Fwd: 33 CONGESSPEOPLE WRITE CLINTON RE KAKADU IN DANGER

["Michael C. Baker" <mcbaker@lanl.gov>]

FYI ... Mike ... mcbaker@lanl.gov


>To: nukenet@envirolink.org, abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com
>Subject: 33 CONGESSPEOPLE WRITE CLINTON RE KAKADU IN DANGER: FAX
>	BABBITNOW!
>
>John Hallam
>Friends of the Earth Sydney,
>Suite 15,
>1st Floor, 104 Bathurst Street,
>Sydney, NSW, 2000.
>
>Fax(61)(2)9283-2005 ph(61)(2)9283-2006.
>
>nonukes@foesyd.org.au    http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd
>
>CONTAINS:
>Introduction
>LETTER RE KAKADU FROM 33 US CONGRESSPEOPLE TO CLINTON
>LETTER FROM FRIENDS OF THE EARTH TO US SECRETARY FOR THE INTERIOR BRUCE
BABBITT
>STATEMENT BY GUNDJEHMI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
>
>
>Dear US Congresspeople, NGOs and others,
>
>The fight to get Kakadu on the list of World Heritage In Danger in view of
>a planned uranium mine in the middle of the World Heritage registered
>national park in Australia's north has taken on a new dimension, with 33 US
>representatives signing on to a letter to President Clinton, asking the US
>administration to support an 'in Danger' listing at the upcoming meeting of
>the World Heritage Committee in Paris on July 12, and the Bureau over July
>5-10.
>
>IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU WRITE NOW TO US SECRETARY FOR THE INTERIOR BRUCE
>BABBITT, AND US WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES IN PARIS,
>FOLLOWING UP AND SUPPORTING THIS LETTER.
>
>THEY NEED TO HEAR THAT THE US SHOULD TAKE THE SAME RESPONSIBLE POSITION ON
>KAKADU THAT IT TOOK ON YELLOWSTONE, AND THAT IF IT DOES NOT THE CREDIBILITY
>OF THE ENTIRE WORLD HERITAGE REGIME WILL BE SEVERELY COMPROMISED.
>
>BABBITS FAX NUMBER IS 202-208-5048.
>US WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE PERMANENT REP MACILHENNEY'S NUMBER IN PARIS AT
>UNESCO IS +33-1-42-66-97-83.
>
>DEPUTY US WHC REP JOHN C. REYNOLDS NUMBER IS 202-208-7889.
>
>TEXT OF THE US REPS LETTER FOLLOWS, THEN THE FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA
>LETTER TO BABBITT, THEN STATEMENT BY GUNDJEHMI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
>
>I SUGGEST YOU USE BOTH AS MODEL LETTERS.
>
>Feel free to customise or shorten it.
>
>US Senators letter
>
>Dear President Clinton,
>
>We are writing to you on behalf of two Goldman environmental prize winners,
>Jacqui Katona, and Yvonne Margarula of Australia.
>
>These extraordinary Aboriginal women have been leading a popular national
>campaign to prevent construction of the Jabiluka uranium mine on the land
>of the Mirrar people.
>
>Yvonne margarula is the leader of the Mirrar people, and bears
>responsibiity of ensuring the protetion of their lands and culture in
>accordance with the 60,000 year old traditions of her forefathers.
>
>The proposed Jabiluka minesite is surrounded by Kakadu National Park, a
>World Heritage area known for its rich biodiversity and cultural
>significance. The Mirrar people believe that Jabiluka, which would be the
>second uraium mine developed on Mirrar land despite their protests, will
>gravely damage the environment and cultural values of Kakadu.
>
>In october 1998, a UNESCO World Heritage Committee Mission visited Kakadu
>National Park to determine if the proposed Jabiluka uranium mine would
>cause damage to Kakadu and subsequently whether or not Kakadu should be
>placed on the 'In danger' list. Based on detailed analysis of scientific
>and cultural information, the Missions primary reccommendation was that
>'severe ascertained and potential dangers to the cultural and natural vaues
>of Kakadu National Park re posed primarily by the proposal for uranium
>mining and milling at Jabiluka. The Mission therefore reccommends that the
>proposal to mine and mill uranium at Jabiluka should not proceed.' Based on
>these findings, the World Heritage Committee resolved during the December
>1998 meeting that construction should cease pending a decision on an 'in
>Danger' listing in July 1999.
