1998

 



January

•European Parliament passes a resolution condemning the Australian government's approval of Jabiluka.
February
• Mirrar launch national speaking tour, campaign grows nationally
March
• Blockade Camp established in Kakadu which undertakes protest activity at the Jabiluka lease drawing national and international attention to mining in Kakadu.
May 19th
•International Day of Action to Stop Jabiluka. Yvonne Margarula arrested with three other bininj for trespass on land to which she holds title.
June
•Senator Robert Hill proposes Public Environment Report to investigate Jabiluka Milling Alternative as a result of insufficient information provided by ERA in Environmental Impact Assesment process.
June
•Yvonne Margarula attends UNESCO World Heritage Bureau meeting in Paris resulting in a Mission nominated to visit Kakadu to report to the World Heritage Committee.
July
• Mass arrests at the Jabiluka blockade
August
• Yvonne Margarula, Jacqui Katona and Christine Christophersen attend over 40 meetings and conferences in Europe

September

•Legal challenge brought by Yvonne Margarula to the approval of the Public Environment Report by Senator Robert Hill
October
 •Senator Robert Hill approves Public Environment Report prepared by ERA.
• Within twenty four hours, amending and weakening conditions Senator Warwick Parer approves Jabiluka Milling alternative
•Federal election is called. Howard re-elected despite intense media campaign
• UNESCO World Heritage Mission visits Kakadu and Canberra to assess threats to World Heritage Listing.
November
•World Heritage Mission report handed down findings showing significant serious acertained and potential threats
• Yvonne Margarula is awarded inaugural Nuclear Free Future Award for Resistance
• Mirrar travel to Kyoto for WHC meeting
December
•World Heritage Committee accepts the UNESCO Mission findings and recommends voluntary suspension of
construction at Jabiluka until Australian government respond to Mission report.
• Australian government refuses to comply with recommendation to suspend construction activity.

 

 

1999

 

February

•Yvonne Margarula appeals her conviction for trespass in Supreme Court of Northern Territory
• Jacqui Katona and Christine Christophersen go to gaol rather than pay trespass fines
• Hill rejects Mirrar concerns regarding sacred site threatened by ongoing construction at Jabiluka at a meeting with Yvonne Margarula in Canberra.

March

•Supreme Court rejects Yvonne Margarula’s appeal against trepass charge
• North Limited premises blockaded for four days by protests against Jabiluka
April •Yvonne Margarula and Jacqui Katona win the Goldman Prize for grassroots environmental Activism
May
 • The Mirrar lodge a Section 10 application for the recognition and protection of the Boyweg-Almudj sacred site complex.
June

•34 Key US Congress members support the listing of Kakadu onto the World Heritage In Danger list
• Australian Senate Jabiluka Inquiry report released. The findings overwhelmingly support the Traditional Owners position that the mine should NOT proceed.
•Despite strong objection from the Mirrar, ERA continue construction of Jabiluka and cross the boundary into the Boyweg-Almudj sacred site complex.
July
 •The UNESCO World Heritage Committee found the Jabiluka Uranium mine to pose serious negative impacts on the WH values of Kakadu. The grave concerns held by the committee delayed the listing of Kakadu as "In Danger" until April 2000. The Government at that time must be able explain how the mine can proceed without damaging the cultural values of the Mirrar; otherwise Kakadu will be listed as "In Danger". In the meantime the committee recommended all work at Jabiluka to cease.
August •Mirrar protest drilling progam being undertaken by ERA into the orebody (& Boyweg-Almudj) to World Heritage Committee
September
 • ALL WORK AT JABILUKA CEASED INDEFINITELY
October • Mirrar withdraw their Section 10 application due to the appointment of Mr Bardy McFarlane to head the inquiry. Mr Mc Farlane has most his past experience defending mining company and pastoralist's interests in Native Title cases.
•The NLC full council voted to respect the Mirrar's rejection of the Ranger Mill Alternative(RMA) proposal and for all negotiation on the RMA to cease for 5 years.
November
 •The Australian (Tues 9th Nov) front page story highlights the fallacy that Ranger has helped the local Aboriginal people, exposing that rather than help it has caused a greatly negative social impact on Aboriginal people. Establishing another mine will only serve to compound these problems.

 

 

 


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