By Emma Webb
ADELAIDE — Nearly a year after its formation on March 26, the Arabunna Going Home camp is planning to return to the shores of Lake Eyre. The camp was established to protest the Roxby Downs uranium mine which, according to the Arabunna people, is destroying both the environment and the indigenous culture of the Lake Eyre region.
When the camp was formed, Arabunna elder Kevin Buzzacott issued Western Mining Corporation, which owns the mine, with a notice to quit his land, giving it one year to do so.
In the first week of December, WMC destroyed the Arabunna Going Home camp. The camp had set up outside Governor's House on North Terrace in Adelaide and became known as "Genocide Corner". After two weeks of racist media reportage and meetings between the state government and Adelaide City Council (ACC), the camp was dispersed on December 26.
The protesters returned and one week later it was again violently broken up. Buzzacott was arrested and charged with trespass. He is due to appear in court in March.
Commenting on his arrest and the break-up of the protest, Buzzacott told Green Left Weekly, "I believe that during the 21 days of Genocide Corner we hit a few nerves. The government had to move us. It took them 21 days to work out how to do it and they moved us with loitering charges.
"The day before, the acting premier and the ACC had a meeting ... They came at dawn. They put very strict conditions on my bail and now they are watching me like a hawk."
The ACC has since given permission for the camp to set up at Peace Park during day-time hours, but it has set strict conditions for the camp's continuation. The camp is currently operating from early morning until 8:30pm each day, and will do so until mid-February.
Hundreds of people have camped at and visited Genocide Corner, in both its locations. "I am saddened that at the start of a new millennium nothing much has changed for us, the indigenous people of this country. Full reconciliation cannot happen this way. The celebration of Australia Day totally forgot about us", Buzzacott said.
"Our land has been stolen, our kids stolen, our sacred sites destroyed and the jails are full. What is the price we have to pay for peace?"
For more information and to get involved, contact Keepers of Lake Eyre on (08) 8232 8595. Donations can be made to the campaign through Commonwealth Bank account number 0655 0710 061736. Letters of support can be sent to Kevin Buzzacott, Lake Eyre, PO Box 28, Marree 5733.