But we do know something about Article II (a), "killing members of the group", because the Aborigines, were members of a definable group. We know something about the physical killings, particularly in the latter half of the last and the early part of this century. The first white settlers came to Tasmania in 1803, and by 1806 the serious killing began [26]. In retaliation for the spearing of livestock, Aboriginal children were abducted for use in forced labor, women were raped and tortured and given poisoned flour, and the men were shot. They were systematically disposed of in ones, twos and threes, or in dozens, rather than in one systematic massacre.
In 1824, settlers were authorized to shoot Aborigines. In 1828, the Governor declared martial law. Soldiers and settlers arrested, or shot, any blacks found in settled …show more content…
Authorities also warned that if children were not removed, indigenous people would become a “burden” or a “menace” to their emerging nations. Just underneath this articulated layer of justification lay a bedrock of concerns about defining and building the nation-as white, Christian and modern. Perhaps its most enthusiastic advocate was Western Australia Chief Protector Neville, who raised the possibility of whites becoming a minority in Australia. "Are we going to have a population of 1,ooo,ooo blacks in the Commonwealth," he queried a commonwealth conference, "or are we going to merge them into our white community and eventually forget that there ever were any aborigines in Australia? " (citation needed140). With this type of eradicating intent Neville sought to remove lighter-skinned Aboriginal children and restrict marriages to those of "compatible racial make-up" to only other half-castes or whites, not "full bloods. This practice continued long after
In 1824, settlers were authorized to shoot Aborigines. In 1828, the Governor declared martial law. Soldiers and settlers arrested, or shot, any blacks found in settled …show more content…
Authorities also warned that if children were not removed, indigenous people would become a “burden” or a “menace” to their emerging nations. Just underneath this articulated layer of justification lay a bedrock of concerns about defining and building the nation-as white, Christian and modern. Perhaps its most enthusiastic advocate was Western Australia Chief Protector Neville, who raised the possibility of whites becoming a minority in Australia. "Are we going to have a population of 1,ooo,ooo blacks in the Commonwealth," he queried a commonwealth conference, "or are we going to merge them into our white community and eventually forget that there ever were any aborigines in Australia? " (citation needed140). With this type of eradicating intent Neville sought to remove lighter-skinned Aboriginal children and restrict marriages to those of "compatible racial make-up" to only other half-castes or whites, not "full bloods. This practice continued long after