For Indigenous Australians and anti-racist non-Indigenous Australians, 26 January is Invasion Day marking the British invasion of Australia on 26 January 1788. However, for thoughtless and racist Mainstream Australians, 26 January is celebrated as Australia Day, ignoring the horrific Australian Aboriginal Genocide.
Just imagine the global outcry if neo-Nazi Germany decided to have an important national day on the date of the Nazi pogrom against Jews, Kristallnacht. This scenario is not far-fetched given the rise of neo-Nazi sentiment in Central Europe.
The Australian Aboriginal Genocide involved the deaths of 2 million First Nations people from violence and dispossession. This racist atrocity also led to the forced removal of about 0.1 million Aboriginal children from their families.
Conservative politicians in Australia have been offensive in their comments on the Aboriginal Genocide, dismissing the horrors of the past. The ongoing mistreatment and impoverishment of Indigenous Australians continue to this day.
Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Palestinians unite in their struggles against genocide, dispossession, and deadly deprivation. The plight of the Indigenous populations in both Australia and Palestine is a stark reminder of the injustices faced by marginalized communities.
The impoverishment of the Occupied Palestinians is revealed by the stark disparities in wealth and health compared to Apartheid Israelis. The social service payments for Indigenous Australians are woefully inadequate, highlighting the systemic inequalities in the country.
Australian Mainstream media and politicians have been complicit in supporting Apartheid Israel's atrocities in Gaza, turning a blind eye to the mass murder of children, mothers, and women. The silence and censorship around these issues are a stain on Australian democracy.
Decent anti-racist individuals must demand justice and accountability for the crimes committed against Indigenous populations in Australia and Palestine. It is time to break the cycle of genocide and complicity and stand up for human rights and equality for all.
