Unlawful FMG heritage dealing & massive sites damage at Solomon Project
The Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) is calling on Federal Minister, Tony Burke, to invoke emergency powers to stop the destruction by Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) of Yindjibarndi sacred sites and ‘living heritage’ areas that date back thousands of years.
YAC has received evidence showing FMG forced heritage consultants to change a heritage report about the significance of the area by threatening to withhold payments on their invoices.
On 23 October YAC representatives travelled to FMG’s Firetail lease (Solomon Project) to check on the safety of their sites, but were barred by FMG security guards for “safety reasons”, because a blasting program was under way. On 28 October Michael Woodley and other senior Yindjibarndi Lawmen took time out from Birdarra ceremonies to travel into the area, avoiding FMG checkpoints. To their horror they found the landscape mutilated and sites damaged.
FMG’s conduct is a direct assault on the 40,000 year-old traditions and heritage of the Yindjibarndi people and contravenes the most fundamental international human rights covenants. These actions show FMG conduct to be unethical and in breech of the State Aboriginal Heritage Act.
Mr Woodley said, “The world threw up its arms in horror when the Taliban blew up Buddhist statues in Afghanistan. How will Australia respond to desecration of our cultural sites that date back tens of thousands of years, right here, under their noses?”
This Wednesday 9 November, Mr Woodley will be seeking leave to directly address shareholders and investors at FMG’s AGM, to present evidence of their appalling conduct and to ask that the Fortescue board and executive be held to account, and ordered to abide by basic business ethics.
(FMG AGM Venue: Hyatt Regency Perth, 99 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth 11.00AM)
read more in FULL PRESS RELEASE
Other Documents:
MAP of damage affecting Yindjibarndi sites
DOCUMENT: YAC report to DIA re sites damage 06-11-11
DOCUMENT: Letter from Sue Singleton to Registrar
DOCUMENT: Notes on MAP showing sites damage
DOCUMENT: The Yindjibarndi People
VISION:
a Ochre Sites from Archeological Report to FMG
—– Original Message —–
From: John Browne
Tuesday, 8 November 2011 10:20:08 AM
Subject: Desecration of Aboriginal Sacred Sites
To:
Cc: Patrick Byrt Lynette Crocker:
Hi Colleagues
I as chair of the Journey of Healing SA Inc support the bid to to stop the destruction by Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) of Yindjibarndi sacred sites and ‘living heritage’ areas that are used by Yindjibarndi people each year for their Birdarra religious ceremonies, which date back thousands of years.
I think it is against all principles of fairplay and is quite disgusting to destroy the churches of Aboriginal sacred sites.
Regards
John
John Browne JP
Senior Academic Adviser
David Unaipon College of Indigenous
Education and Research
Indigenous Student Services Unit
UniSA City West Campus
70 North Terrace
ADELAIDE SA 5000
Room Y2-49
Tel: (08) 8302 0921
Cell: 0431 234 561
Fax: (08) 8302 7034
Sadly typical of the colonialist society that Australians live in. A few farmers are disadvantaged in QLD by Coal Seam Gas wells and the white community/media is outraged and demands compensation.
Yet the destruction of some of the worlds oldest religious sites located within the Yindjibarndi nation are of little significance to the whitefella and don’t even get mentioned by whitefella news.
I just want to reassure you that most of the people that I know who are involved in community action against CSG are also very aware of the terrible destruction of Aboriginal lands around the country at the hands of all sorts of mining companies and do their bit to raise their voices and spread the word. The media, on the other hand, are the ones who pick and choose who they give the publicity to and I wholeheartedly agree that this particular issue has not been given any airtime in the Eastern states. We stand united.
i admire your determination! Keep up the fight and continue sending information out to the world. It is tragic what is happening to your land and all Australians need to recognize the value of such national treasures. Please guide us in the best way to support your struggle and hold tyrant Twiggy to account.
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Michael, so glad you found this out & sitting here imploding. How dare they do this & get away with it. This is inexcusable & must say horrified,disgusted,angry to my very core of my being. I am upset as have seen the destruction from pictures after twiggy has been involved. I am outraged & please let me know if you want any letters sent to Tony Bourke. The other person responsible, twiggy’s mate who I believed was a conflict of Interest must have also signed up on this too. I feel for you all as you all must be feeling yet another tragic blow, so wrong. Please let me know if letters to Tony Bourke would be of help & if there are any photo’s please show us..so outraged here & my thoughts are with all of you at this sad moment.regards Moya..