Vic: RSL chief calls for calm after Aboriginal camp threat

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2006
Vic: RSL chief calls for calm after Aboriginal camp threat

By Jamie Duncan and Jane Bunce

MELBOURNE, April 19 AAP - Victorian RSL president Major-General David McLachlan has
urged a group of soldiers to abandon a threat to walk through an Aboriginal protest camp
in central Melbourne.

Maj-Gen McLachlan was responding to an email from a man claiming to be a soldier, received
by Southern Cross Radio broadcaster Neil Mitchell today.

The soldier has threatened to walk through the camp with a group of friends when they
leave the Anzac Day dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance and go to the traditional
Anzac Day march.

The indigenous protesters set up their camp, dubbed Camp Sovereignty, in Kings Domain
on March 12 to protest against the Commonwealth Games.

They have since refused to leave, despite reprimands from state and federal governments
and council efforts to have them evicted.

Protesters have occupied the park for more than a month, declaring a fire on the site sacred.

The fire is now the subject of a 30-day emergency heritage protection order.

Maj-Gen McLachlan called on the soldiers to abandon their plan.

"It's a stupid idea," he told AAP.

"We're there to commemorate Anzac Day and we do not want any action that would lead
to unacceptable behaviour that would detract from the dignity of Anzac Day.

"I would implore anyone planning this to reconsider because they will not achieve anything.

"I ask everyone to stay calm, let the Aborigines do what they are doing up there and
not interfere with them."

Victoria's acting Premier John Thwaites has urged the Aboriginal protesters to immediately
extinguish their sacred fire and leave the park.

Mr Thwaites said he acknowledged the cultural protection order, upheld by the Victorian
Supreme Court, but said the protest group at Kings Domain should snuff out the fire anyway.

"I don't support the fire, the government doesn't support it," he told reporters today.

"We don't believe it's appropriate for that place.

"But there is a Supreme Court order that does mean the fire is able to be kept alight,
has to be kept alight, under that order for 30 days.

"But I would certainly appeal to those who are there to put it out and do so now."

Last week a Supreme Court judge ordered the protesters to remove camping gear from
the park, but allowed the fire to stay.

Last night, a meeting between Melbourne Lord Mayor John So and the protest leaders
failed to resolve the stand-off over the site.

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KEYWORD: TENT NIGHTLEAD

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