Thursday, 16 May 2024
Stories and events of the Kaurareg homeland of Kaiwalagal, the Torres Strait homeland and Cape York homelands of the Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaykenu and Gudang Peoples.
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Border Force conduct questioned
Ailan artist wins NAIDOC poster comp!
BY CARLI WILLIS & JEN ENOSA
Deb Belyea says her winning entry for this year’s National NAIDOC Week poster – called ‘Urapun Muy’, which means ‘One Fire’ in the Kalaw Kawaw Ya dialect – was
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inspired by her ancestors and Elders. Judges said her entry perfectly captured the meaning of this year’s theme, Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud. Continues PAGE 2...
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Australian Border Force has been slammed for using local fishermen and their dinghies to help them search and locate unlawful international arrivals. Last week five men, believed to be unlawful arrivals from Senegal in West Africa, were located in mangroves on Saibai Island. TSIRC councillor for Saibai Island Chelsea Aniba has also renewed calls to bolster frontline services and invest in resources in the Torres Strait, which is on the frontline of Australia’s only active international border. Cr Aniba said she had heard the ABF asked local fisherman to escort them in their search for the men two weeks before the unlawful arrivals were detained. She said when the men were heard calling for help from mangroves on Monday last week, customs again asked local fishermen to escort them to retrieve the men. Both times the local fishermen used their personal dinghies while customs staff were unarmed. Ms Aniba said it was inappropriate and put the lives of
civilians in harm’s way. “The Australian Border Force have been in contact with locals and told them if they go out on the on their boats hunting, if they come across any people from Africa to let them know [and they were] basically providing them fuel,” she said. Cr Aniba said the ABF relied on its vessels to travel from Thursday Island because they did not have a boat based on Saibai. She said the ABF purchased the men a drum of fuel each for their assistance. “If you’re working in relationship with other agencies, you can have a boat – if they work with the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) rangers, they have a boat, or work together with the local SES,” she said. Cr Aniba said the relationship between the ABF and other agencies had deteriorated. She said she had also heard the ABF was not communicating with local personnel based on the island. “The bottom line is there’s no good relationship there – why?” she said. “There should be a real relationship there, we are all working here to service the community and the international treaty.” Continued P4 N