C-FAR #305. November, 1996
Take up the White Man's Burden:
We're Marching Through Zaire
So thoroughly scrubbed are their minds by anti-racist ideology and
politically correct doctrine that we truly doubt that a racist thought
ever skitters across the minds of Jean Chretien or his meddlesome nephew
Raymond Chretien, Canadian Ambassador to Washington and special UN envoy
to the central African region. However, it's hard not to see the following
without thoughts of imperialism, maybe even racism crossing one's mind.
As we go to press, "Canada has offered to lead a multinational military
force in Zaire to help save more than one million refugees.
'We'll do whatever it takes,' an official in Prime Minister Chretien's
office said ... CTV news reported Canada offered 1,500 troops for a force
expected to total 10,000. France and Spain have also offered to contribute
to the Zairean mission." (Toronto Star, November 12, 1996) Understand,
there is no peace to keep. The Tutsis are battling the Hutus and the Tutsis
are battling the ill-disciplined Zairean Army. Looting and efforts to starve
rival tribes are the order of the day. "A ceasefire has been declared
between the rebels and the Zairean army.
But the rebels say they are still fighting well-armed Hutu militia
that led the 1994 genocide in Rwanda in which more than 500,000 minority
Tutsis were slaughtered. The militia, known as the Interahamwe, controlled
many of the 40 refugee camps that have been emptied by the fighting. They
have used the camps as military bases, and have also led vicious attacks
against the Zairean Tutsis. The situation was growing intolerable for the
Rwanda Tutsi government, which took control of the country and stopped
the genocide in 1994." (Globe and Mail, November 12, 1996) "
Over the weekend (Nov. 2-3), Tutsis captured the key enclave of Goma but
some observers believe the city is now controlled by an army of cannabalistic
rebels who fight in the buff and believe they are impervious to bullets."
(Toronto Star, November 4, 1996) "After a long, frustrating wait at
Gisenyi on the Rwandan border, aid agencies were allowed to drive into
Zaire with boxes of supplies -- then prevented from delivering them."
(Toronto Star, November 12, 1996) Earlier aid workers had fled from part
of the area, after being menaced and held up by unpaid Zairean troops.
Who's there helping?
The European Doctors Without Borders, CARE from Canada, and others.
Where are the Africans? Surely, sorting out the problems in Zaire is an
African challenge. Why must Canada and other Europeans intervene? We strongly
oppose any military intervention in Zaire. There is no peace to keep. We
oppose fighting under the command of the one-world UN. Our troops are not
trained for jungle warfare. Meddling in Africa has already cost us our
Airborne Regiment. Zaire is a sovereign country. Armed incursion into its
territory should only be done for reasons of Canadian or Western national
security. Does Zaire or the various murderous factions threaten Canadian
investments or citizens? No. Debt-ridden Canada should sacrifice neither
blood nor money to meddle in Zaire.
Far better would it be to revamp and refurbish our armed forces to
monitor and, if needs be, interdict the foreign marauders who have looted
our fisheries on both coasts! We'll get no thanks. Somalia does not thanks
us for trying to get Somalians to permit other starving Somalians to receive
foreign aid food. Instead, angry Somalis have appeared before the circus
inquiry in Ottawa demanding "compensation" for relatives wounded/killed
by Canadian peacekeepers and, of course, the connection has encouraged
a flood of "refugees" from the place we supposedly saved. Isolationism
is the only sane course.
Australian MP Challenges Immigration
& Politcal Correctness
An Australian MP has set off a storm of controversy with a remarkably
clear-thinking maiden speech in the Australian Parliament on September
10th, 1996. Her blunt words have resulted in threats of withdrawal of investments
by Asian tycoons and such a swelling of public support that, were she to
form her own party, is would hold the balance of power should an election
be called tomorrow. Pauline Hanson did the unspeakable - she stood up and
spoke up for her race. It is reported that she has had to go into hiding
because of threats against her life. Word is that media coverage ever since
has been non-stop and vitriolic. Here is an abridged version. The full
text can be read at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~hillj/
"My view on issues is based on commonsense, and my experience
as a mother of four children, as a sole parent, and as a businesswoman
running a fish and chip shop. I won the seat of Oxley largely on an issue
that has resulted in me being called a racist. That issue related to my
comment that Aboriginals received more benefits than non-Aboriginals. We
now have a situation where a type of reverse racism is applied to mainstream
Australians by those who promote political correctness and those who control
the various taxpayer funded "industries" that flourish in our
society servicing Aboriginals, multiculturalists and a host of other minority
groups. In response to my call for equality for all Australians, the most
noisy criticism came from the fat cats, bureaucrats and the do-gooders.
They screamed the loudest because they stand to lose the most -their power,
money and position, all funded by ordinary Australian taxpayers.Present
governments are encouraging separatism in Australia by providing opportunities,
land, moneys and facilities available only to Aboriginals. Along with millions
of Australians, I am fed up to the back teeth with the inequalities that
are being promoted by the government and paid for by the taxpayer under
the assumption that Aboriginals are the most disadvantaged people in Australia.
