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 he ancient wilderness of Kakadu (Cack-a-doo) is Australia's largest national park. It is also the pride of the native Australians, or Aborigines (Ab-uh-ridge-uh-neez), who have lived there for more than 40,000 years. Theirs is Australia's longest known surviving human culture!
Nearly 60 species of mammals, among them kangaroos, dingoes, bats and dusky rats, roam Kakadu's 8,000 square miles of high stone plateaus, forest woodlands, rain forest, plains and coastal areas. Dangerous Australian saltwater crocodiles and venomous snakes also lurk about.
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Protesters say the existing Ranger uranium mine, here, pollutes the park and harms living things.
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To Aborigines like Jacqui Katona and Yvonne Margarula, these fierce creatures are a treasure in need of protection. The two women have been leading a fight to stop the construction of a uranium mine at Jabiluka, a spot surrounded by Kakadu. Aborigines have opposed the mine for almost 20 years.
Kakadu, which is so rich in wildlife, also has one of the world's largest deposits of uranium, a valuable radioactive mineral. It is used to produce electricity and nuclear weapons. But it can be dangerous to living creatures and toxic to the environment if not handled with care.
The Aborigines have had their fill of uranium mining. One already operates near Jabiluka. A leak occurred there just last April. The Aborigines fear that such leaks damage the park's ecosystem and contaminate fish, plants and other wildlife that they eat. "Aboriginal people have had uranium forced on them," says Katona.
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Katona and Margarula fear that a new mine will harm ancient art such as this fish drawing.
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This Land Is Our Land!
More than one-third of Kakadu is legally recognized as Aboriginal land. The entire park is protected not only as an Australian national park but also as a United Nations World Heritage site, or place of "outstanding universal value." Kakadu is one of about 20 such sites whose importance is based on both natural and cultural significance. Kakadu includes lands that are sacred to the Aborigines. It contains ancient art etched in stone.
Despite these protections, the company that is building the Jabiluka mine has a lease to dig there. "Jabiluka has never been part of Kakadu," insists Scott Walker, of the mining company Energy Resources of Australia (ERA).
Katona and Margarula say the Aborigines were forced to sign the lease. They've protested the mining plan with legal action and one of the biggest blockades in Australian history. For several months in the late 1990s, Aborigines and members of environmental groups blocked construction on the site. Many were arrested. Katona was thrown in jail.
The U.N. World Heritage Committee (WHC) became concerned too. It asked Australian authorities for a report on how they planned to keep Aboriginal culture safe.
Mine construction began in June 1998, but a year later the WHC put an 18-month halt on mining. Before construction can continue, the ERA has to prove that the mine won't damage Aboriginal cultural treasures. Since the construction was halted, says ERA's Bob Cleary, "ERA has been working toward delivering better cultural, environmental and economic outcomes for the region."
They Will Fight to the Finish
In 1999 Katona and Margarula were awarded the Goldman Prize, which is given yearly to six environmentalists for outstanding achievement. The twosome put their $100,000 prize money toward stopping the mining and gaining full control of Jabiluka for Aborigines. Says Katona: "Jabiluka is about protecting culture for future generations and continuing to live the cultural traditions."
By Laura C. Girardi
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