Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation has established a FIGHTING FUND specifically to combat the actions of Fortescue Metals Group. We are struggling to counter their teams of lawyers and ‘land access managers’; to mount and defend court actions; to counter their mis-information. While the FMG Goliath has a bottomless fund to keep up their assault on our community and country, Yindjibarndi must fund their resistance independently – YAC receive absolutely no legal aid assistance for this from any government agency.
NB: Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corp. (YAC) has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Status
The Australian Tax Office has recognised YAC as a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI), thereby endorsing us for Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. This category allows individuals, and corporate entities, to make tax-deductible financial gifts to Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation.
YINDJIBARNDI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
I.C.N Number: 4370
A.B.N. Number: 97 456 543 455
How many destroyed lands and ruined people will it take to make Twiggy and the blokes feel rich enough?
Yindjibarndi Elder, Ned Cheedy, is an honourable man, rich in the knowledge, Law and culture of his people, and rightly honoured by the 2011 NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award! Yet once again, the Australian Courts have denied the YIndjibarndi people their inheritance of the country that their people have held in trust from their ancestors since “the time when the world was soft”….the beginning of time and life on the Pilbara earth!! Shame on Australia and the lawyers and courts and the state of Western Australia – and FMG the mining company that seeks to, and now will (thanks to the iniquity of Australian Law) destroy the sacred country and irreplaceable sacred Yindjibarndi sites for the sake of $$$. Once again, the greed of the white man, of white men like Andrew Twiggy Forrest and his kind, wins…and the truth that Yindjibarndi are the true and only owners of the land of their ancestors is denied. Shame on all who deny this truth!
I just donated $10 as that’s all I can, but thankyou for allowing me to, as it makes me feel less helpless, along with fb sharing. I use to see TF on the tele and think ‘wow, he seems like a really good bloke, so soft and gentle’. But after his go at the mining tax, and now this, I finally get the facade. Very scary. But I’m not just concerned for you guys. I wonder if his future intentions include anything political.
Imagine my surprise when my house-mates mum brings in a clipping from The Age in Melbourne of a Ned Cheedy from the town I spent much of my childhood – Roebourne. On investigation I begin to read of big business bullying people in the never ending quest for the dollar. Hardly surprising, but in my home town. I have donated and I will spread the word to others to support you all in your struggle.
Stay Strong. Our time is coming. All of the peoples of the world are rising up against the money people. The bankers and the Corporations. The land is for everybody. respect. peace. harmony. justice. loving kindness. non violence. self empowerment.
Claiming a company operates in self interest is obvious, we are all promoting our self interest. The question is what is equitable, fair, and understandable to all parties? And then remains that way. Without certainty there will be no business possible. Maybe that is the aim ultimately, if so: good luck with that. Better the devil you know maybe than an multinational buying off the state government.
By the way, there is also a third party to this dispute and that is the people of WA to whom royalties are paid on extraction. All very complicated and fraught with accusations of direspect and misunderstanding, not an easy mix. Easy to see the heavy and condescending hand of white people’s treatment of native people’s here. Hell of a history to battle against.
It seems that divide and conquer remains a tactic that is used time and time again by these unscrupulous scoundrels!!! I felt nauseous watching the videos and very sad for what is happening. May this mining company fall flat on its face and may the people join together again and see the company for what they are. The mining people ONLY have their own interests at heart. They don’t care for a second about what country means to the people. The mining company only want the profits, at any cost! But you can be damn sure the cost won’t be to them, it’ll be to the people who belong there and the land!!!
I cannot believe this, and truly cannot convey how disgusted it makes me feel. My full and undying support to the Yindjibarndi people in their fight for their land.
It is truly mind-baffling that something like this could happen in the year 2011. What a sham!
Much love, support and respect all the way from Wiradjuri country.
Yindyamarra.
Now after watching this, ‘How can any Native Title employer say they are there to represent the best interest of Origine communities? Yindjibardi Law is recognised through Mr Ned Cheedy with deepest respect and it is this law of Roebourne that has sovereign right to be heard and acted upon through the Yindjibardi Corporation as this is their law that stands.
