MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday, 12th April, 2007

Kokatha Mula Blockade Gains Support — Heading Into Its Third Week

Recently the blockade on the Far West Coast in Yumbarra Conservation Park was supported by the Hon. Sandra Kanck MLC, member of the Democrat Party in South Australia. She is not alone in her support as late this afternoon the Aboriginal Alliance Coalition Movement (AACM) indicated in a letter to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (the Hon. Jay Weatherill MP) their support for the blockade and what it means in the struggle for the protection of Aboriginal land, culture, heritage, people, rights and justice under the ‘Letters Patent’ 1836 and the Proclaimation of South Australia.

Kokatha Mula People on the Far West Coast of South Australia agree with Kanck’s view:

“South Australians don’t want to see open slather on the cultural and natural heritage of the state for the sake of increasing the bank accounts of mining shareholders”

Kokatha Mula do not want to see this in relation to Aboriginal culture, heritage and people either.

The Hon. Sandra Kanck MLC in her wisdom stated:

“Labor should sit down and talk with the women and show some respect for their beliefs.”

Some media comments have been erroneous, particularly the statements that the Kokatha Mula people are not the traditional owners of the area of the blockade. This is simply untrue as those making such accusations are not in a position nor are they qualified to determine who is and is not the Aboriginal traditional owners of the area. Only the Aboriginal people can do this according to their traditional laws and customs. The government needs to stop ‘cherry picking’ and take responsiblity that demonstrates strong leadership that values and respects the Aboriginal culture and its traditions.

In his Proclamation day speech four months ago, on the 28th December 2006, Minister Jay Weatherill stated:

“Today it is important to remember that we failed to keep our promise to Aboriginal people ... The Letters ‘Patent’ establishing South Australia expressly provided for the rights of any Aboriginal people.”

He went further to quote the following from the ‘Letters Patent’ 1836, stating:

“The Letters Patent contained these words:

“Provided always that nothing in those our Letters Patent contained shall affect or be construed to affect the rights of any aboriginal natives of the said province to the actual occupation or enjoyment in their own persons or in the persons of their descendants of any lands therein now actually occupied or enjoyed by such natives.”

“Where is the action from the Rann governent to match these statements or is this just simply rhetoric?” says Bronwyn Coleman-Sleep of the Kokatha Mula people of the Far West Coast.

Yesterday the Kokatha Mula Representatives, comprising elders, a lawman and a senior woman met with Iluka Resources. Iluka were made fully aware that the issue for the Kokatha Mula People was not Native Title, but Aboriginal Heritage, which has nothing to do with Native Title. Further discussions will take place in the near future.

Meanwhile the blockade will remain.