G20 summit in Australia

Next weekend (November 15/16), the G20 summit in Australia will address several current crises and problems. Being the host country, Australia presents itself as a model democracy and a perfect country to visit – and it can easily be overlooked that there is also serious injustice, racism and oppression. On occasion of Angela Merkel's visit to Australia, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) would therefore like to draw attention to the fate of the Aboriginals and ask the German Chancellor to address their current situation and, moreover, to inquire about any ongoing negotiations concerning a treaty between the Aboriginals and the government of the fifth continent that would recognize the rights of the Indigenous Australians.

Currently, there are more than 520,000 members of different indigenous communities living in Australia. They make up about 2.5 percent of the total population. Their history of extermination and oppression has left deep scars that are still to be felt today. They belong to the poorest population group in Australia, their living conditions are often abysmal, and their life expectancy is 17 years below the Australian average. There is a large gap between the majority population and the indigenous peoples of the continent – concerning healthcare, education and work opportunities as well as opportunities for political participation.

The Indigenous Australians never gave up their sovereignty – even despite the more than 225 years of British colonization. Nevertheless, the colonial power unceremoniously declared them to be subjects of the British Empire, which is why Australia doesn't grant its native peoples any rights to self-determination. Unlike in Canada or New Zealand, for example, the British and Australian governments never negotiated any binding treaties concerning the Aboriginals' land rights. The natives were simply expropriated and thus lack the most important basis of existence. They have been calling for a treaty since the 1970s, but the various governments have so far rejected them every time.