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Tuesday 14 May 2007, Media Release

NSWALC WELCOMES ZIMBABWE CRICKET BAN

The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has welcomed the Howard Government’s decision to ban the Australian cricket team from touring Zimbabwe in September.

It now calls on Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council to stop pursuing politically naïve attempts to arrange the tour in a neutral country.

Such an outcome would only place Zimbabwean cricketers and supporters who were involved in such a match at risk from brutal retribution from the Mugabe regime.

Events in Zimbabwe in recent years clearly indicate this is a real threat.

NSWALC wrote to the Federal Government and Cricket Australia more than a month ago seeking a ban on the tour because of the ongoing brutal repression in Zimbabwe.

We made it clear that, in this instance, human rights should come before cricket and the proposed tour would be used as a propaganda tool in Zimbabwe.

NSWALC was among a number of Aboriginal organisations which called on the Federal Government to act quickly to send a clear message to the Mugabe regime.

The Federal Government has now done that.

The International Cricket Council and Cricket Australia should accept the decision and scrap any further attempts to arrange a tour on neutral soil.

Geoff Scott
Chief Executive Officer
NSWALC

Further information: Paul Molloy (02) 6124 3562 | 0419 690 926