Amnesty International labels Indigenous living conditions 'inhumane'

[Cerberus1]

Amnesty International says the Federal Government needs to be internationally shamed into addressing poverty among Indigenous Australians.

 

Secretary-general Salil Shetty yesterday toured remote towns in the Northern Territory, including Utopian communities north-east of Alice Springs.

 

He described the plight of locals as "devastating", saying people there are living in inhumane conditions that are almost third-world.

 

"I've been to many places in bad shape in Africa, Asia and Latin America but what makes it stark here is when you remind yourself you're actually in one of the richest countries in the world," he said.

 

"I can't believe I'm actually in one the richest countries in the world and you have people, Aboriginal communities here who are living in conditions which are really almost inhumane," he said.

 

A two-bedroom house he saw had 15 people living in it - others had no toilets or showers.

 

Some had been without electricity and water for months.

 

Mr Shetty says the Federal Government is contravening its human rights obligations.

 

He says the community has been stripped of funds that provide basic services, including running water, electricity, and hygiene services.

 

"I think it's quite shocking that you can have this level of poverty and this level of lack of basic facilities in one of the richest countries in the world," he said.

"Their housing ... is really not suitable for habitation. They have no power, they have no basic facilities, sanitation, toilets."

 

Source: www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-09/amnesty-slams-indigenous-conditions/3403030

[Harpodom]

I don't think the aboriginal situation is comparable to poverty in say africa or Asia, it's much more complicated than that

[Guest guest59177]

I remember seeing a news story somewhere about the drinking problems of Aboriginal men. They somehow got introduced to the stuff and it devastated their community. Harpodom's right when he says it's a complicated situation.

[Guest sh7t man no way]

not sure on this but i think they give there dole money out in food vouchers rather than money which is mainly spent on grog--and also the avarage life span of an aboriginal is 30 years less that a white australia (not 100% sure on that) it was on a doco i watched years ago--there a programme on in the UK where a scottish doctor helps out sometimes with aboriginals in oz--its a bit of an eye opener--a sad state of affairs indeed