DATE=7/3/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234937 TITLE=URANIUM PROTEST (L-ONLY) BYLINE=ANDREW NETTE DATELINE=JABILUKA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: POLICE IN AUSTRALIA'S NORTHERN TERRITORY ON FRIDAY ARRESTED ONE HUNDRED SIX PEOPLE DURING A DEMONSTRATION AT ONE OF THE WORLD'S RICHEST UNDEVELOPED URANIUM DEPOSITS, LOCATED IN THE WORLD HERITAGE LISTED KAKADU NATIONAL PARK. ANDREW NETTE REPORTS FROM JABILUKA, NEAR THE PROPOSED URANIUM MINE SITE, THAT THE DISPUTE IS A CLASSIC BATTLE BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND MODERNIZATION ON ONE SIDE AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND NATIVE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER. TEXT: THE ARRESTS FOLLOWED A DAWN DEMONSTRATION BY MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED ANTI-NUCLEAR PROTESTERS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE LEASE AREA OF THE JABILUKA MINE SITE, 200 KILOMETERS EAST OF DARWIN. THOSE ARRESTED WERE TAKEN TO JAIL IN THE NEARBY MINING TOWN OF JABIRU, BEFORE BEING TRANSPORTED EN MASSE TO DARWIN WHERE THEY COULD BE HELD OVER THE WEEKEND, BEFORE BEING CHARGED, MOST LIKELY WITH TRESPASSING ON MONDAY. THE PROTEST WAS PART OF A BLOCKADE AT THE SITE BY ENVIRONMENT AND PEACE GROUPS AND THE AREA'S TRADITIONAL ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS, KNOWN AS THE MIRRAR. DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING ON SINCE MARCH. FACING OFF AGAINST THEM IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST MINING COMPANIES, ENERGY RESOURCES AUSTRALIA, OR E-R-A, WHICH HAS THE BACKING OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF THE MINE. E-R-A SAYS THE JABILUKA URANIUM DEPOSIT IS THE LARGEST IN AUSTRALIA, WITH A POTENTIAL EXPORT VALUE OF APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLARS TO NUCLEAR POWER COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES, ASIA AND EUROPE. IN ADDITION, THE COMPANY SAYS THE MINE WILL PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS TO THE MIRRAR COMMUNITY IN THE FORM OF MINING ROYALTIES, FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HOUSING . THE MIRRAR, HOWEVER, SAY THEY WANT NO PART OF THE MINING COMPANY'S MONEY AND ARE TOTALLY OPPOSED TO JABILUKA GOING AHEAD. THEY SAY THEIR STRUGGLE IS FOR CULTURAL AND POLITICAL SELF-DETERMINATION, CONTROL OF THEIR LAND AND AGAINST WHAT THEY VIEW AS THE SERIOUS SOCIAL IMPACT MINING WILL BRING TO THEIR SMALL COMMUNITY. ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ARE OPPOSED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A URANIUM MINE IN KAKADU, NAMED BY THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION FOR BOTH ITS NATURAL AND CULTURAL VALUE. IN ADDITION TO TAKING THEIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE MINE ALL AROUND AUSTRALIA, A DELEGATION OF MIRRAR PEOPLE RECENTLY VISITED A UNESCO MEETING IN PARIS, WHERE THEIR LOBBIED FOR THE U-N ORGANIZATION TO PUT KAKADU ON ITS LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE AREAS ENDANGERED BY MINING. ACCORDING TO KATE LECCHI, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE "STOP JABILUKA CAMPAIGN," THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS SHOWS THE DEPTH OF PUBLIC FEELING AGAINST URANIUM MINING IN AUSTRALIA: /// LECCHI ACTUALITY /// ONE POINT TO MAKE IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GET ARRESTED, BUT PEOPLE ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS TO HAVE TO LIVE IN A RADIOACTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER AUSTRALIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ARE HERE SAYING NO TO JABILUKA AND NO TO URANIUM MINING. /// END ACTUALITY /// EXECUTIVES AT ENERGY RESOURCES AUSTRALIA'S SYDNEY HEADQUARTERS COULD NOT BE BE CONTACTED ABOUT FRIDAY'S DEMONSTRATION, BUT ARE ON RECORD AS SAYING THAT THE COMPANY WILL PUSH AHEAD WITH THE MINE, REGARDLESS OF THE OPPOSITION. (SIGNED) NEB/AN/FC 03-Jul-98 5:22 AM EDT (0922 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
