Jabiluka conflict concluded

A line has been drawn under years of conflict over the work of Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) on the Jabiluka uranium deposit.

Rio Tinto owns 68 per cent of ERA, a publicly listed company, and is the operator.

The Mirarr Gundjeihmi Aboriginal people, ERA and the Northern Land Council (NLC) signed a landmark agreement in February 2005 on the long term management of the Jabiluka lease area in the Northern Territory of Australia.

The agreement obliges ERA  to secure Mirarr consent prior to any future mining development of uranium deposits at Jabiluka. The agreement also waives some of ERA's financial obligations flowing from construction of an exploration tunnel in 1998.

Mirarr senior traditional land owner Yvonne Margarula, ERA chief executive Harry Kenyon-Slaney and NLC chief executive Norman Fry signed the agreement following nearly three years of negotiation over the future management of the lease, which is surrounded by Kakadu National Park, but separate from it.

All parties welcomed the agreement as a major step forward in relations between traditional land owners and ERA. Ms Margarula said: "I am pleased that the mining company has listened to the Mirarr people, showing us the respect we deserve as traditional owners. This agreement lifts the shadow of Jabiluka off the Mirarr and other Aboriginal people in Kakadu. We now have a chance to solve some of the social problems like alcohol, unemployment and health. Jabiluka will never be mined unless the Mirarr give approval - in future the decision is ours alone for the first time."

Harry Kenyon-Slaney said the agreement ends a long period of acrimony and conflict over the project and heralds a new era of co-operation. "The company would like to develop Jabiluka, one of the world's most significant uranium deposits. Under this agreement development would only go ahead with the support of the traditional owners. We can now work together to try to find a way forward that meets the expectations of all parties."

Norman Fry of the NLC also welcomed the agreement. "It will promote a co-operative and constructive relationship between the Mirrar and ERA regarding future developments."

In an interview with ABC Darwin Radio, Andy Ralph of the Mirarr people said: "This is the sweetest victory of all. I really must congratulate Rio Tinto and ERA. This heralds a new era of co-operation between mining companies and traditional owners right around the world about how they do business on people's country."

The backfilling of the 1.2 kilometre tunnel at Jabiluka was completed in late 2003, in the lead up to the agreement, with mineralised and non mineralised rock returned to the underground workings.