>
>This debate over the Jabiluka mine has captured attention worldwide  as
>nations are now making sincere efforts to stop its development.  Both the
>European Parliament and the Australian Senate have passed resolutions
>condemning the Australian Government for allowing the construction of the
>Jabiluka mine despite the concerns of the UN World Heritage Committee. In
>addition, support for this movement is continuing to grow amongst
>Australians.  According to a 1998 newspoll, two thirds of the Australian
>population oppose the mine  and less than 10% actively support it.  it is
>also worth noting that until three years ago, uranium mining at jabiluka
>was prohibited by the Australian government.  However in 1996, the longtime
>labour government was ousted by a conservative coalition, which has since
>become a powerful advocate in favour of opening the mine.
>
>The US Department of Interior will soon play an important role in deciding
>the fate of Kakadu National Park. For this reason we, the undersigned
>members of the US House of Representatives, implore the US to support an
>'In Danger' listing for Kakadu National Park at the 2nd Extraordinary
>Session of the World Heritage Committee to be held on July 12th in Paris.
>We also urge US representatives at UNESCO ti steadfastly oppose uranium
>mining in one of Australia's richest national treasures.
>
>Mr President, we thank you for your fine effortsto preserve and protect
>America's national heritage. We ask you to extend the same courtesy  and
>assistance to Australian environmental, human -rights, and indigenous
>rights advocates who now need your help. We and the American public are now
>counting on your firm leadership in the ongoing effort to protect this
>premier example of the worlds natural and cultural landscapes from
>irrevocable harm.
>
>Signed: (Partial List only)
>Cynthis mc Kinley
>Greg Meeks,
>Maurice Hinchley
>John Lewis
>Major Owens
>JimMc Dermott
>Nancy Pelosi
>John Conyers
>Edward Markey
>Gary Ackerman
>Lynn Woolsey
>Rosa de Lauro
>Bob Filner
>Carolyn mc carthy
>Barbara Lee
>Bill Paserell Jr,
>Tom Lantos
>Tom Udall
>Eudolphus Towns
>Sam Farr
>James Clyburn
>
>(Other signatures )
>
>
>FRIENDS OF THE EARTH SYDNEY LETTER TO BRUCE BABBITT AND US WORLD HERITAGE
>COMMITTEE REPS
>
>BRUCE BABBITT,U.S.,
>SECRETARY FOR THE INTERIOR  1-202-208-5048,
>
>UNITED STATES PERMANENT WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE,
>+33-1-42-66-97-83,
>
>JOHN C. REYNOLDS, 202-208-7889
>24/6/1999
>
>Dear Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, and US representatives to
UNESCO,
>
>I am writing in direct response to the letter sent today by Congressperson
>Cynthia Mc Kinley, Maurice Hinchley, and a large number of others, to
>President Clinton, on behalf of the Jabiluka traditional owners, urging him
>to support an 'in danger' listing for the World Heritage Kakadu National
>Park, threatened by the Jabiluka uranium mine which is completely
>surrounded on all sides by World Heritage National Park and adjacent to
>Ramsar-registered wetlands.
>
>It is absolutely imperative that the US administration support an 'in
>Danger' listing for Kakadu as urged by Cynthia Mc Kinley's letter.  Not do
>so will both imperil the World Heritage values of Kakadu and seriously
>compromise the credibility of the World Heritage regime as a whole.
>
>The European Parliament and the Australian Senate have both passed
>resolutions demanding that the Jabiluka project not proceed.
>
>In October last year, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, after
>receiving representations from the Traditional Owners and from environment
>NGOs worldwide expressing extreme concern about the potential effects of
>uranium mining on the World Heritage values of Kakadu, sent out a High
>level Mission to Kakadu.
>
>After extensive consultations the Mission concluded strongly that Kakadu
>should be listed as 'World Heritage In Danger'.
