Van Heutsz
05-24-2006, 07:22 PM
Gang violence has turned the remote indigenous community of Wadeye into a war zone.
Scores of Aborigines have fled their homes and are living in squalid refugee-like camps as two rival gangs, the Evil Warriors and the Judas Priests, fight for control of the Northern Territory’s largest black town.
Wadeye’s chief executive, Terry Bullemor, said yesterday the local council was considering evacuating about 300 people to Darwin and elders called on politicians to send in the army to help the town’s five full-time police officers keep the peace.
However, the only road to the town remains blocked by floods.
Even the gang leaders have voiced concern. “Somebody’s going to die,” said Gregory Narndu, 32, a leader of the Evil Warriors. “What can we do? That other mob attacks us with rocks, boulders, spears and anything else they can get hold of.”
Wadeye, formerly the Catholic mission of Port Keats, has been plagued by warring gangs for years but three months ago the violence started to increase, reaching a crisis point last week.
The rioters have caused more than $450,000 worth of damage to houses and other property.
“Our cry is for help,” said town elder Theodora Narndu, Mr Narndu’s mother. “Seeing what’s happening, my tears are never dry. I hear the screams at night … terrified women and children … It has never been like this before. Our kids are not safe.”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/australias-war-zone/2006/05/22/1148150189144.html#
It looks like the Aborginals are at it again... You know, in the city where I go to college (Leiden, Netherlands) there is now at the museum of ethnology (sp?) an exposition dedicated to Australia. I think it's part of the celebration of the '400' years of contact between our two nations. As I'm sure all of you are aware (:D) Australia was discovered by Dutchmen. Hollanders, alas, were tradesmen and not colonists.
But anyway, the exposition is called "Australia: The land and the people' and in the yard of the museum there are a few dozen or so large photographs placed of Aboriginals. When I saw them I couldn't help notice my complete lack of sadness about the 'stealing' of their land by Europeans. I really think this is an example of 'history is moving on' and they were simply to backward to be left alone.
Scores of Aborigines have fled their homes and are living in squalid refugee-like camps as two rival gangs, the Evil Warriors and the Judas Priests, fight for control of the Northern Territory’s largest black town.
Wadeye’s chief executive, Terry Bullemor, said yesterday the local council was considering evacuating about 300 people to Darwin and elders called on politicians to send in the army to help the town’s five full-time police officers keep the peace.
However, the only road to the town remains blocked by floods.
Even the gang leaders have voiced concern. “Somebody’s going to die,” said Gregory Narndu, 32, a leader of the Evil Warriors. “What can we do? That other mob attacks us with rocks, boulders, spears and anything else they can get hold of.”
Wadeye, formerly the Catholic mission of Port Keats, has been plagued by warring gangs for years but three months ago the violence started to increase, reaching a crisis point last week.
The rioters have caused more than $450,000 worth of damage to houses and other property.
“Our cry is for help,” said town elder Theodora Narndu, Mr Narndu’s mother. “Seeing what’s happening, my tears are never dry. I hear the screams at night … terrified women and children … It has never been like this before. Our kids are not safe.”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/australias-war-zone/2006/05/22/1148150189144.html#
It looks like the Aborginals are at it again... You know, in the city where I go to college (Leiden, Netherlands) there is now at the museum of ethnology (sp?) an exposition dedicated to Australia. I think it's part of the celebration of the '400' years of contact between our two nations. As I'm sure all of you are aware (:D) Australia was discovered by Dutchmen. Hollanders, alas, were tradesmen and not colonists.
But anyway, the exposition is called "Australia: The land and the people' and in the yard of the museum there are a few dozen or so large photographs placed of Aboriginals. When I saw them I couldn't help notice my complete lack of sadness about the 'stealing' of their land by Europeans. I really think this is an example of 'history is moving on' and they were simply to backward to be left alone.