The IMF Needs YOU!

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has launched a consultation process with the private sector, civil society, academics, and others to gather ideas about the best use of natural resources for boosting living standards in developing countries.

The IMF is preparing two papers for the institution’s Executive Board—Natural Resources Wealth Management and Taxation of Natural Resource Rents—on these issues and will incorporate comments gathered in the consultation process.

Kinhasa Conference
As part of the consultation process, the IMF is hosting a conference in Kinshasa with the Democratic Republic of Congo, on March 21–22 on the management of natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa.

CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSULTATION

Rally for Aboriginal Rights and self-determination on the UN Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Stop Aboriginal deaths in custody - Justice for Terrance Briscoe and all victims - Independent Inquiry Now
Stop the Second NT Intervention - Withdraw 'Stronger Futures' legislation

Wednesday March 21
12:30pm at the office of NT Tourism
201 Sussex Steet Sydney



http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&bav=on.2%2Cor.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.%2Ccf.osb&biw=1000&bih=536&wrapid=tlif133168436341410&q=where+is+201+sussex+street&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq&hnear=0x6b12ae3bfdbfdef3%3A0xf0c6a1fdd3c901bc%2C201+Sussex+St%2C+Sydney+NSW+2000&gl=au&ei=Z-RfT5ztLqf4mAXD1MiQCA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA

Speakers include:

• Nicole Watson, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning UTS, co-author of Listening but not Hearing, a new report on Stronger Futures
• Ray Jackson, Indigenous Social Justice Association
• Patricia Morton-Thomas, Aunty of Terrance Brisoce (phone link up from Alice Springs).

March 21 will be the 52nd anniversary of the Sharpville massacre in South Africa, when scores of anti-Apartheid demonstrators were gunned down by police.

But while the Australian government will participate in 'harmony day' celebrations, its ongoing Intervention in the Northern Territory is creating conditions which closely resemble those of Apartheid. UN special rapporteurs on Indigenous and Human Rights have condemned the policy as racist.

Terrance Briscoe was a 28 year old Anmatjere man found dead in a police cell in Alice Springs at 2am on January 5.

He was picked up with a number of friends for being drunk at 9.30 the previous night and taken into "protective custody".

Almost three months no official cause of death has been announced. Despite widespread calls for an independent inquiry, including from Amnesty International and the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, police continue to investigate police.

The family has information that the autopsy shows that “asphyxia” is the most likely cause of death. And the testimony of two witnesses who were in custody with Mr Briscoe indicate that police may have suffocated him while roughing him up at the police station.

Oscar White told AAP that one officer pushed Mr Briscoe hard onto the ground and held him face down and sat on his back while other officers put their feet on him. He said Mr Briscoe struggled to breathe and a stitched cut above his eye was opened and began to bleed. “They were really rough, and they were laughing at the same time,” White said. “They were making a mockery out of him. He was short of breath too, because he was actually really, really suffocated.”

Mr White stated that Mr Briscoe was like a rag when police picked him up off the floor and dragged him to his cell. One of the main recommendations of the Royal Commission was the decriminalisation of public drunkenness, but like most of its recommendations, this has been ignored and Aboriginal people continue to die in custody at the rate of one a month.

Since the Intervention in the NT, Indigenous incarceration has increased by 40 per cent. But the government is pushing ahead with 'Stronger Futures in the NT' legislation which will only fuel the prison crisis. Increased penalties under 'Stronger Futures' could see people jailed for 6 months for having a single can of beer on Aboriginal land.

'Stronger Futures' will extend most Intervention powers for a further 10 years. It will expand income management around Australia, starting with Bankstown in Sydney and 4 other trial sites.

There has been an avalanche of opposition to Stronger Futures. A Senate inquiry has faced overwhelming opposition from community members and major stakeholder organisations and in just two weeks twelve thousand people have joined an online campaign 'Stand for Freedom' demanding withdrawal of the legislation.

Sign the online petition against 'Stronger Futures' at

www.standforfreedom.org.au

Join this rally at the NT Tourism offices to continue the fight for justice for Terrance Briscoe and withdrawal of Stronger Futures laws.

http://stoptheintervention.org/

http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/alternatives.html

http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/submissions.html

http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/

For more information call:
Paddy on 0415 800 586
or Alex on 0449 184 801