SCORES of people have gathered in Northbridge to hear Indigenous leaders call for justice after the death of 14-year-old Elijah Doughty in Kalgoorlie.
Elijah was allegedly riding a stolen motorcycle last Monday when he was hit by a utility driven by a 55-year-old man, who has since been charged with manslaughter over the incident.
The incident triggered violent clashes between police and protesters in Kalgoorlie last week.
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READ NOWDespite a heavy police presence, there was no trouble at Monday’s gathering which took place late morning at the Northbridge Cultural Centre.
Several Indigenous speakers addressed the crowd in attendance, with each well received by the roughly 150 people in attendance.
The final speaker was Robert Eggington, chief of the Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation.
Mr Eggington made note of several legal cases involving Indigenous Australians, including the 1999 murder of 14-year-old Cleon Jackman, who died after being tortured for five hours by three people in a house in Langford.
“Perth is the most racist city in the most racist country in the world,” Mr Eggington told those gathered.
“We have entered a spiritual warfare.
“The last bastion of genocide, before all who’ve lost, we have little time left to fail.
“One of the hardest things in life for our young people is to simply stay alive.
“The infant and adult mortality rates for Aboriginal people in this country compared to non-Aboriginal people is its greatest shame.
“Our leadership is broken, fractured and nullified.
“My message to our young people here today is that we must stay true to our cultural beliefs and our spirit and our old-people’s sayings.
“We must respect each other – know you are from the most ancient peoples on this planet.”