Call for civil rights march

By Jorge Jorquera

PERTH — Thirty-five people attended a Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance Politics in the Pub on May 10 to discuss the "new wave" of racism being generated by the Howard government and how to combat it.

Speakers included Clarrie Isaacs, president of the Aboriginal Government of Australia, Dorothy Parker, co-convener of Western Australians for Racial Equality, and DSP and Resistance activist Vaarunika Dharmapala. The discussion raised a number of points regarding the emerging media and establishment campaign against "political correctness" and affirmative action.

Participants linked their points to the general attempts to scapegoat Aboriginal people and migrant and ethnic communities as a way of justifying the Howard attacks on working people as a whole.

Isaacs suggested that a civil rights march be organised which would bring together Aborigines, ethnic, migrant and other communities under attack. The date proposed is May 26, the day before the commemoration of citizenship rights for Aborigines. For any more information call Clarrie Isaacs on (09) 342 5394 or Jorge Jorquera on 227 7367.

From GLW issue 231