Rio Tinto blasting of 46,000-year-old Aboriginal sites compared to Islamic State's destruction in Palmyra - ABC News

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இன்று மன்னிப்பு கேட்டு அறிக்கை விட்டுள்ளார்கள்.. ஆனால் என்ன பிரயோசனம்.. 

Professor Stone, who is an expert on the significant cultural destruction during the Iraq war, compared the blast to the destruction of sacred artefacts by the Islamic State in recent years.

"It's a tragedy that sits up there with all sorts of sites; the Palmyras, Mosuls and Bamiyan Buddhas of this world," he said.

The site included significant archaeological discoveries, including the oldest example of bone tools found in Australia.

"They were not only extremely important sites for Aboriginal communities, but also they were extremely important sites for archaeological understanding of the distant past in Australia," Professor Stone said.

The 'Arch of Triumph' at Palmyra was destroyed by Islamic State in 2015.(Supplied: ICRC)

Burchell Hayes, a traditional owner of the Puutu Kunti Kurruma people, said the blasting activity was just 11 metres from the two rock shelters.

"It saddens us that something that we have got a deep connection to has been destroyed," he said.

"We can't undo what's already happened but what we can do is try and go back to Rio Tinto and talk to them on how we can protect the remaining sites in that area."

Minister says traditional owners called his office in 11th-hour bid to stop blast

Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt has confirmed he was contacted by legal representatives of traditional owners trying to stop the destruction of 46,000-year-old cultural sites in the Pilbara.

Mr Wyatt said his office received a call at the 11th hour, a few days before Rio Tinto blasted the site, asking the Federal Government to step in and prevent it.

He said his office provided advice to a lawyer representing traditional owners about how to access "Commonwealth provisions" but said he did not step in to stop the blast.

"I was advised that the call had occurred, and that advice had been given and that the lawyer was proceeding with the advice given," he said.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said Rio Tinto had expressed regret to him for the blast during a phone call this week.(ABC News: Tim Leslie)

Rio Tinto expresses regret to Minister

Rio Tinto has not publicly apologised for the destruction of the site, but Mr Wyatt said the company expressed deep regret in a call with him.

"In this instance, I know from a call that I received from Rio Tinto that they are extremely regretful," he said.

"The person I was talking to has been an advocate of protection of sites and they're certainly regretful.

"He knows the traditional owners personally and he was quite upset at what had happened.

"Now that doesn't excuse the fact that these two sites have happened."

He said more diligence had to be paid in future and that reviews of the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act should aim to improve protections for sacred Aboriginal sites.

"You cannot replace them," Mr Wyatt said.

Mr Wyatt could not understand how Rio Tinto had gone ahead with the blast.

"It's incomprehensible, I don't know if it's a genuine mistake, which it appears to be," he said.

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/12299944

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Rio Tinto apologises for destroying Aboriginal sacred site 

The before and after of Juukan Gorge following a legal mining blast conducted by Rio Tinto in Western Australia' Pilbara region. Source: NITV

Rio Tinto says it is now reviewing the plans of all other sites in the Juukan Gorge area, after issuing an apology for destroying an Aboriginal sacred site during an operation to expand an iron ore mine. 

Updated 31/05/2020

By AAP - SBS

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Mining giant Rio Tinto has apologised to traditional owners in Western Australia's north after destroying a significant Indigenous site dating back 46,000 years, saying it is urgently reviewing plans for other sites in the area.

Rio Tinto detonated explosives in a part of the Juukan Gorge last Sunday, destroying two ancient rock shelters, which has devastated the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people.

Rio Tinto detonated explosives in an area of the Juukan Gorge, destroying a significant Indigenous site dating back 46,000 years. Source: Supplied/Puutu Kunti Kurrama And Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation

 

The mining giant was granted approval for work at the Brockman 4 iron ore project in 2013, but subsequent archaeological excavation revealed ancient 
artefacts including grinding stones, a bone sharpened into a tool and 4000-year-old braided hair.

"We are sorry for the distress we have caused," Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said in a statement on Sunday.

"Our relationship with the PKKP matters a lot to Rio Tinto, having worked together for many years.

"We will continue to work with the PKKP to learn from what has taken place and strengthen our partnership.

The site after the mining blast took place.  Source: Supplied: PKKP 

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"As a matter of urgency, we are reviewing the plans of all other sites in the Juukan Gorge area."

On Saturday, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation rejected Rio Tinto's suggestion its representatives had failed to make clear concerns about preserving the site during years of consultation between the two parties.

Spokesman Burchell Hayes labelled the claim outrageous, saying Rio was told in October about the significance of the rock shelters and the company replied it had no plans to extend the Brockman 4 mine.

"The high significance of the site was further relayed to Rio Tinto by PKKPAC as recently as March," Mr Hayes said.

He said Rio Tinto did not advise of its intention to blast the area and the corporation "only found out by default on May 15 when we sought access to the area for NAIDOC Week in July".

WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt has said he was unaware of the blast or concerns beforehand.

READ MORE

Rio Tinto's claim rejected as 'outrageous' after Aboriginal sacred site destroyed

The state government hopes to pass its new Aboriginal cultural heritage bill this year, although COVID-19 has delayed the consultation process.

"It will provide for agreements between traditional owners and proponents to include a process to consider new information that may come to light, and allow the parties to be able to amend the agreements by mutual consent," Mr Wyatt said.

"The legislation will also provide options for appeal."

Peter Stone, UNESCO's chair in cultural property protection and peace, said the archaeological destruction at Juukan Gorge was among the worst seen in recent history, likening it to the Taliban blowing up the Bamiyan Buddhas statues in Afghanistan and ISIS annihilating sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra.

Rio Tinto said it was committed to updating its practices.

Source AAP - SBS

https://amp.sbs.com.au/v1/article/rio-tinto-apologises-for-destroying-aboriginal-sacred-site/f6440109-01af-4e4c-b4f6-3496c19ccbb0?amp=1