Melanesian leaders condemn UN for turning 'a deaf ear' to West Papua atrocities | World news | The Guardian

Melanesian leaders condemn UN for turning 'a deaf ear' to West Papua atrocities | World news | The Guardian: “For half a century now the international community has been witnessing a gamut of torture, murder, exploitation, sexual violence and arbitrary detention inflicted on the nationals of West Papua, perpetrated by Indonesia, but the international community has turned a deaf ear to the appeals for help. We urge the Human Rights Council to investigate these cases.

“We also call on our counterparts throughout the world to support the legal right of West Papua to self-determination and to jointly with Indonesia put an end to all kinds of violence and find common ground with the nationals to facilitate putting together a process which will enable them to freely express their choice.”

The Solomons leader, Manasseh Sogavare, said the UN’s sustainable development goal motto of “no one left behind” would be “synonymous to empty promises unless we in the United Nations take active steps to address the plight of the people of West Papua”.

RCMP inks deal to return Louis Riel artifacts to M�tis people - Saskatchewan - CBC News

RCMP inks deal to return Louis Riel artifacts to M�tis people - Saskatchewan - CBC News: The items at the Regina museum include a crucifix belonging to the executed M�tis leader, his poetry and a hunting knife.

The return of the artifacts is something University of Saskatchewan law student Jesse Donovan has been advocating for over the past year. In January, he circulated an online petition and spoke with federal officials about the artifacts.

Explosive allegations surround latest Aboriginal death in custody | Welcome To Country

Explosive allegations surround latest Aboriginal death in custody | Welcome To Country: A close friend of the young man has alleged that corrective officers in Tamworth jail bashed and then proceeded to hang the young Indigenous man in order to cover it up as suicide. The friend said the young man had suffered a significant amount of injuries that showed he was in a struggle. The friend went on to say that he also had blood and skin under his fingernails as well. The friend also alleged that there is 1 hour of video surveillance unaccounted for in the jail.

For anyone in the Tamworth/Armidale area, there are plans for a protest at the jail tomorrow. (Once again, details are still coming to light, so ask your mob for details if you’re in the region).

MMIW Commissioner Michele Audette says no tensions exist with Chief Commissioner - APTN News

MMIW Commissioner Michele Audette says no tensions exist with Chief Commissioner - APTN News: “I don’t know where you get that. If you can say to that person who is saying that, if there is more than one, I don’t (have tensions with Buller),” said Audette. “I have so much respect for her and what I love (about) her is she lets me be who I am.”

'Indian hospital' survivors want in on residential school agreement - Thunder Bay - CBC News

'Indian hospital' survivors want in on residential school agreement - Thunder Bay - CBC News: At times the two institutions were nearly indistinguishable, according to researcher Edward Sadowski, who submitted the request for direction.

"Because of the shortages of beds at sanatoriums and hospital schools, residential schools received a subsidy of 15 cents per day per student for each student who had TB," Sadowski writes. "Some residential schools had TB case rates as high as 80 per cent, becoming de facto sanatoriums."

Historian Maureen Lux researches Indian hospitals and agrees the ties between the institutions were very close, with Indian Affairs paying for the teachers and the books, while the Department of National Health and Welfare paid for sanatoriums.

"For patients, very often they would come from the residential schools and spend time in the hospital and then be returned to the schools so there was a kind of seamlessness between institutions," Lux said.