I do not believe that the colour of one's skin determines whether you are
disadvantaged.
This nation is being divided into black and white, and the present
system encourages this. I am fed up with being told, "This is our
land." Well, where the hell do I go? I was born here, and so were
my parents and children. I will work beside anyone and they will be my
equal but I draw the line when told I must pay and continue paying for
something that happened over 200 years ago. Like most Australians, I worked
for my land; no-one gave it to me. Those who feed off the Aboriginal industry
do not want to see things changed. Look at the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.
Members receive 290 a day sitting allowance and 320 a day travelling allowance,
and most of these people also hold other very well paid positions. No wonder
they did not want to resign recently! This is a crisis that recent governments
have ignored because of a lack of will. We are regarded as a Third World
country with First World living conditions.
We have one of the highest interest rates in the world, and we owe
more money per capita than any other country. All we need is a nail hole
in the bottom of the boat and we're sunk. In real dollar terms, our standard
of living has dropped over the past 10 years. In the 1960s, our wages increase
ran at 3 % and unemployment at 2 %. Today, not only is there no wage increase,
we have gone backwards and unemployment is officially 8.6 %. The real figure
must be close to 12 to 13%. We have lost all our big Australian industries
and icons, including Qantas when it sold 25 % of its shares and a controlling
interest to British Airways. Now this government wants to sell Telstra,
a company that made a 1.2 billion profit last year and will make a 2 billion
profit this year. But, first, they want to sack 54,000 employees to show
better profits and share prices. Anyone with business sense knows that
you do not sell off your assets especially when they are making money.
I may be only "a fish and chip shop lady", but some of these
economists need to get their heads out of the textbooks and get a job in
the real world. I would not even let one of them handle my grocery shopping.
Immigration and multiculturalism are issues that this government is
trying to address, but for far too long ordinary Australians have been
kept out of any debate by the major parties. I and most Australians want
our immigration policy radically reviewed and that of multiculturalism
abolished. I believe we are in danger of being swamped by Asians. Between
1984 and 1995, 40 % of all migrants coming into this country were of Asian
origin. They have their own culture and religion, form ghettos and do not
assimilate. Of course, I will be called racist but, if I can invite whom
I want into my home, then I should have the right to have a say in who
comes into my country. A truly multicultural country can never be strong
or united. The world is full of failed and tragic examples, ranging from
Ireland to Bosnia to Africa and, closer to home, Papua New Guinea. America
and Great Britain are currently paying the price.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and there are solutions. If
this government wants to be fair dinkum, then it must stop kowtowing to
financial markets, international organisations, world bankers, investment
companies and big business people. The Howard government must become visionary
and be prepared to act, even at the risk of making mistakes.
Abolishing the policy of multiculturalism will save billions of dollars
and allow those from ethnic backgrounds to join mainstream Australia, paving
the way to a strong, united country. Immigration must be halted in the
short-term so that our dole queues are not added to by, in many cases,
unskilled migrants not fluent in the English language. This would be one
positive step to rescue many young and older Australians from a predicament
which has become a national disgrace and crisis. I must stress at this
stage that I do not consider those people from ethnic backgrounds currently
living in Australia anything but first-class citizens, provided of course
that they give this country their full, undivided loyalty. I call for the
introduction of national service for a period of 12 months, compulsory
for males and females upon finishing year 12 or reaching 18 years of age.
This could be a civil service with a touch of military training, because
I do not feel we can go on living in a dream world forever and a day believing
that war will never touch our lives again.
The government must do all it can to help reduce interest rates for
business. How can we compete with Japan, Germany and Singapore, who enjoy
rates of 2%, 5.5 % and 3.5 % respectively? Reduced tariffs on foreign goods
that compete with local products seem only to cost Australians their jobs.
We must look after our own before lining the pockets of overseas countries
and investors at the expense of our living standards and future. Mister
Acting Speaker, time is running out. We may have only 10 to 15 years left
to turn things around. Because of our resources and our position in the
world, we will not have a say because neighbouring countries such as Japan,
with 125 million people; China, with 1.2 billion people; India, with 846
million people; Indonesia, with 178 million people; and Malaysia, with
20 million people are well aware of our resources and potential. Wake up,
Australia, before it is too late. Australians need and want leaders who
can inspire and give hope in difficult times. Now is the time for the Howard
government to accept the challenge.
Mister Acting Speaker, everything I have said is relevant to my electorate
of Oxley, which is typical of mainstream Australia. I do have concerns
for my country and I am going to do my best to speak my mind and stand
up for what I believe in. As an independent I am confident that I can look
after the needs of the people of Oxley and I will always be guided by their
advice. It is refreshing to be able to express my views without having
to toe a party line. It has got me into trouble on the odd occasion, but
I am not going to stop saying what I think. I consider myself just an ordinary
Australian who wants to keep this great country strong and independent,
and my greatest desire is to see all Australians treat each other as equals
as we travel together towards the new century."