Lessons for Shannon from the Successful Campaign to Close Jabiluka Uranium Mine

by Ciaron - Jabiluka Ploughshares Fri Jun 04, 2004 01:28

http://www.plowsharesactions.org/webpages/JABILUKAPLOWSHARES.htm

by AAP Fri Jun 04, 2004 03:23

Thursday April 22, 08:04 PM
Traditional owners get Jabiluka veto
AAP

Traditional Aboriginal owners signed off on a historic agreement ending
their long struggle against the controversial Jabiluka uranium mine.

The landmark deal gives the owners the right to veto the future
development of the site in the heart of Kakadu National Park in the
Northern Territory.

The Northern Land Council (NLC), acting on behalf of traditional
owners, voted unanimously at its full council meeting to ratify the
agreement with the mine owner, resources giant Rio Tinto's Energy
Resources of Australia (ERA).

The long-awaited deal was flagged last July but delayed until now to
give more time for consultation with traditional owners.

The Jabiluka mine had been the focus of years of bitter and violent
protests, which culminated in the late 1990s when ERA finally won
approval to extract uranium from the site.

Thousands of protesters rallied across Australia against the mine, with
hundreds arrested in demonstrations.

Extracted uranium ore was never processed and sat in a stockpile at the
site until late last year when it was put back in the mine as part of
the deal.

Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, which represents the Mirrar people,
said that under the deal ERA had pledged not to carry out any mining
activity on the Jabiluka Mineral Lease without the written consent of
the Mirrar people.

The Jabiluka mine decline was backfilled and the site cleaned up late
last year.

Some of ERA's financial obligations will also be waived under the deal.

ERA has paid out more than $7.5 million to the Northern Land Council
since 1998 as part of an agreement signed with the previous mine owners
Pan Continental.

"We heartily welcome the NLC's ratification of the agreement,"
Gundjehmi executive officer Andy Ralph said.

"While it has taken many months for the NLC to finally arrive at this
point, we are happy that there is now Aboriginal consensus on giving
Mirrar traditional owners true control over their destiny in relation
to uranium mining.

"This agreement will see the Mirrar people in the driving seat, for the
first time in 30 years, of mining activity on their country."

ERA welcomed the decision and thanked the Mirrar people for their
"strong leadership".

"This agreement comes after more than 18 months of negotiations between
the company and the Mirrar traditional owners through the Gundjehmi
Aboriginal Corporation and the NLC," an ERA spokeswoman said.

"ERA believes this agreement is beneficial for social, economic and
environmental reasons."

The agreement must now be approved by Indigenous Affairs Minister
Amanda Vanstone prior to it coming into force, Mr Ralph said.