivian Alvarez Solon and recently enacted anti-terror legislation are the evidence and the products of such discriminatory policy.

The representative from Australian Green said Australia is a multi-cultural society and that the majority of people are tolerant towards each other. But he pointed out that there are some racist elements exist within the communities. Such racist problems, he said, will unlikely to get addressed by politicians simply putting debate on whether 'Australia is not a racist country'.

Mr Bertuleit from Socialist Alliance said the Howard Government always use the minorities as the scapegoats in order to divert public attention and so as to strengthen the government's political position. The corporate mass media work hand in hand with the government in campaigns of deception to deceit the public. All right-thinking individuals, he said, must rise up on occasions whenever Australian values are being challenged by the media and government.

A Network of Right Thinking Youths

All speakers praised the effort of young people who were attending the rally, which has been organised by the Socialist Resistance Youth Group. This well-attended rally was organised on a 3 days notice. Despite such a short notice, the organisers said they were able to mobilise through the network of friends by using mobile phone text messages and computer emails. The rally was closed by chanting anti-racist messages.

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