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Rio Tinto protest: 'Human rights, not mining sites'
BRISBANE — Anti-nuclear, West Papuan and Indigenous rights advocates joined together on April 22 to picket corporate mining giant Rio Tinto's Australian annual general meeting at the Brisbane Convention Centre. Under the theme "Human rights, not mining sites", the protesters handed out leaflets to shareholders entering the meeting and to passers-by.
The leaflet, sponsored by Everyone for a Nuclear Free Future and the West Papua Association Brisbane, explained: "Rio Tinto's disregard for human rights, workers' rights and the environment globally and in Australia is unacceptable.
"Rio Tinto is the world's third largest mining company with interests in sand, aluminum, diamonds, coal, gold, copper and uranium. Rio Tinto has a disgraceful record of mining around the globe, including Freeport [in West Papua], Bougainville and Ranger and Jabiluka [in Australia]."
The protesters demanded that Rio Tinto shut down Ranger and Jabiluka; rehabilitate the land and return it to the traditional land-owning Mirrar people; and cease uranium mining globally.
In addition, the demonstration called on the mining giant to stop poisoning Freeport, to enter into serious discussions with the Papuan people about the effects of the Grasberg mine, and to stop funding the Indonesian military.
The leaflet concluded with "Three steps for Rio Tinto to be a true global corporate citizen: Recognise indigenous sovereignty and work with indigenous communities for their own good; respect and protect workers and their rights; respect human rights and protect the environment."
Several protesters attended the meeting as proxy shareholders to ask questions of the board and highlight these issues.
Jim McIlroy
@auth6 = Canberra sees red
CANBERRA — Socialist Alliance members and supporters gathered at the Street Theatre cafe on April 22 to launch the alliance's latest exciting venture, Seeing Red magazine.
Alastair Grieg, a Canberra academic, long-time activist and Seeing Red editorial board member, discussed how the ideas and struggles of socialists are every bit as important today as they were 60, 40 or 20 years ago.
Renowned Marxist historian Humphrey McQueen, also a member of the magazine's editorial board, highlighted the dynamic content of the first issue of Seeing Red.
Speakers invited others to write for the magazine, and noted the importance of gaining subscribers to ensure the funding of future issues.
James Caulfield
Maleny residents take on Woolworths
BRISBANE — Residents of the Sunshine Coast hinterland town of Maleny, 100km south of Brisbane, are continuing their protest against the giant retailing chain Woolworths, with a 24-hour-a-day watch on the proposed construction site for a new supermarket.
At a public meeting held on April 17 to organise the next steps in the campaign, residents discussed a proposal to call for a national boycott of Woolworths stores.
The boycott proposal follows the illegal destruction of native trees on the creek-bank site by infamous Brisbane demolition firm the Deen Brothers, at the instigation of the site owner, Cornerstone Properties.
A confrontation between protesters lashed to tree trunks in the threatened site and police ended with a temporary official order for the development to be halted while investigation of possible illegal tree destruction takes place.
Residents say the planned shopping centre will put many of Maleny's small shops out of business. They are gathering donations, organising petitions and widely debating the issues.
Protest organiser and former Caloundra City councillor Jill Jordan said: "With the power of people we can save Maleny and maintain our way of life. We just need to work together."
A mission statement for the April 17 meeting proclaimed: "We reserve the right of the people to have their say as to what happens in their own environment. We represent the fight of every town that has the threat of inappropriate development. We have the right as a community to stand against immoral procedures. We ask: let the voice of the people be heard."
Bill Mason
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, April 29, 2004.
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