(Forwarded) GUNDJEHMI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION UPDATE 8 (7 JULY 1999)
As hot from the press as it gets:
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate distribution
Wednesday 7 July 1999, 10.30 pm
AUSTRALIA RETREATS IN THE FACE OF UN CRITICISM
The Australian government today announced to the Bureau of the World
Heritage Committee that development of the Jabiluka uranium mine will be
suspended until the cessation of mining at Ranger and as late as the year
2009.
The announcement came after Australia was strongly criticised by the World
Heritage Committee's expert Advisory Bodies over the impact of Jabiluka on
the cultural and natural values of Kakadu National Park.
The Bureau of the World Heritage Committee decided to form a Working Party
to provide recommendations to the special Kakadu Committee Meeting on
Monday 12 July.
The Extraordinary Meeting will decide whether the extensive array of
supposed corrective measures should be accompanied by the inclusion of
Kakadu on the list of World Heritage in Danger.
Executive Officer of Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, Jacqui Katona, said
today, "We welcome the serious concerns expressed by members of the Bureau
with regard to cultural values."
"These concerns are matched by the Bureau's explicit requirement to avoid
cosmetic outcomes and uphold the World Heritage Convention."
"The Australian government is yet to provide details on the proposed
10-year delay and we remain concerned that there has yet to be any attempt
to discuss the issue with the Mirrar."
This issue has not been lost on the Bureau, who repeatedly called on
Australia to develop a relationship of trust with Traditional Owners."
Comment on the above: There is at this stage no way of assessing whether
this is cause for jubilation or not. Until the Mirrar delegation sees the
structure and power of the Working Group; until it becomes clearer quite
what the intent behind this offer is; until the company and the government
sit down with the Mirrar and thrash through all of this, it be viewed as a
potential threat. Hope this doesn't seem too distrustful of our elected
representatives (what's the digital version of "tongue superglued to
cheek"?).
FURTHER NEWS
I'm uncertain whether this was covered nationally or only in the Northern
Territory, but on the ABC News at 7pm in this connection there was also a
report that a tour company was reporting that international tourism was
dropping off, and this was placed firmly at the feet of the Jabiluka issue.
Karl-Erik Paasonen
for Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation
Contact details:
Phone: Within Australia: (08) 8979 2200; international: +61 - 8 - 8979
2200; Fax: Within Australia: (08) 8979 2299; international:
+61 - 8 - 8979 2299
Postal address: PO Box 245 Jabiru,
Northern Territory
AUSTRALIA 0886.
We have this amazing web-site, which you'd be CRAZY not to have a look at:
http://www.mirrar.net
...........................................................................
"We will fight to protect our country and that is a fact of life"
Yvonne Margarula.
Ba-ngurdmeninj Djabulukku! Yun Ngurri-Djalgarung Boiwek Gun-Ngukbim!
"Stop Jabiluka! Don't the dig the life out of the Knob-Tailed Gecko Dreaming!"
...........................................................................
-------------------------------------------------------
RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at
http://www.mail-archive.com/
To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body
of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce
This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission
from the
copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under
the "fair
use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further
without
permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
