By Monique Choy
The Nurrungar '93 action involved around 700 demonstrators making the long journey into the desert 400 km north-west of Adelaide over the Easter weekend. They included speakers from the Kokotha people (traditional custodians of the land), Bougainville and the Philippines.
The protesters demanded that Nurrungar be returned to its traditional owners. Joan Wingfield, spokesperson for the Kokotha people, drew attention to the great exploitation of her land in the last 205 years.
"I want to know why this gate is here locking me out of my land", she said at a demonstration outside the Nurrungar prohibited area. "We have had atomic bombs tested on our people, we've had uranium mined on our people's land, we've seen the destruction from the pastoral companies, we've seen the water disappearing and the plants disappearing."
Moses Havini, international spokesperson for the people of Bougainville, joined the demonstration in solidarity with the Australian peace movement and the Kokatha people.
"Little is known of what is happening on the shorefront of Australia, yet we know what is happening in Cambodia, the Middle East and Europe", he said. "I'd like to know why there is a closed door to areas such as East Timor as well as Bougainville. Australian taxpayers' money is directly being used to kill the people of Bougainville."
Jane Queripel, a Filipina activist, spoke of the devastation which US bases brought to her country, such as prostitution, AIDS, intrusion in local politics, economy and culture and the exploitation of workers on the bases. But she roused the protesters with a reminder that after almost 60 years, the largest US base in the Philippines was expelled in September 1991.
"These bases are instruments for attack more than defence and in most cases for attacking US enemies who are not necessarily our enemies", she said.
The actions during the four-day protest were creative and energetic, despite the over 30° heat. An auction for the base's fence, personnel and equipment was held by a giant puppet, and women held an action in the spectacular dawn. In a night action, the Australian Protective Services were thrown into confusion when protesters advanced toward the fence, carrying glowing torches. When security forces approached, the torches were switched off and their owners disappeared in the darkness.
One demonstrator managed to get inside the base and let off a flare from inside. He says he painted "US bases out" on the footpath of the US personnel compound within the base, although the military authorities ed.
Hannah Middleton, from the Sydney Anti-Bases Action Committee, read out a declaration of independence for Australia.
"The constitutional separation from Britain should be accompanied by a military separation from the United States of America", she said.
Solidarity demonstrations were held at the US base in Menwith Hill, England, and in New Zealand over the Easter period.