Groups to meet to end Aboriginal protest Source: AAP | Published: Wednesday January 5, 12:49 PM Operators of the Roxby Downs uranium mine will negotiate with Aborigines camped outside Government House in Adelaide in a bid to end a three week protest. A meeting next week with the mine's operators would try to find a way for the Aborigines to air their grievances, South Australian Opposition Aboriginal Affairs spokesman Terry Roberts said at the site today. Mr Roberts said he was also hopeful he could bring together government representatives and Aboriginal leaders for talks. But a quick resolution seems unlikely with Aboriginal leaders continuing to demand an end to the WMC mining operations and changes to native title legislation. The protesters have been camped on the North Terrace site for 21 days where they have repeatedly clashed with Adelaide Council officials and police over the lighting of a ceremonial fire. The group, members of the Arabunna people, claims WMC leaders have been involved in acts of geneocide. They began their protest after long running court action failed last year. Spokesman Kevin Buzzacott said he was disappointed his group had failed in previous attempts to meet with government leaders at both state and federal levels. He stood by his earlier calls for WMC managers to be tried for genocide and for mining near Lake Eyre to be stopped. 'These people are walking on very sacred land,' Mr Buzzacott said today. 'But if they must live on this land and share it with us then they have to come and see us. 'This is our country'. Mr Roberts said he saw his role as trying to bring the various parties together to try to find a solution to the problem. He said he would seek a meeting between Aborigines andgovernment officials this week while WMC officials had already agreed on a meeting next Tuesday to talk through the issues. In the meantime he called on the Adelaide City Council not to take any unnecessary action to remove the Aboriginal campsite. 'Every problem has a solution as long as the right people are talking,' Mr Roberts said. 'I want a process put in place to make sure the grievances that these people have are heard in the proper forums.' ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
