::fibreculture:: unlawful FMG heritage dealing & massive sites damage

[Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation]

Unlawful FMG heritage dealing
& massive sites damage at Solomon Project

FULL STATEMENT: ATTACHED

The Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) is calling on Federal  
Minister, Tony Burke, to invoke emergency powers to stop the  
destruction by Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) of Yindjibarndi sacred  
sites and ‘living heritage’ areas that date back thousands of years.

YAC has received evidence showing FMG forced heritage consultants to  
change a heritage report about the significance of the area by  
threatening to withhold payments on their invoices.

On 23 October YAC representatives travelled to FMG's Firetail lease  
(Solomon Project) to check on the safety of their sites, but were  
barred by FMG security guards for “safety reasons”, because a blasting  
program was under way. On 28 October Michael Woodley and other senior  
Yindjibarndi Lawmen took time out from Birdarra ceremonies to travel  
into the area, avoiding FMG checkpoints. To their horror they found  
the landscape mutilated and sites damaged.

FMG’s conduct is a direct assault on the 40,000 year-old traditions  
and heritage of the Yindjibarndi people and contravenes the most  
fundamental international human rights covenants. These actions show  
FMG conduct to be unethical and in breech of the State Aboriginal  
Heritage Act.

Mr Woodley said, “The world threw up its arms in horror when the  
Taliban blew up Buddhist statues in Afghanistan. How will Australia  
respond to desecration of our cultural sites that date back tens of  
thousands of years, right here, under their noses?”

This Wednesday 9 November, Mr Woodley will be seeking leave to  
directly address shareholders and investors at FMG’s AGM, to present  
evidence of their appalling conduct and to ask that the Fortescue  
board and executive be held to account, and ordered to abide by basic  
business ethics.

(FMG AGM Venue: Hyatt Regency Perth, 99 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth  
11.00AM)

Primary documents, photos, video and maps available for download at:
http://yindjibarndi.org.au/yindjibarndi/?p=2291

For further information or to arrange interviews contact
Michael Woodley – CEO YAC – 0419 097 130 mwoodley at juluwarlu.com.au
Phil Davies – Anthropologist YAC – 0429 110 451 pdavies at juluwarlu.com.au
____________________________________________________________

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plus background & research: http://yindjibarndi.org.au/yindjibarndi/

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