Aboriginals still fighting for justice
Aboriginals still fighting for justice
Like other indigenous families, the Lovetts sent their sons to war but were thrown off their own land when they returned
Kathy Marks
Sunday 17 June 2012
Herbert Lovett, a proud Aboriginal man, fought for his country in two world wars, as did three of his brothers. But when he returned home, he was barred from the land he had traditionally owned – and forced to watch as it was divided up among white veterans. Of the many injustices he endured, this is the one that rankles most with Herbert's son, Johnny. "He gave so much and got so little in return," says Mr Lovett, 64.
The shabby treatment by Australia of its indigenous soldiers – who volunteered to fight abroad despite not being recognised as citizens at home – is keenly felt by his family. The Lovetts, from rural Victoria, have a military record unrivalled throughout the Commonwealth, with 21 of them having served in theatres of war, including Japan, Korea and Vietnam, and all having survived.
Now Johnny Lovett is battling to persuade the government to rectify what he calls a "very big moral wrong". He wants compensation for the land on which others grew rich, and for the opportunities that his family – condemned to a life of grinding poverty – missed out on.
Nearly 70 years after the Second World War, Australia has yet to recognise fully the contribution of Aboriginal servicemen and women to the nation's defence. An estimated 4,500 are believed to have fought in the two world wars, yet their names are missing from the memorials found in nearly every city and country town, and from the history books.
More:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/aboriginals-still-fighting-for-justice-7856600.html
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