Title:
Protection of Kakadu World Heritage Site from the Jabiluka Uranium mine
Proposed by: Alec Marr
Seconded by: Alan Watson Featherstone,
Tertius Schoeman

WHEREAS,

The Mirrar aboriginal traditional owners are opposed to the Jabiluka uranium Mine which is being constructed with an enclave of the Kakadu Heritage site, Australia;

Many IUCN NGO members around the world are opposed to the Jabiluka uranium mine;

The IUCN (World Conservation Union) has a policy of opposing mineral exploration and extraction within protected areas (IUCN Category 1-4) as adopted at the 2nd IUCN World Conservation Congress in Amman, Jordan October 2000;

This policy was again reaffirmed by IUCN Council in October 2000;

Despite this policy, the World Heritage Site Committee may be under the impression that IUCN (which is the advisory body to the World Heritage Committee on natural World Heritage values) does not oppose the construction and operation of the Jabiluka uranium mine within the enclave of the Kakadu World Heritage area;

THEREFORE, the 7^th World Wilderness Congress:

Congratulates the Mirrar traditional owners for defending Kakadu from the threat posed by the Jabulika uranium mine to this outstanding World Heritage Site;

Commends Rio Tinto for its decision not to proceed with Jabilika but urges immediate restoration of the mine site; and

RESOLVES, that

NGO's around the world SHOULD continue in their efforts to ensure that the Jabilika uranium mine in never operated and the mine site is quickly rehabilitated for future incorporation back into the World Heritage site after agreement is reached with the traditional owners, and

Further, calls on the IUCN to publicly and vigorously oppose the Jabiluka uranium mine and requests that IUCN make a statement to the World Heritage Committee at its meeting in Helsinki in December 2001 pointing out the serious threats posed by the Kakadu, calling for immediate rehabilitation of the mine site.

Proposed by:

Alan Watson Featherstone,
Executive Director,
Tress for Life & Restore the Earth Projects,
The Park
Findhorn Bay
Forres IV36 3TZ
Scotland

+44 1309 691292 tel
+44 1309 691155 fax
trees@findhorn.org

Seconded by:

Jennifer Lawrence
Founder and Trustee
The Garden Route Trust for Community Development and Environment
P.O. Box 45,
The Crags 6602
Western Cape,
South Africa
+27 44 5348751 tel
khoinania@global.co.za


Tertius Schoeman
Project Manager
Tsitsikamma CoastCare Project
Tsitsikamma National Park
P.O. Box 138,
Patensie
Eastern Cape 6335
South Africa
+27 42 2811607 tel
tersam@xsinet.co.zal