By Sarah Peart
and Tom Flanagan
Opposition continues to mount against the proposed Jabiluka uranium mine inside the Northern Territory's precious Kakadu National Park. Defying the clear opposition of the area's Aboriginal traditional owners, the Mirrar Gundjehmi people, Energy Resources Australia (ERA) is ploughing ahead with plans to set up a second mine. The Ranger mine already operates on the mineral lease.
The protest camp near the site of the proposed mine has been in place for five weeks. The camp, 10 kilometres from the town of Jabiru and 250 km east of Darwin, is the base for a wide range of activities, including a 24-hour vigil at the main gate of the mine site.
Work at the site is officially limited to tasks relating to the environmental impact statement and additional environmental studies. However, an ERA media release and stock exchange announcement on April 22 mentioned expenditure on engineering work at Jabiluka. A security fence, toilets and demountable buildings have been erected at the site.
Construction work awaits the outcome of a committee meeting in the first week of May. The committee is provided for in a clause of the original 1982 Pancontinental agreement for the Ranger mine if changes to that agreement are necessary. (The validity of the 1982 "agreement" is disputed by the Mirrar people.)
The committee includes representatives of the Northern Land Council (NLC), the Office of the Supervising Scientist, environment department, Department of Aboriginal Affairs, ERA, NT Department of Mines and Energy and a group called the Binning Working Committee.
The Mirrar people are entitled to a representative, but they are boycotting the committee because they have no confidence that it will heed their views and oppose the mine. Decisions are made by majority vote.
This meeting must decide whether Jabiluka's uranium ore will be milled at Jabiluka, or at Ranger. ERA's preferred option is to mill at Ranger, but the 1982 agreement decided milling would take place at the Jabiluka site.
As part of their campaign to stop the mine, the Mirrar traditional owners are using every avenue available. Under the 1991 deed of transfer of the project from Pancontinental to ERA, the traditional owners have a right of veto over changes to the agreement, including any proposal for remote milling at Ranger. They have exercised this right by telling both the commonwealth and ERA that they will not approve the proposal to mine at Jabiluka and mill at Ranger.
If the Ranger mill option is approved under the provisions of the 1982 agreement, ERA may attempt to begin construction as early as mid-May. Such a move would be in direct conflict with the provisions of the 1991 deed of transfer.
Should the Jabiluka mill option get the go-ahead, further environmental impact studies should be required before permission to begin construction can be given. This is because, even according to the federal government, the existing EIS deals inadequately with the Jabiluka mill option. If construction begins in May, it may take up to two years before uranium is ready to leave the Jabiluka mine.
The 24-hour vigil at the main gate, 15 kilometres from the protest base camp, has highlighted the tactics of ERA. While the vigil usually consists of only a handful of blockaders, ERA flies workers into the mine site by helicopter rather than confront the vigil. Presumably, this is in order to avoid media coverage of any incidents and to avoid public attention to ERA's activities.
This suggests that ERA is aware of the potential of the blockade to act as a catalyst to convert the strong anti-uranium and anti-nuclear sentiment in the Australian population into protest action against the mine in the major cities.
A few weeks ago, when ERA needed to bring in materials too large for the helicopter, trucks arrived at the gate at 4am with 10 members of the police Tactical Response Group to clear protesters out of the way. With no media present at that time of the morning, adverse publicity was minimised.
The protest camp has the permission of the Mirrar traditional owners. It consists of two communal shade and meeting areas, a cooking area, a first aid tent, a legal issues tent, several pit toilets and bucket showers. Good quality water is available from a bore at the site, and food is brought in every three days from Darwin. Transport is by car pools.
When it gets too hot for some at the camp, activists head for the 50 metre swimming pool at Jabiru, 10 kilometres away. There have been two big pool parties so far.
Activities have included protests at the proposed mine site and outside the existing Ranger uranium mine. By late April, five people had been arrested — two charged with trespass — and 22 others had received trespass warnings.
Organisers estimate that 500 people have joined the blockade for a period, 60 to 150 being present at any one time. Public information displays about the Jabiluka issue have become a regular stop for tourist buses.
On April 18, around 1000 young people attended an outdoor Jabiluka benefit gig despite heavy rain. Bands included Midnight Oil, Coloured Stone and Regurgitator. The atmosphere was electric. A huge banner displaying a mutant three-eyed fish and the words "Save Kakadu" decorated the stage.
A French woman residing at the camp addressed the young audience, linking the struggle to end French nuclear testing in the Pacific with Australian youth's opposition to the Jabiluka mine. Peter Garrett from Midnight Oil expressed his full support for the campaign and said the Oils would take the message to more people.
Visitors to the blockade have included travellers from many parts of the world, as well as Greens WA Senator Dee Margetts, Labor shadow environment minister Duncan Kerr and Mandawuy Yunupingu of Yothu Yindi, who is opposed to the mine.
Blockade organisers report the protest has not experienced hostility from local people. Public meetings held at Jabiru have attracted up to 60 people. ACF campaigner Dave Sweeney told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly that there have been many "quiet expressions of support" from Jabiru residents.
The campaign is being coordinated nationally via a fortnightly telephone hook-up organised from the office of the WA Greens. These hook-ups have linked activists from various anti-Jabiluka groups across the country with the Mirrar traditional owners and the NT Environment Centre (NTEC).
The April 22 telephone conference, smaller than previous hook-ups because Brisbane and Adelaide were unable to participate due to practical reasons, brought together activists from Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Lismore, Nimbin, Hobart, Alice Springs and Darwin.
Organisations involved included the WA Greens, the NTEC, the Wilderness Society, Friends of the Earth, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Resistance, the Democratic Socialist Party and the National Union of Students.
The major topic of discussion of the hook-up was the progress of the blockade. The NTEC reported that buses of activists from Sydney and Melbourne had been arriving at the camp site.
The hook-up discussed the need to make links with the embattled Maritime Union of Australia, traditionally one of the strongest supporters of the anti-uranium and anti-nuclear movements in the trade unions.
Planned events in each state were reported. These include Chernobyl Day events in Sydney and Melbourne, and screenings of David Bradbury's Jabiluka in many places. It was reported that a May 19 international day of action on Jabiluka will include events in the Netherlands, Scotland, South Korea, Japan and possibly Germany, England and the US. The second national day of action was suggested for Hiroshima Day, August 6.
A discussion on the meaning of the ALP's "no new mines" policy was foreshadowed at the next phone conference, to be held on May 6. Activists who wish to participate in the phone hook-up should contact the WA Greens.
In Sydney, the Jabiluka Action Group is planning a night rally on Environment Day, June 5, with the theme "Kakadu by night". Some ideas for the rally include painting slogans in fluorescent colours and to project Jabiluka onto the side of the ERA building. The group is planning an emergency picket for the day mining starts.
In Melbourne, the Jabiluka Action Group has vowed to increase pressure on ERA and the federal government. Activists have proposed a range of events including a protest against North Ltd, ERA's parent company, at 7.30am on May 4 at Fawkner Park, St Kilda.
JAG has been informing people in Melbourne about the struggle of the Mirrar people and the danger to Kakadu National Park through mass protests, band nights, public meetings, direct actions and information stalls. The group has continued to involve a broad range of activists, 40 or so people regularly attending meetings. JAG is publicising a fortnightly bus for Kakadu from Melbourne ($280 return) for those who want to join the blockade.
For more information on anti-Jabiluka events, keep an eye on GLW's Meetings ... Parties ... Anything, pages 29-31, or phone JAG on (03) 9419 8700. Melbourne JAG meets every Tuesday, 6pm, at RMIT, building 12, level 4.