Rio Tinto must act on its words

by Jules Andrews

Local Indigenous communities and environmental groups are calling on mining 
giant Rio Tinto to match its recent words with clear action and begin 
immediate rehabilitation works at Jabiluka. The call follows a commitment 
by the Chairman of Rio Tinto to plug the mineshaft at the controversial 
Jabiluka uranium mine site in Kakadu.

Development works at Jabiluka have been hampered for three years because of 
traditional Aboriginal owner and community opposition, along with a 
depressed international uranium market. The troubled project is currently 
on "care and maintenance" status.

Rio Tinto CEO Sir Robert Wilson was at the World Summit on Sustainable 
Development when he answered a question about Jabiluka on BBC radio.

"I announced publicly that there would be no development of that project 
without the consent of the traditional landowners, the Mirrar people...we 
won't develop it without their consent, full stop", said Mr Wilson.

Questioned further about rehabilitation of the Jabiluka mine site, Mr 
Wilson responded, "There is on this projected site no more than a tiny 
hole, an adit...What we will do is to rehabilitate that area, we'll block 
off the adit".

The Senior Traditional Owner of the Mirrar People of Kakadu National Park, 
Yvonne Margarula, reaffirmed her opposition to the proposed Jabiluka 
uranium mine.

"It doesn't matter how many times they ask, I'm not going to agree to the 
Djabulukgu [Jabiluka] mine, for whatever reason they want from it, money or 
whatever else. Mining ruins the land. Just like the way the Ranger mine has 
destroyed the land.

"My mind is firmly set. I'm not going to allow them to destroy any more of 
my land", Ms Margarula said.

Executive officer of Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, Andy Ralph, said CEO 
Robert Wilson's words amounted to "all talk, no action".

"So long as the threat of Jabiluka hangs over the Mirrar, Rio Tinto's 
commitments to sustainability and community consultation are meaningless 
and, indeed, contemptuous.

"The Mirrar will never support the Jabiluka mine and according to Sir 
Robert Wilson this means there will never be a Jabiluka mine, therefore the 
project site must be rehabilitated and the land incorporated into Kakadu 
National Park."

The Mirrar people have also been angered by Mr Wilson stating that there 
has been no damage to sacred sites at Jabiluka.

Mr Ralph countered that the Mirrar have issued numerous specific media 
statements over the years about the desecration of sacred sites at 
Jabiluka.

They also, unsuccessfully, sought a Northern Territory Supreme Court 
injunction against the construction of the mine tunnel in July 1998, 
arguing that a sacred site would be desecrated."

"Rio Tinto is leaking contaminants and credibility every day because of 
uranium mining in Kakadu", said Australian Conservation Foundation nuclear 
campaigner Dave Sweeney.

"Rio Tinto should act to protect both their reputation and Kakadu National 
Park."

Environment and indigenous groups have lobbied to ban mining at Jabiluka 
since it was first given a green light by the Howard Government, shortly 
after was elected in 1996.

In 1997 the Federal Government accepted inherently flawed Environmental and 
Cultural Impact Statements, even though they did not comply with legislated 
standards.

Mass protests and blockades of the site by environmental and Indigenous 
groups began in 1998 at the commencement of construction.

Rio Tinto's operations in Kakadu are currently the focus of a Senate 
Inquiry following widespread concern over a series of leaks and 
contamination threats.

During peak operation the one-kilometre deep "adit" hole in the ground 
pumped one litre of uranium-contaminated water to the surface every minute, 
every hour of the day.