Antinuclear

Aborigines stand up to BHP Billiton on damage to their resources

(Australian- about iron ore, OK – but implications for uranium) –

Lore of the land as Aborigines take on BHP

The Age Jan Mayman 3 August 09
If the mining warden agrees to hear their case, they will call a series of expert witnesses, including WA’s 2009 scientist of the year, Professor Jorg Imberger, a world authority on hydrology, as well as elders to explain their fears. They are especially concerned by the cumulative impact of mining on the Pilbara’s water resources,…………..

………As mining plunges deep below the water table, with huge volumes of water pumped out to expose the orebody, the traditional owners are profoundly disturbed by the impact on underground aquifers that feed springs, billabongs and waterholes all over the region……………..

Counsel for the mining company, Perth barrister Peter Quinlan, argued that human rights and public interest issues were irrelevant to the mining lease applications………………

……….WA’s Native Title Act had been repeatedly criticised by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Human Rights Committee as being discriminatory and not adequately protective of indigenous land rights.

Lore of the land as Aborigines take on BHP

August 3, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | aboriginal issues, uranium, Western Australia | aboriginal, antinuclear, nuclear, uranium