Collection: International Jabiluka protests

Mirarr and their supporters took the Jabiluka story to many countries. In 1998 Mirarr Senior Traditional Owner Yvonne Margarula, Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation staff Jacqui Katona and Christine Christophersen and Dave Sweeney (Australian Conservation Foundation) undertook a speaking tour. The group was involved in more than 40 events including the European Parliament (which passed a resolution against Jabiluka), German Parliament and German nuclear utilities. InLondon they addressed public meetings, met with politicians and campaigners and gave a joint press conference with renowned comic and author Ben Elton. Yvonne and Jacqui were awarded significant international prizes including the Goldman Environmental Prize (Islands and Island Nations), the Inaugural Nuclear Free Future Award and the Friends of the Earth International Environment Award. Mirarr received significant support from US politicians Nancy Pelosi and Cynthia McKinney who along with 37 members of US Congress wrote to President Bill Clinton in 1999 urging him to support the campaign to stop Jabiluka. In a world first Yvonne Margarula addressed the World Heritage Committee in her own language about a World Heritage ‘In Danger’ assessment for Kakadu. This resulted in a high level Mission to Kakadu which recommended work at Jabiluka be suspended on the grounds of threats to Kakadu’s World Heritage values.