Keepers of Lake Eyre
Media Release
Thursday June 22, 2000
South Australia
WMC EVICTION TO GO BEFORE THE HIGH COURT
Re: Arabunna Going Home Camp, Lake Eyre South
At 10 am this morning Keepers of Lake Eyre filed court documents (Notice of
Motion) with the High Court of Australia (High Court). The High Court
issued these proceedings as No. A 20 of 2000.
This Notice of Motion is to remove the Western Mining (WMC) eviction
proceedings, in the Supreme Court of South Australia (Supreme Court), to
the High Court. The WMC notice is against un-named defendants, at the
Arabunna Going Home camp, at Lake Eyre South, where the Sacred Fire for
Peace is burning.
Keepers of Lake Eyre then served copies of the proceedings on WMC's
lawyers, Findlaysons; the S.A. Police Deputy Commissioner; the S.A.
Attorney-General; and the Commonwealth Attorney General.
There are now six (6) Aboriginal Genocide cases currently before the High
Court of Australia.
The Senate Inquiry into the Anti-Genocide Bill, 1999, will be tabled in
Parliament on June 30, this year. The Inquiry committee will be provided
with the transcripts and court documents,of No. A 20 of 2000, including the
Constitutional Questions that arise.
"The game is up" said Aboriginal Genocide Barrister, Len Lindon this morning.
"You can't get land by genocide, everyone knows that, and you can't keep
land by genocide either" he said.
Keeper of Lake Eyre, Chris Littlejohn, who filed the documents said:
"What we are asking is who are the real trespassers here? And under who's
law? The law of the foreign genocidists? Or, Ancient Arabunna law?"
"There is absolutely no evidence that the Arabunna have ever given consent
to WMC's activities on their land" he said.
Kevin Buzzacott, Arabunna Elder and Peacemaker, has served several Eviction
Notices on WMC since 1998. He began court proceedings on March 25, last
year (1999), in the Supreme Court, to get an order from the court to evict
WMC from Arabunna land. He was also charging WMC's Chief Executive
Officer, Hugh Morgan, with genocide. WMC directors, and some WMC
employees, including Richard Yeeles and David Stokes, are also being
charged with genocide against Arabunna.
Judge Kelly, in the Supreme Court of South Australia, on June 8 (2000),
acknowledged the importance of this case (otherwise known as "the Arabunna
Genocide Case"), and it was directed to the High Court.
"On August 4 the High Court will consider whether or not genocide is a
crime in Australia. If genocide is not a crime then it may be that
Australia is demonstrably unwilling and unable to stop Aboriginal Genocide"
said Aboriginal Genocide Barrister, Len Lindon today.
For further comment contact KOLE: 0419 812 788
OR (08) 8675 2242
THIS MESSAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
________________________________________________________
Keepers of Lake Eyre, in South Australia:
Web: www.come.to/lakeeyre Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: (08) 8340 4401 / (08) 8232 2242 / Fax. (08) 8232 2490
Post: C/- Conservation Council, 120 Wakefield St, Adelaide, S.A. 5000
________________________________________________________
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