Constance Watcho was and still is a deeply loved member of her family and extended family. She was an Aboriginal mother to ten children, a grandmother, a sister and sister-in-law, and an Aunty. Her life matters, and her life and her killing remain central to her family.
‘Constance was subjected to a violent enforced disappearance on or around the 28-29th November 2017. She was brutally (and with impunity) stolen from her family and community for 2,010 days,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘Her dismembered remains were found ten months after her killing, just 200 meters from where she was living. The police did not spend any time searching this area for her in the almost 10 months that she was disappeared,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘What we are witnessing is Aboriginal women in this country being targeted for enforced disappearances and murders, and when the suspected perpetrators are white men, the cases are barely investigated,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
Any referral to the DPP or ongoing police investigation is next to worthless. It is simply too little too late.
‘The Queensland Police Service and the criminal legal system refuse to treat Aboriginal women as worthy of their own lives, and in turn totally unworthy of being searched. They are killed with impunity in this state, and across this entire continent and the legal system enables this be denying them or their families any justice, even in their death,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘The Coroner’s Court has not only failed Constance, her children, brothers and extended family; it has effectively provided an instruction manual from A-Z as to how to conduct the enforced disappearance and murders of Aboriginal women,’ said Tarita Fisher.
‘Heartbreakingly, the Court has failed to produce the answers the Family and extended family desperately needed for their lives to continue, said Tarita Fisher. ‘Predictably, the Court has protected Queensland Police investigators, rather than subjecting them to proper scrutiny and holding them accountable,’ said Tarita Fisher.
The Queensland Police and the Coroner’s Court today has gifted more impunity to the white men implicated in Constance’s murder and the Queensland Police that have failed Aunty Constance’s children, family and extended family – and all of us at Sister’s Inside will keep fighting to demand that Black lives matter – and to ask the questions:
- Why are the lives and murders of Aboriginal women treated so cheaply in this state and country?
- Where is the accountability for the senior police who let down Constance and her family
- Where is the Premier right now
- Where was the extensive media coverage when Constance went missing?
Ask yourself why?
Why don’t Black women’s lives matter?
Constance Watcho’s children, brothers and extended family will never give up seeking truth and justice for her – and all of us at Sister’s Inside will stand and fight beside them.
Aboriginal women’s lives matter to us – they will always matter and be loved.
MEDIA COMMENTS ENDORSED BY CONSTANCE WATCHO’S FAMILY
For further comment, contact Debbie Kilroy on 0419 762 474