19 August 2014
Media Statement
Yolngu Nations Assembly
Muḏumana Rom and Policing Together
Over the previous 11 months the Muḏumana Rom Institution has been open on Milingimbi Island (Central Arnhem Land Coast). This institution is part of the Maḏayin-system-of-law, covering all of Arnhem Land, and trains participants in good relationships, social responsibility, and our moral code. In recent times Yolngu Nations Assembly (YNA) have been attempting to link Muḏumana Rom with the Australian justice system to improve outcomes for indigenous offenders. The case of Edwin Djanbuy (Edwin Djambuy) has highlighted the possible success of such a partnership.
The grounds of the Muḏumana Rom Institution are restricted, and authorities take first time novices into their custody,wherebythey cannot leave until a full cycle of Muḏumana Rom finishes. This means some novices spend nearly a year inside (a whole cycle), while many others enter toward the end of the cycle, spending a few months. After this there is continuing levels of training and attainment.On Wednesday the 13th of August the Milingimbi Muḏumana Rom Institution finished its cycle and nearly 150 first time novices emerged from the site to ‘graduate’ in a public ceremony observed by hundreds of witnesses.
Despite the cycle finishing at Milingimbi the grounds remain under restriction and only ‘graduates’ can enter with permission from the appropriate authorities. For this reason it became impossible for Muḏumana Rom authorities to permit access to the site when requested by drug police on Sunday the 17th of August. Police agreed not to enter the site after speaking with witnesses who had been inside.
Despite the good decision by police not to continue to press their interest in entering the site, the event has caused offence to Muḏumana Rom authorities because the institution is in no way connected to drug trafficking, and potential breaches of the sanctuary can only result in conflict, which is unwanted and damaging to every one involved.
YNA spokesperson Djiniyini Gondarra says:
“There has been a dialogue between Muḏumana Rom and Australian law. We don’t want to break this. Police cannot go into the Muḏumana Rom space without proper training. If they went in they would need to be held in custody until next year.
Muḏumana Rom provides strong moral teaching and discipline for hundreds of young men in Arnhem Land. Our fight and that of the police is the same fight against drugs. We know that police have warrants, but the police still need authority from elders, and cannot just rely on outside authority.
YNA is trying to assist development in health, education and justice-and all areas of governance - we can’t have the building partnerships broken. We request police to work with community elders and our law for all issues.”
Contact: Djiniyini Gondarra, 0475308088 or 0428402929
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