Source: The Age December 1 2004
By Ainsley Pavey, Roberta Mancuso
A row has erupted over inflammatory comments made by an
Aboriginal leader.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie yesterday called for calm as
Aboriginal leaders declared war on the state's police over a death
in custody on Palm Island.
Mr Beattie tried to hose down threats by Aboriginal activist
Murrandoo Yanner to "pay back" police by promising to release a
Crime and Misconduct Commission report on the death. "I just urge
everyone to calm it down and let the CMC do its work," he said.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson last night considered whether
to seek legal advice to determine if Mr Yanner's comments were
criminal.
Officers from the CMC have returned to the island off Townsville
to continue their inquiry into the watchhouse death of Cameron
Doomadgee, 36.
Mr Doomadgee's family is awaiting the results of a second
autopsy by an independent Melbourne pathologist. A Queensland
Government pathologist found Mr Doomadgee died on November 19 with
four broken ribs and a ruptured spleen and liver consistent with
falling on steps. Police said he punched an officer before he fell
over.
Rioters burnt down the police station and barracks and the
courthouse after the findings were released by Queensland Coroner
Michael Barnes. Palm Island community spokesman Brad Foster wants
Mr Barnes sacked for releasing the report, accusing him of sparking
the riot by more than 300 islanders.
Riot police sent to the island arrested 18 men, now in custody
in Townsville awaiting a bail hearing on Monday.
Mr Yanner, a cousin of Mr Doomadgee, wants all charges dropped
as an act of reconciliation. He also said the police who found Mr
Doomadgee dead should be charged with murder or face "payback".
"If we're not going to get it through white law, we will take it
through our own means, through Aboriginal law which has payback,"
Mr Yanner said.
"If this policeman isn't punished, jailed or charged with
murder, under the law, (then) if you can't get one policeman you
get another.
Mr Beattie, who had previously defended so-called "heavy-handed"
police tactics as "appropriate", said yesterday that people on Palm
Island should be given latitude.
Reconciliation Australia's outgoing co-chairman, Fred Chaney,
said yesterday the riots illustrated how far Australia had to go in
the reconciliation process.
Mr Chaney, a former indigenous affairs minister in the Fraser
government, said the frustration of people on Palm Island was
understandable. "I'm not excusing unlawful behaviour," he said,
"but I think it's not hard to understand why people become
immensely frustrated."
Mr Chaney said the Government needed to work with representative
bodies that gave Aboriginal people a voice.
A failure to engage would lead to a continuation of "these
terrible blots on our national life".
"How many Redferns do we have to have? How many Palm Islands...
before we realise there is something drastically wrong?" Mr Chaney
asked.
- with Meaghan Shaw
