January 26 is seen by most people in this country as a day of celebration for the Australian nation. But the reality is that not many of us have much to celebrate — the indigenous among us even less — thanks to the ever more brutal policies of this and previous governments.
The indigenous people of Australia have faced a barrage of attacks since they first sighted the First Fleet. What they could not have realised then was that the ships' arrival was the beginning of a process of dispossession and oppression that has continued for more than 200 years.
Today, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people continue their struggle for indigenous rights. Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly is part of that struggle, providing information about the issues and campaigns, networking between activists, advertising actions and meetings, and countering the lies of the establishment media.
From Aboriginal land rights to funding for Aboriginal health, housing and other services, to rising indigenous deaths in custody, to demanding compensation for the "stolen generation", Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly has consistently covered the issues affecting Aboriginal people since its inception in 1991.
Â鶹´«Ã½ stands in opposition to the blatant lies and smear campaigns of politicians and their big business mates in the mining industry, or any industry that benefits from the oppression of Aboriginal people.
When Queensland Premier Borbidge states that most people's backyards are under threat from land rights claims, Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly explains the truth of the Wik legislation and why indigenous people must have ownership of their traditional lands.
When the "justice" system in Western Australia incarcerates young Aboriginal men at a rate scores higher than their non-Aboriginal counterparts, Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly exposes this, and the tragedy of all Aboriginal deaths in custody.
When PM John Howard steps up his racist attacks and rhetoric, Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly steps up its efforts to convince more people to join and strengthen the anti-racism campaign.
Without the help of our readership, however, Â鶹´«Ã½ cannot continue to play this role in these and many other campaigns. Please help us by contributing to the paper that stands on the side of all those who oppose the oppression of indigenous people.
We are not ashamed to admit that we need help to fund our work, and that we won't get funding from the establishment — government or corporate. Any amount that you can contribute to the 1998 Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly Fighting Fund will bring one step closer the day when Aboriginal people and all working people really will have something to celebrate.
Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly — it's your paper.