Western Sydney anti-racism campaign
By Rupen Savoulian
PARRAMATTA — Despite driving rain, about 50 people representing many of western Sydney's migrant communities rallied here on August 22 against racism and the One Nation party.
The rally was organised by the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) and Resistance. Due to the weather, a march and rally scheduled for the same day in nearby Auburn was postponed until September 12.
After the rally in Parramatta Mall, participants gathered at the local office of the DSP for a forum about One Nation and the racist policies of the Labor and Liberal governments.
Sarah Harris, the Democratic Socialists' candidate for the federal seat of Reid, explained that the policies of the Coalition and Labor were responsible for the rise of One Nation. She argued that recent amendments to the native title bill, which significantly reduced indigenous Australians' rights to negotiate developments of their land, was thoroughly racist in intent and practice. She said the Democratic Socialists were committed to repealing Howard's Native Title Amendment Act.
Harris said it was also important to challenge the notion being peddled by racists, and even some in the environment movement, that migrants put excessive pressure on the environment. "It is the major corporations that throw thousands of people out of work and devastate the environment in their drive for maximum profits", she said.
Racism can only be defeated, Harris argued, by mobilising broad community support and not relying on the sham of parliament.
Lachlan Malloch, an activist in the Jabiluka Action Group and Resistance, told the meeting that the proposed Jabiluka uranium mine would not only be an environmental disaster, but is also racist.
The Howard government is contemptuous towards Aboriginal Australians, on whose land the mine is being built, and place big business profits before the rights of Aboriginal people, he said.
Ali Aktas, an activist from the Turkish community and member of the Turkish Freedom and Solidarity Party, spoke of the increasing racial harassment suffered by migrants since the appearance of One Nation.
He outlined how the Liberal government, and the previous Labor government, have made it harder for migrants to access social services. People from non-English speaking countries are being discriminated against, Aktas said.
Aktas also spoke about of the struggle of the Kurdish people in Turkey against racial discrimination and national oppression. The Kurdistan Workers Party is leading this struggle against the Turkish military regime. Aktas added that the Turkish and Kurdish communities would continue to support the campaign against racism initiated by Resistance and the DSP.
Rajinder Dhillem, an activist from the Indian community, said the July 24 high school walkout against racism, organised by Resistance, sent shock waves through the main political parties in Australia.
Dhillem pointed out that racist arrogance was not confined to Hanson's supporters; Peter Collins, state Liberal leader, recently described the turbans worn by practising Sikhs as "silly little hats". The Sikh and Indian communities were outraged.
All migrant communities need to unite, reach out to workers and trade unions, and join the fight against racism, Dhillem said. "Racism is a tactic used by the capitalist class to divide working people, thus preventing us from launching a concerted fight back against the neo-liberal program of cutbacks to social services and maximum corporate profits", he declared.
To get involved with the western Sydney campaign against racism, or the Democratic Socialists' election campaign in Reid, phone 9635 8449.