Latest news with #WalkForTruth
ABC News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Yoorrook Justice Commissioner to walk 400km to Victorian parliament
As the Yoorrook Justice Commission prepares to hand down its final report next month, its deputy chair Travis Lovett is preparing to walk on country, inspired by historic Indigenous leaders who resisted colonisation before him. In the late 1800s, Wurundjeri leader William Barak, known as "the last chief of the Yarra Yarra tribe", led a walk to Parliament House where he successfully petitioned the government to keep the Coranderrk Aboriginal Mission open. In 1939, Uncle Jack Patten was arrested when he and about 200 residents of Cummeragunja Station, in southern New South Wales, walked off in protest against horrible living conditions. Today, Commissioner Lovett will embark on the Walk For Truth — a 400-kilometre trek starting in the far south-west Victorian city of Portland and ending 25 days later at Parliament House in Melbourne. For Commissioner Lovett, Portand is personal. He has strong family connections to the area, with lineage that goes back generations; his ancestors were among those who fought back against colonisers, helping earn the title "the fighting Gunditjmara". "There's connection for me, being a proud Kerrupmara and Gunditjmara man from these lands," he says. "And the story of colonisation in Victoria started here … the current systems are informed by the depth of the colonial past. "Our people have walked on country for 60,000-plus years. This Walk for Truth that I'm doing builds on those legacies." During the walk, Commissioner Lovett will visit significant cultural and historical sites throughout regional Victoria to bring attention to the commission's work ahead of its final report being handed down next month. The report details an official account of the impact of colonisation on First Nations people in Victoria and is based on four years of hearings and submissions from more than 9,000 people. He says it's devastating work but healing cannot happen without truth. "Some of our people have come and shared truths with us representing three generations of injustices," Commissioner Lovett says. He says he draws strength from those who have shared their stories. "They have entrusted us to turn their lived experience in the state of Victoria into recommendations for change and transformation," he says. One of those people is Gunditjmara Yorta Yorta woman Keicha Day. "Before I wrote the submission, I was always asking wider community and the local council to engage in mature conversations around the true history of this country — it was never forthcoming," Ms Day says. "This process has really catapulted me into having those conversations and I've found it challenging but also healing." Ms Day has been working to de-colonise Portland's landscape by pushing for the removal of colonial monuments and the renaming of public spaces that hold colonial monikers. Those efforts have made Ms Day a public-facing figure in the truth-telling conversation, something she says she's reluctantly coming to terms with. "It's really hard to put yourself out there and be perceived by people who are sometimes committed to not understanding you or giving you and your mob empathy," Ms Day says. "I feel like partaking in the Walk for Truth is a physical release of all the anxieties I've had along the way." She says despite it all, she continues to show up for truth-telling because she sees it as the only tangible solution to the problems faced by her community. "We're coming up to Sorry Day and in this process I've seen three lots of family groups have their children taken away from them," Ms Day says. Sorry Day is Australia's national day to remember the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families. "I've seen despair, unhealed people in my community that turn to suicide and I've seen the continuance of black deaths in custody and that's just unacceptable to me," she says. Ms Day says once the commission's report is handed down, the state government must be held accountable to action the recommendations.
Glasgow Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Crowd backs calls for public inquiry into 1997 murder of GAA official
It comes after the UK Government confirmed that it will seek to appeal to the Supreme Court over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into the killing of Sean Brown. Mr Brown's family met Irish deputy premier Simon Harris earlier this week as part of their campaign to see a public inquiry heard. Friday evening saw people travel from across Ireland, including as far away as Co Kerry, to Bellaghy to take part in a Walk For Truth event from St Mary's Church through the town to the home of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC. Tanaiste Simon Harris (left) speaking to Sean Brown's widow Bridie Brown (second right) and daughters Clare Loughlan (centre) and Siobhan Brown (right) (Niall Carson/PA) Those in attendance included First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone and GAA president Jarlath Burns. Many wore GAA shirts from their home clubs or counties as they showed solidarity with the Brown family. There was a spontaneous round of applause for Mr Brown's family who led the procession as it reached the town centre. Mr Brown, 61, the then chairman of the club in the Co Londonderry town, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. A march in support of the family of Sean Brown (Rebecca Black/PA) Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the Government to hold a public inquiry. It said the failure to hold such an inquiry was unlawful. However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn says the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary. GAA president Jarlath Burns speaks to media in support of the family of Sean Brown following a meeting with Tanaiste Simon Harris at Government Buildings in Dublin on Monday (Rebecca Black/PA) Addressing the crowd, Mr Burns described the 'absolute barbarism' of the murder of Mr Brown as having 'only been matched by the depravity of what has happened since, when the family have been denied truth and justice and any sort of decency from the British Government'. He said Mr Brown would have been proud of how his family have campaigned for justice for him. 'We are not going to stop until we get the public inquiry that this family deserves,' Mr Burns said to applause. Mr Brown's daughter Claire Loughran thanked all those who turned out in support of her family. 'We're honestly overwhelmed by the turnout, it's incredibly touching to see so many people here and it means a great deal to us,' she said. 'It reminds us that although our journey for truth and justice has been long, we are not walking it alone.' Ms Loughran added: 'We won't stop, not until the truth is heard, not until justice is done and not until every family who suffers in silence knows that they are not forgotten.'
