UN decision a win for anti-Jabiluka campaign
By Francesca Davis
Decisions by the United Nations World Heritage Committee represent an opportunity to strengthen the campaign to stop Jabiluka uranium mine, Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Dave Sweeney told Green Left Weekly.
The World Heritage Committee has given the Australian government until April 15 to explain how it will ensure there is no danger to Kakadu National Park from the Jabiluka mine. It must provide more scientific data.
According to Sweeney, "Even if the government goes back with some improvements to the technological aspects, there is no way the government can address the fact that it cannot manage the tailings from the mine safely and that it has overruled the concerns of traditional owners. The threats to the cultural and natural values of the park are unavoidable."
The committee delayed listing Kakadu as "World Heritage in danger" until the new reports are provided and verified. Sweeney said, "Several countries, including Cuba, argued for an immediate listing of Kakadu."
The committee voted unanimously that construction of the mine should cease until the final decision next June.
The decision was a blow to the Australian government, which sent 10 people, including the head of Environment Australia, to the meeting to demand that the report condemning the project, written by a special UN team that visited in October, not be received.
The report was the first independent examination of the project. The earlier environmental impact assessment and public environment report were paid for by mine developer ERA and were based on terms of reference that excluded central questions, such as whether Australia should mine uranium and whether it should mine in Kakadu.
"The government will use anything it can to prevent the 'in danger' listing — maybe threaten to withdraw from UNESCO, refuse to nominate areas for listing, list another site as a trade-off, or increase pressure on the Mirrar to support the mine", said Sweeney.
"The public relations machine is already churning out the line that the World Heritage process is not credible."
Sweeney sees the report and the UN process as a key tool for international campaigning against ERA. A major focus of the campaign must be to lobby against the sale of ERA products globally, he said.
While there are no legal consequences if the UN declares Kakadu "in danger", the report's findings can "build public awareness in Australia that the mine is unjustifiable".
"Most of the decision-makers and the media have been complicit in supporting the mine. This report has seen Jabiluka suddenly lifted into the world spotlight and condemned by the most respected environmental body.
"It's imperative that pressure is kept up on the government right now, when it's feeling the weight of international criticism."