
A Nyoongar Tent Embassy was established on Perth鈥檚 Heirisson Island on February 12 after the state government to extinguish Nyoongar native title. The protesters made an urgent call for support after Perth City Council made its second threat to close the embassy down on February 17.
Many of those taking a leading role in the Embassy are local Aboriginal activists recently returned from the 40-year commemoration of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra.
Many Nyoongars have been outraged by WA premier Colin Barnett鈥檚 plans to make a $1 billion deal with the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC).
The deal would mean Nyoongar people agree to the complete and permanent surrender of all native title claims.
Prominent Aboriginal organiser Marianne Mackay said from the embassy: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 agree with the SWALSC negotiations with the Barnett government. We don鈥檛 want money. We want our land, for our future.
鈥淲e are the custodians [of the land] and we have an obligation to protect it.鈥
The embassy says its objective is for sovereignty and has rejected any deals with the government that involve ceding rights over land.
Elders, activists and local Nyoongar people have camped at the site every night. The island is an important traditional meeting place. 鈥淲e'll be here as long as it takes,鈥 said elder Uncle Ben Taylor in an interview with 7:30 journalists.
On February 16, council officers came to issue an eviction notice but left after being told they were not welcome. Early on February 17, City of Perth CEO Frank Edwards approached the Embassy, where he tossed the council鈥檚 eviction notices onto the ground.
Embassy representatives told 91自拍论坛 Weekly it is improper for Edwards, as representative of a foreign government, to litter their embassy. Council representatives told media that the embassy would have 鈥渦ntil the end of the day鈥.
Barnett backed the council鈥檚 attempt to evict the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. He said on February 17: 鈥淭hey have made their point. They've been allowed to stay there for a few days but they will not be allowed to stay there on a continuing basis. If they don't move on, ultimately the police will move them on.鈥
But Tent Embassy spokesperson Robert Eggington told AAP: 鈥淢y message to the Perth City Council is move on yourself.
鈥淭his is not a camping ground. This is us practising our culture and our ceremonies on our traditional land of our ancestors.鈥
Eggington also said police had no right to take down the Tent Embassy. 鈥淭hey'll probably have to arrest the babies and the elders,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey'll probably have to arrest every single person.
鈥淭he jails are already chock-a-block full of Aboriginal people, so where are they going to fit us all?鈥
Another Tent Embassy protester, Greg Martin, told AAP: 鈥淐ustomary law supersedes Crown law at this embassy. We reserve the right to diplomatic immunity, just like every other embassy around the planet.鈥
Video:聽Come down to the Nyoongar Tent Embassy -聽.