UN criticizes Aboriginal program
An Australian government program imposing radical restrictions on Aborigines in a crackdown on child abuse is inherently racist, breaches international human rights obligations and must be changed immediately, a UN official said yesterday.
In an advance copy of a report to be released next week, the UN special rapporteur on indigenous human rights, James Anaya, expressed serious concerns over the controversial initiative known as "the intervention." The program forced a series of tough rules on Aborigines in the Northern Territory - including bans on alcohol and hard-core pornography - in response to an investigation that found rampant child sex abuse in remote indigenous communities.
"The measures specifically target indigenous people and impair certain rights and freedoms," Anaya, a University of Arizona human rights law professor.
