The World Council of Churches has issued a statement expressing concern about the plight of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at its recent central committee in Geneva. Of particular concern is the issue of the Northern Territory Intervention. During a visit to NT, members of the WCC heard stories of discrimination, oppression and racism. As well as expressing solidarity with Indigenous Peoples of Australia, the statement urges the Australian Government to engage in inclusive consultation to enable them to identify issues of concern and implement solutions. Rev Tara Curlewis, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) and an advisor for the WCC central committee said, “Members of the WCC were shocked to hear what has happened in Australia. One leader said ‘Surely this isn’t happening in Australia? I thought Australia was better than this’.” The WCC statement follows on from a protest in Melbourne last month, where people gathered to voice their concerns over the continuing impact of the federal government’s intervention policy in the Northern Territory. To view video footage of the protest go to Crosslight.org.au
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