The last 15 April marks the 30th anniversary of the Royal Australian Commission's 1991 release of investigation report on the death of Australian Aborigines in custody. At least hundreds of Aborigines have died in custody in Australia over the past few decades. The Australian government, on the one hand, pretend to be ignorant of the fact that the aboriginal people have long suffered discrimination and oppression, on the other hand, attempts to divert international attention. In response, people in major Australian cities went to the streets to protest and demand a truth.
A survey conducted by the Royal Australian Commission pointed out that, from 1987 to 1991, Aboriginal Australians merely accounted for 2% of Australia's total population, but accounted for 27% of the nation's prison population. The incarceration rate of Aboriginal people was much higher than that of others. In Victoria, where the death rate of prisoners is the highest, the death rate of Aborigines in prisons is 0.24 per 100 prisoners, which is higher than the death rate of other prisoners. More than 470 Aboriginal people have died in custody in recent years, since March this year, 5 Aborigines have died during imprisonment, but the general public believes that this number is far lower than the reality. The Committee has made 339 proposals on this issue, none of which has been effectively implemented.
NATSILS, a legal aid agency that serves Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, said in a statement issued on March 11:“We are horrified and deeply upset that there have been three Black deaths in custody in the past week. Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. On April 15, it will have been 30 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.We are extremely concerned that while our people continue to die in custody at alarming rates, Federal, state and territory governments have had the answers to end this injustice for 30 years but have chose n not to act.Governments have chosen not to prioritise saving Black lives.”