Keepers of Lake Eyre
120 Wakefield St, Adelaide 5000
T. 0419 812 788 / 0428 660 636
E. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
PRESS STATEMENTS: 1.00 pm
Friday April 28, 2000
Canberra, ACT
ARABUNNA STRATEGY for the OLYMPICS
ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSY TODAY, 28/4/00
Arabunna Elder, Kevin Buzzacott, recently addressed the Annual General
Meeting of Western Mining Corporation (WMC), and invited shareholders to
visit his country and witness the crimes inflicted on Arabunna Land and
Peoples by their company. Today Kevin will be giving an update of the
Arabunna's ongoing struggle against WMC and the Genocide of his People and
Country. He will also be introducing his strategy for the Olympic Games,
including the Walk from Lake Eyre to Sydney.
Kevin Buzzacott is from the Lake Eyre region in South Australia. WMC's
Olympic Dam Mine borders Arabunna country and is licensed to take up to 42
million litres of water daily from the Great Artesian Basin, causing
irreparable damage to the region's water supply and sacred mound springs.
Kevin claims this is "causing serious mental harm to members of the Arabunna
People; and deliberately inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to
bring about their physical destruction, in whole or in part." (Article 2,
Genocide Convention Act, 1949, Australian Federal Parliament.)
Kevin Buzzacott has declared "A breakthrough is needed, the injustices and
the Genocide of Aboriginal Peoples must stop!"
This call comes after many attempts on the part of Kevin to bring about
Peace talks in Australia. He has appealed to three levels of the Court
system to right injustices against the Arabunna People. He has held
numerous demonstrations and sustained protest actions. He has approached
all levels of Government, including the Governor General and the Governor of
South Australia. He has set up an "Arabunna Going Home Camp", at Lake Eyre
South, as a gathering place for Peace and understanding. He has in fact
devoted much of his life to bringing this message to all Peoples.
The upcoming Walk for the Land is a further opportunity for people to come
forward and share in this process. Kevin invites us all to find a way to
live together peacefully and provide a healthy and caring community and
environment for all people.
The Walk for the Land, to be led by Kevin Buzzacott, will travel across the
country, via Beverley Uranium mine, Broken Hill, Dubbo and onto Sydney,
arriving in time for the Olympics. This walk will welcome all who wish to
look for new and respectful ways to live on this land, based on the
recognition of the Sovereign Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Walk for the Land will pass through several Aboriginal Nations in the
Right Way, respecting their Sovereignty, their Cultures and their Dreaming.
Upon arrival in Sydney, The Walk for the Land will seek to focus the
attention of the world media on Indigenous issues and try to heal the place
where the invaders put their first deadly foothold upon this country.
Fire and water from Arabunna country will be carried and others are
encouraged to bring wood and water from their country to add to the ritual
of healing that will be carried out in Sydney.
Contact: 0419 812 788 or 0428 660 636
Keepers of Lake Eyre
120 Wakefield St, Adelaide 5000
T. 0419 812 788 / 0428 660 636
E. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Public Statement
Friday April 28, 2000
Canberra, ACT
GATHERING FOR PEACE
ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSY TODAY, from 12 noon, 28/4/00
Arabunna elder, Kevin Buzzacott, from Lake Eyre in South Australia, and the
Aboriginal Tent Embassy, are inviting all interested people to gather at the
Embassy today to talk about Peace; the Walk for the Land (from Lake Eyre to
the Sydney Olympics); and about Aboriginal issues in general.
The gathering will start at 12 noon and will be held at the Ceremonial Fire
for Peace, on the lawns of old Parliament House.
The media are also being encouraged to attend. Kevin will be giving an
update of the Arabunna's ongoing struggle against Western Mining Corporation
(Olympic Dam mine), Genocide, and he will be introducing the Walk from Lake
Eyre to Sydney, for Peace and Healing.
Kevin Buzzacott has declared "A breakthrough is needed, the injustices and
the genocide of Aboriginal People must stop!"
This call comes after many attempts on the part of Kevin to bring about
Peace talks in Australia. He has appealed to three levels of the Court
system to right injustices against the Arabunna People. He has held
numerous demonstrations and sustained protest actions. He has approached
all levels of Government, including the Governor General and the Governor of
South Australia. He has set up an "Arabunna Going Home Camp", at Lake Eyre
South, as a gathering place for Peace and understanding. He has in fact
devoted much of his life to bringing this message to all Peoples.
The upcoming walk is a further opportunity for people to come forward and
share in this process. Kevin invites us all to find a way to live together
peacefully and
