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Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the World: Pilbara Rangers in Australia have secured a grant for cultural land management; Uyghurs are renewing calls for justice on Genocide Recognition Day; and Māori people endured the highest trauma injury rates over a decade in New Zealand.
AUSTRALIA: Cultural land management
The Pilbara Ranger Network secured $4.116 million to expand Aboriginal ranger programs and cultural land management, achieving a major milestone in protecting land and culture, the National Indigenous Times reported Dec. 12.
The grant, announced at a Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation event, brought together elders, rangers, and coordinators from across the network to celebrate. Western Australia Environment Minister Reece Whitby presented the certificate to Nyamal Ranger Robert Dawson and Murujuga Chairman Peter Hicks, representing the 10 Traditional Owner groups in the Pilbara Ranger Network.
“This funding supports our work over the next three years, caring for Country and uniting Traditional Owner groups to share knowledge and resources,” Hicks said. “It’s a significant step for protecting the Pilbara’s unique land and culture.”
Funded by the minister for environment and Lotterywest, the grant will bolster collective efforts through on-country camps, forums, training and ranger exchanges. It also enables individual groups to develop tailored plans for caring for Ngurra (Country), ensuring that work continues for future generations.
“Being a ranger was my dream as a kid, and now I get to do it,” Dawson said. “You can’t complain about funding that helps more rangers care for Country.”
Pilbara Ranger Network Executive Officer Clare Meredith highlighted the grant’s broader impact. “We’re thrilled to see this network grow stronger, making a lasting impact on the community, Country, and culture of the Pilbara,” she said.
The Pilbara Ranger Network connects ranger groups across the region, fostering collaboration through training, knowledge-sharing and resources.
CHINA: Uyghurs renew calls for justice
Three years ago, a London tribunal concluded China committed genocide against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, Radio Free Asia reported Dec. 10.
Three years after the Uyghur Tribunal’s Dec. 9, 2021, ruling that China’s actions in Xinjiang amounted to genocide, global recognition of the Uyghurs’ plight has grown. However, despite the tribunal’s non-binding decision, little has been done to hold Beijing accountable for its alleged human rights abuses, which the Chinese government continues to deny.
“Uyghur Genocide Recognition Day is a reminder of what is at stake – Uyghurs continue to face cultural erasure,” said Omer Kanat, executive director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project. “Words of recognition must be backed by concrete, enforceable policies to end complicity in these atrocities.”
The Uyghur Human Rights Project highlighted abuses such as mass arbitrary detentions, forced labor, family separations, religious persecution, and the systematic erasure of Uyghur culture. The organization urged governments to enforce bans on goods linked to Uyghur forced labor, tighten sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations, and adopt stronger measures to stop the genocide. It also called on businesses to end partnerships with entities implicated in forced labor practices.
In Geneva, members of the World Uyghur Congress rallied outside the United Nations headquarters, demanding action to hold China accountable. The congress’ Youth Committee launched a social media campaign Dec. 9, reminding the international community that “silence is complicit” in the ongoing atrocities.
While the United States declared in January 2021 that China’s actions in Xinjiang amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity, many governments have hesitated to follow suit. Though more than 10 Western parliaments have recognized the genocide, broader international consensus remains elusive.
Geoffrey Nice, chair of the Uyghur Tribunal, criticized governments for their inaction. “The duty of governments such as the United Kingdom to decide whether genocide has happened has been avoided for a range of dishonest reasons,” said Nice. “Their failure to acknowledge the genocide and take action is a major shortcoming.”
Monday also marked the 76th anniversary of the U.N. Genocide Convention, a stark reminder of the international community’s commitment to prevent and punish genocide. Although China is a signatory to the convention, its compliance remains highly contested, particularly regarding its treatment of Uyghurs.
“Today is a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights abuses endured by the Uyghur people and our failed promises under the Genocide Convention,” said Rushan Abbas, executive director of Campaign for Uyghurs.
Abbas called on the international community to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps to end the Uyghur genocide. “Determination and awareness must lead to meaningful change,” she said.
NEW ZEALAND: Māori endure highest trauma injury rates
Indigenous people experienced the highest rates of trauma injury hospitalizations in a health region spanning from Taranaki to Tairāwhiti over the past decade, according to a new study in the NZ Medical Journal, the Te Ao Maori News reported Dec. 12.
“Notable differences in incidence rates were found, with Māori experiencing the highest rates,” the study notes.
The retrospective study, conducted by experts from Te Whatu Ora’s Te Manawa Taki Trauma Research Centre, is the first to examine the epidemiology – occurrence and distribution – of trauma cases across ethnic groups of all ages and severities within a specific health region over a 10-year period (2013–2022).
The research analyzed 60,753 trauma patients admitted to hospitals in the region’s five district health areas: Taranaki, Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, and Tairāwhiti. Of these, 18,015 patients, or nearly 30 percent (29.7 percent), were Māori. By comparison, 39,291 patients (64.7 percent) were European and other ethnic groups, 1,998 (3.3 percent) were Asian, and 1,411 (2.3 percent) were Pacific.
The study found that Māori males experienced particularly high rates of injury, with falls being the leading cause of trauma among Māori. Assault was identified as the second most common cause, surpassing traffic crashes.
“Regardless of ethnicity, males had higher hospitalization rates for any trauma than females. Rates were higher for Māori and Pacific men,” the study noted.
Among Māori, the top three causes of trauma injuries were falls (5,581 cases, 31 percent), assaults (2,177 cases, 12.1 percent), and traffic crashes (2,111 cases, 11.7 percent).
“Regardless of ethnicity, falls and road traffic crashes were among the top three causes of all severities,” the authors wrote. “Among Māori and Pacific peoples, assault was one of the top three causes of injury.”
The study’s authors – Ishani Soysa, Sheena Moosa, and Grant Christey – emphasized that Māori are particularly vulnerable to trauma.
“Research indicates that certain ethnic groups experience a disproportionate burden of trauma compared to others. Māori, as the Indigenous population of Aotearoa New Zealand, have been identified as particularly vulnerable to trauma,” the authors stated.
They pointed to historical and ongoing socioeconomic disparities, alongside cultural factors, as key contributors to these higher injury rates.
“Māori populations in Aotearoa, New Zealand often face socioeconomic disadvantages, including lower income, poorer housing, and limited access to education and healthcare,” the study explained. “These factors can elevate trauma risk through unsafe working conditions, inadequate housing, and limited access to preventive healthcare.”
The authors highlighted the importance of addressing these disparities through a culturally sensitive approach.
“Addressing ethnic disparities in trauma hospitalizations in New Zealand requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses upstream interventions to address socioeconomic inequalities, culturally sensitive healthcare delivery, targeted injury prevention strategies, and efforts to address systemic biases within the healthcare system,” the study concluded.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in New Zealand where the disparity in trauma injury rates for Māori is unjust. It reflects systemic inequities in healthcare and socioeconomic conditions. Māori, as the Indigenous people of New Zealand, should not face such disproportionate harm.
Systemic bias within healthcare worsens these disparities. Māori often lack access to equitable and culturally appropriate care. This neglect leads to poorer outcomes and deepens mistrust in the system.
Most trauma causes, like falls and assaults, are preventable. Current prevention efforts fail to address the unique challenges Māori face. Strategies must be inclusive and culturally tailored to be effective.
A better approach requires equity and cultural understanding. Investment in Māori-led healthcare and socioeconomic support is crucial. Preventative campaigns must prioritize Māori needs to create lasting change.
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