Mining

26 August 2003

Dozers Rolling at Jabiluka Signal a Huge Win

Tuesday August 12th 2003 marked an important day in the campaign to stop the Jabiluka uranium mine in Kakadu. On this day the trucks started rolling to begin rehabilitation works on site. Mirrar traditional owners and thousands of people from around Australia and internationally were successful in stopping further construction in 1999. Now the campaign has taken another major step with the 50,000 tonnes of uranium ore already extracted, but never processed, going back down the mine-shaft at Jabiluka.

Since the discovery of uranium in 1971, the word Jabiluka has meant conflict over resources. Jabiluka has posed some of the big questions of our time: what rights do indigenous people really have over their country? Are some places simply too valuable to sacrifice to industrialisation? Are mining rights more important then human rights? Who decides how our future will look?

The latest chapter of the campaign began in 1996 with the election of the Howard Government and a renewed attempt to mine Jabiluka. Seven years later with rehabilitation underway, indigenous rights, anti-nuclear and environmental campaigners have achieved one of their most significant victories in Australian history.

As in all conflicts that are resolved or en-route to resolution, the players race to imprint their version of history on the collective memory. The mining industry may spin the outcome as a maturing or a "greening" of the industry or a cost-saving exercise, government may attribute the outcome to a continuing weak uranium market.

But the 5000 Australians who protested for over 8 months in Kakadu in 1998 (527 of whom were arrested in peaceful demonstrations), and the many other thousands who have marched, written and prayed for an end to Jabiluka have an understanding beyond any public relations positioning. They have affirmed the ability of ordinary people to collectively achieve extraordinary things – to shape events, exert political influence and become future makers.

The Mirrar people never accepted the inevitability of mining at Jabiluka, despite constant company, industry and government assurances that the project would go ahead. In their struggle to protect their country and culture they made Jabiluka a millstone for one of the world's largest resource companies and have redefined future resource conflicts in Australia and internationally by elevating the rights of indigenous people everywhere to determine what happens to their country and their community.

Currently negotiations are underway on an agreement between the traditional owners and the mining company that would give the Mirrar legal veto rights over any future development of Jabiluka. This agreement is expected to be ratified by the Northern Land Council at their next meeting in October 2003. The Mirrar have been resolute in their opposition to mining. Last year Yvonne Margarula, the senior Mirrar traditional owner declared, "We will continue to resist more mining on Mirrar country. We have no choice – this is our land and our life, we can never leave, we must protect it."

Despite the rehabilitation announcement the Jabiluka mineral lease will, for now, remain. As long as there is a mineral lease in Kakadu there is the risk that somebody will want to mine it at some future point. Retiring the mineral lease and incorporating the area into the jointly managed Kakadu National Park would signal the final end to the Jabiluka story and ensure the permanent protection of the region.

However – for now, and hopefully forever – the book is closed on plans to mine Jabiluka and the efforts of those who have acted to safeguard Kakadu and to move away from a future of imposed industrial developments and radioactive threats should be celebrated.

The efforts to stop Jabiluka saw a campaign that travelled from the wetlands and rock country of Kakadu to our lounge rooms and boardrooms, to our churches, campuses and city streets, to the Australian and European Parliaments and UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. All these efforts have made a real and potent difference – working and walking together with courage, creativity and commitment we have stopped Jabiluka and helped create the space needed for a better future for the people and country of Kakadu, and the world.

Plans are currently underway to organise a National Day of Celebration on Jabiluka in late October or early November. For further details of the nearest celebration contact point or if you're keen to organise your own Jabiluka celebration email Dimity Hawkins at dimityhawk@optusnet.com.au

Comment and further information:
Peter Robertson – ECNT coordinator 08 89811984 or 0412 853 641
Dave Sweeney – ACF nuclear campaigner 03 9345 1130 or 0408 317 812
Email: ecnt@octa4.net.au

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