wfn.org | WCC Gen. Sec. on Aboriginal Rights

[Sheila MESA <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release
For Immediate Use
4 March 1998

WCC GENERAL SECRETARY SPEAKS OUT AGAIN ON ABORIGINAL
RIGHTS

Despite recent changes made to proposed legislation about to go before
the Australian Parliament, the General Secretary of the World Council of
Churches (WCC), the Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser, has warned that the
fundamental issues remain the same and there can be no compromise on
matters of discrimination.

During a visit to Australia last November, the WCC General Secretary
attracted nationwide attention for his forthright remarks on the
controversial topic of land rights for Australia's Indigenous Aborginal
Peoples.  Then, Dr Raiser said proposed legislation seemed to play on the
fears of the white-majority electorate and amounted to racial
discrimination.

In a statement from his Geneva office, which will also be distributed by
the National Council of Churches in Australia, the WCC General
Secretary has appealed to Australian parliamentarians "to reflect deeply
on these issues which have the potential to alienate Australians from
each other".

The full text of Dr Raiser's statement follows:

"Following my recent visit to Australia I continue to watch the
development of the debate on Native Title legislation.  I am aware that the
parliamentary debate will resume next week.  Despite the changes to the
text of the legislation I believe the fundamental issues remain exactly the
same.  There is still the need to affirm that there can be no reconciliation
without justice.  While not ignoring the rights of pastoralists there is also
the necessity to ensure that nothing happens to damage further the
rights of Aboriginal people for whom land is an essential element of
communal identity and intimately related to spiritual well-being.  For that
reason alone nothing must be done which erodes the legitimacy of
independent Native Title. 

The days ahead will be an important opportunity to emphasise that the
defence of human rights goes beyond what can be legally defined; that
no legislation is acceptable which would serve to extinguish the rights of
one sector of the community; and that there can be no compromise on
issues of discrimination.

The World Council of Churches joins the Australian churches in urging all
parliamentarians to reflect deeply on these issues which have the
potential to alienate Australians from each other.

The WCC has followed the debates on land issues in Australia for over
thirty years.  Our interest remains unabated.  We will continue to be in
solidarity with Australian Aboriginal peoples as they seek a  fair go .  We
stand also with the churches in Australia as they play their part in
addressing these issues where basic human values are at stake."

For further information, contact Rev. Bob Scott, WCC Executive
Secretary. 
Phone: +41.22.791.6211 (office); +41.22.755.1034 (home)

**********
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 330, in
more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions.  The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but
works cooperatively with the WCC.  The highest governing body is the
Assembly, which meets approximately every seven years.  The WCC
was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  Its staff is
headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church
in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Press and Information Office
Tel:  (41.22) 791.61.52/51
Fax:  (41.22) 798 13 46
E-Mail: jwn@wcc-coe.org
http://www.wcc-coe.org

P.O. Box 2100
CH-1211 Geneva 2