>
>At the December meeting of the World Heritage Bureau and Committee, the
>report of the Kakadu Mission was affirmed as thorough and credible, and the
>advisory bodies to the Committee, IUCN and ICOMOS, strongly urged that
>Kakadu be immediately listed as 'in Danger'.
>
>However, the Australian government was given a period of six months in
>which to respond to the Kakadu High Level Mission Report.
>
>A near-unanimous (except Australia) resolution was passed, asking that
>construction activities at Jabiluka be stopped immediately.
>
>Australia has ignored this request in spite of extreme concern being
>expressed by UNESCO as sites of cultural significance have been desecrated
>by construction operations.
>
>Since that time, the UNESCO advisory bodies, IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM, have
>strongly reaffirmed their recommendation that Kakadu be listed as In
>danger'. The voluminous Australian response to the Kakadu Mission report
>has been dismissed as misleading and containing significant errors of fact
>and interpretation.
>
>The Australian Government has mounted a million dollar diplomatic effort of
>considerable aggressiveness, aimed at subverting the clear recommendations
>of the UNESCO advisory bodies.
>
>A final decision must be reached in Paris at the extraordinary meeting of
>the World heritage Committee on July 12, and the Bureau July 5-10.
>
>A listing of Kakadu as 'In Danger' would be completely consistent with the
>listing of Yellowstone as in Danger in view of a proposed gold mining
>operation near the outer boundary of the park. The proposed uranium mining
>operation at Jabiluka is located in an enclave surrounded by World Heritage
>park on all sides, and the enclave itself contains sites of the very
>highest World Heritage value including Australia's oldest archeological
>site.
>
>Failure to list Kakadu as In Danger would be inconsistent with the stand
>taken thus far on mining in National parks worldwide, in which the Bureau
>and Committee have expressed extreme concern at any mining operation
>anywhere near World Heritage park sites, listing the Mt Nimba Nature
>Reserve in Guinea as 'In Danger' in view of a large iron- ore mining
>operation.
>
>It will be portrayed and seen generally as a green light for uranium mines
>and other completely inappropriate developments in the middle of World
>Heritage National Parks worldwide, with disastrous implications for the
>entire World Heritage regime.
>
>The US delegation to the World Heritage Committee wields considerable
>influence and therefore has a great responsibility in this matter. The US
>Government has acted rightly and responsibly in the matter of Yellowstone,
>by not opposing an 'In Danger' listing and by preventing the development
>that threatened the park.
>
>We call on it to follow the advice of the Senator Mc Kinley letter and act
>responsibly in the matter of Kakadu also, and not to allow itself to be
>influenced by the aggressive and inappropriate lobbying activities of the
>Australian government.
>
>Yours Sincerely,
>
>John Hallam
>Nuclear Campaigner
>Friends of the Earth Sydney.
>
>STATEMENT BY GUNDJEHMI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
>
>KEY US CONGRESS MEMBERS BACK KAKADU LISTING
>
>The traditional owners of the Jabiluka Mineral lease have recieved support
>from 34 members of the United States Congress in their eforts to have
>kakadu national park declared 'in Danger' by the World heritage Committee.
>
>Executive officer of the Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, Jacqui katona
>said today:
>"The United States is a key player in the World Heritage Committee and
>influential members of Congress are ensuring that the United States upholds
>the principles and standards of the World Heritage Convention in deciding
>the international status of Kakadu."
>
>"The Australian Government is desperately attempting to convince the United
>States and other World Heritage Committee members  to consider Australia's
>financial contributions to UNESCO., the global uranium market., trade-offs
>for UN posts - anything in fact, but the heritage issues at stake."
>
>The Mirrar, and the Australian Public, look to the World Heritage Commitee
>to independently decide whether the Jabiluka mine endangers Kakadu, nothing
>more and nothing less. It is already widely accpeted by the international
>community including many US heritage experts, that Jabiluka will negatively
>impact on Kakadu's cultural values - a decision for an 'in Danger' listing
>on July 12v will simply make this official."
>
>"We are now quietly confident that the United States  will vote on the
>basis of expert opinion, and ignore the Australian Governments attempts at
>diplomatic blackmail."
>
>
>
>
>
>

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