North Wales Chronicle
17-05-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Crowd backs calls for public inquiry into 1997 murder of GAA official
It comes after the UK Government confirmed that it will seek to appeal to the Supreme Court over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into the killing of Sean Brown. Mr Brown's family met Irish deputy premier Simon Harris earlier this week as part of their campaign to see a public inquiry heard. Friday evening saw people travel from across Ireland, including as far away as Co Kerry, to Bellaghy to take part in a Walk For Truth event from St Mary's Church through the town to the home of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC. Those in attendance included First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone and GAA president Jarlath Burns. Many wore GAA shirts from their home clubs or counties as they showed solidarity with the Brown family. There was a spontaneous round of applause for Mr Brown's family who led the procession as it reached the town centre. Mr Brown, 61, the then chairman of the club in the Co Londonderry town, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the Government to hold a public inquiry. It said the failure to hold such an inquiry was unlawful. However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn says the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary. Addressing the crowd, Mr Burns described the 'absolute barbarism' of the murder of Mr Brown as having 'only been matched by the depravity of what has happened since, when the family have been denied truth and justice and any sort of decency from the British Government'. He said Mr Brown would have been proud of how his family have campaigned for justice for him. 'We are not going to stop until we get the public inquiry that this family deserves,' Mr Burns said to applause. Mr Brown's daughter Claire Loughran thanked all those who turned out in support of her family. 'We're honestly overwhelmed by the turnout, it's incredibly touching to see so many people here and it means a great deal to us,' she said. 'It reminds us that although our journey for truth and justice has been long, we are not walking it alone.' Ms Loughran added: 'We won't stop, not until the truth is heard, not until justice is done and not until every family who suffers in silence knows that they are not forgotten.'
Rhyl Journal
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Crowd backs calls for public inquiry into 1997 murder of GAA official
It comes after the UK Government confirmed that it will seek to appeal to the Supreme Court over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into the killing of Sean Brown. Mr Brown's family met Irish deputy premier Simon Harris earlier this week as part of their campaign to see a public inquiry heard. Friday evening saw people travel from across Ireland, including as far away as Co Kerry, to Bellaghy to take part in a Walk For Truth event from St Mary's Church through the town to the home of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC. Those in attendance included First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone and GAA president Jarlath Burns. Many wore GAA shirts from their home clubs or counties as they showed solidarity with the Brown family. There was a spontaneous round of applause for Mr Brown's family who led the procession as it reached the town centre. Mr Brown, 61, the then chairman of the club in the Co Londonderry town, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the Government to hold a public inquiry. It said the failure to hold such an inquiry was unlawful. However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn says the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary. Addressing the crowd, Mr Burns described the 'absolute barbarism' of the murder of Mr Brown as having 'only been matched by the depravity of what has happened since, when the family have been denied truth and justice and any sort of decency from the British Government'. He said Mr Brown would have been proud of how his family have campaigned for justice for him. 'We are not going to stop until we get the public inquiry that this family deserves,' Mr Burns said to applause. Mr Brown's daughter Claire Loughran thanked all those who turned out in support of her family. 'We're honestly overwhelmed by the turnout, it's incredibly touching to see so many people here and it means a great deal to us,' she said. 'It reminds us that although our journey for truth and justice has been long, we are not walking it alone.' Ms Loughran added: 'We won't stop, not until the truth is heard, not until justice is done and not until every family who suffers in silence knows that they are not forgotten.'
ITV News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Crowd backs calls for public inquiry into 1997 murder of GAA official
The home town of a GAA official murdered almost 30 years ago came to a standstill on Friday evening as thousands showed their support for his family's call for a public inquiry. It comes after the UK Government confirmed that it will seek to appeal to the Supreme Court over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into the killing of Sean Brown. Mr Brown's family met Tánaiste Simon Harris earlier this week as part of their campaign to see a public inquiry heard. Friday evening saw people travel from across Ireland, including as far away as Co Kerry, to Bellaghy to take part in a Walk For Truth event from St Mary's Church through the town to the home of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC. Many wore GAA shirts from their home county as they showed solidarity with the Brown family. Mr Brown, 61, the then chairman of the club in the Co Londonderry town, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the Government to hold a public inquiry. It said the failure to hold such an inquiry was unlawful. However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn says the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary.