Clearly, it needs to be followed through with a Denial of Consent from all Yindjibardi People in accompaniment to Mr Ned Cheedy’s Law rights to the land of his forefathers and foremothers and of the great Divine Law. This is Sacred Country of Mother Earth therefore the Law stands as Sacred.
Ghibnraa Djillanilliu
Piggish Lord Forrest has money and muscle …
But, as ever, from little things …
Ian
I have just watched both videos after seeing the report on Crikey.com, and I feel absolutely sickened and infuriated … How DARE they?! What a joke of a process – I feel ashamed that I am one of the many largely disconnected Australians whose social inaction and lack of awareness about these processes mean that companies (and the sense-of-entitlement swilling, short-term self interest peddling bloodsuckers who front and run them) are given political sanction to bulldoze over individuals, communities, and futures in this way.
This is absolutely horrible, but I commend the bravery of the individuals and Yindjibarndi community who are standing up to the conniving bastardry of Forrest, Ronald Bower, Deidre Willmott and others like them. I have made my own – pitifully small – donation just now, and am going to be telling EVERYONE about this and urging them to get on board and spread the word (and whatever small practical assistance and support they can).
I am disgusted with the way that FMG are using bully tactics and causing in fighting between the Yindjibarndi and the splinter group, the greed is unbelievable, the Yindibarndi have always been willing to negotiate, pay them what they deserve and give them a say in their land, FMG negotiations are a 2 way street not all one way!! FMG Shame, Shame, Shame on you,
Yindibarndi stay strong..
I’ve just made my donation, I hope the little amount that I could give can help your people to fend off this most sly and predatory octopus… after all of the abuses, dispossessions, lies, acts of extreme disregard and undertakings of cultural genocide that have been suffered by the Yindjibarndi and other Aboriginal people I find it quite inexpressibly distressing that the same atrocities are happening again. Never again, never again should anything even REMOTELY like this be happening, and yet here it is – the colossal and overwhelmingly well-armed conqueror once more imposing themselves upon the unarmed and comparitively powerless minority, compelled by exactly the same motivation as that behind colonial injustices (too weaker word…) in days gone by; greed and lust for that which DOES NOT belong to anyone else but those who own the land.
It fills me with shame that Australians can support Colin Barnett and other politicians who don’t object in the slightest to the disgusting and depraved profit-seeking activities of FMG, and it is with the greatest humility that I offer anything else that I can possibly do in service to the cause of making sure that this modern-day invasion does not happen. I couldn’t stop my ancestors from comitting the sickening evils of colonialism, but I can do my very best to stop this in whatever way I can contribute and thus make sure that my children and my childrens children can’t claim the same of their ancestor as I shamefacedly must admit of mine.
Having watched your videos and read your informative newsletters, I cannot think of a cause more worthy of support right now. Thank you so much for your efforts in getting your story out – Australia needs to hear it. You are an inspiration to Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians alike. Thank you!
Happy to help!
Stay Strong!
(Some Comments from supporters on Twitter.com)
#FMG iron ore miner native title meeting. A lesson in how *not* to engage with local communities
#FMG accused of native title coup attempt http://tinyurl.com/3fzex88 #FMG, sentiment : Negative
When the hand that feeds you is really just preventing you from feeding yourself, bite it! #FMG
This is the response from a friend in the south….My question is what can be done about this?.. this is a Criminal Act.
“That is sad…. Money and power verses the people their culture and their spiritual connection to this beautiful land that they have a special connection to…… Sad that history keeps repeating itself for monitory value, with no respect for our environment for its beauty or for those that have a special connection to it. “ Money verses the people and unfortunately money will always win.” It seems that now we just keep handing out money to the powers that be, but we don’t have a voice because that’s only for those with big money. “ We are the rich one’s though because we are rich in spirit, they are the poor one’s – because they are poor in spirit and have no appreciation for the beauty that surrounds them” It’s all about money.
I’m donating now! This is disgusting and manipulative behaviour by Forrest. How can he sleep at night? Where is the respect and reverence for these people and their beautiful culture?
Fully support this. 1000%