Last week Richard Downs, spokesperson for the Alyawarr Walk Off Camp, wrote to the Northern Land Council Chairman, Kim Hill, regarding the consultation process which eventuated in the nomination of Muckaty Station as the site for a nuclear dump. This is what he wrote:

IN your recent press statements, you say consultation has been carried out with traditional leaders of Muckaty station who approve of a nuclear waste dump site to go ahead.

Yet there are other Aboriginal leaders, elders and family’s voices who are against the proposal not being heard.

They have been completely shut out of any consultation.

The Land Council should be aware all lands are shared and managed in a way with other clan family groups.

You and your anthropologists should know that the land is not only connected and managed by a particular Traditional Owner but through country, dreaming, spirituality.

It is part of the extended network of family group lines.

You and your organisation should be embarrassed hiding behind legislation that suspends the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (1976).

You know people have no rights, under Howard’s and now Rudd’s dump laws, to challenge you in court and say you have failed to consult properly.

What a disgrace that a Land Council could be part of drafting and supporting laws that denies Land Rights to Aboriginal people.

Why support a waste dump on an area where there is earth tremor occurrence?

Is it for money?

Has the government paid out the 12 million dollars yet?

And who to, how much of that is for your organisation?

We know some of that waste dump money is earmarked for housing.

Like a puppet you have been praising the SIHIP Intervention housing program in the media, even though you know it will deny housing to all the homelands and most communities across NT.

Why should the people at Muckaty have to give up their land for a nuclear dump in exchange for new housing?

You also stated that you won’t be making the contract with the government public, due to commercial-in-confidence.

If your organisation truly believes in Aboriginal customs and ways then you should know you do not hide information from our people.

Your organisation’s approach is no different to the State and Federal governments, of divide and rule.

The Alyawarr people stand with the people of Muckaty - for Land Rights not nuclear dump sites.

Under the NTER Measures Aboriginal people are devastated, homeless, blanket cover income managed, permits and land taken away, men are branded as sexual abusers, as having a paedophile ring, embarrassing blue signages on entrance to all home lands, town ships, we’ve lost all Aboriginal corporations and associations, assets and infrastructures.

Targeted mainly on Aboriginal people, if this is not racism and discrimination, then what is.

Aboriginal leaders in organisations and government agencies across the NT make up your mind, either you support our people and come on board with us or continue to be puppets and be bought off and controlled by the governments, while our people are at a cross roads of destruction.

Alyawarr, Anungu (APY lands) Warlpiri, Anmatjirra, Arrente, Warramungu, NSW Land Council people - we are now joining together to make a stand at Uluru and will be calling on our Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal friends, unions and churches to stand with us.

I’m now urging NLC, CLC and Aboriginal leaders to come back to us to stand with us as one, through country, dreaming.

To stand for human rights, land rights, sovereignty and native title.