Australia Inquiry Into Destruction of Caves by Rio Tinto Calls for Federal Protections
18 Octubre 2021 - 12:18AM
Noticias Dow Jones
By Rhiannon Hoyle
Australia should devise new federal legislation to protect
cultural heritage sites, an inquiry into the destruction of two
ancient rock shelters by miner Rio Tinto PLC found, while calling
for more funding for indigenous groups, including from miners, to
help cover administrative burdens.
On Monday, Australian lawmakers recommended a new national
framework that would set out minimum standards for the country's
states and territories and should include mechanisms for
traditional land owners to withhold consent to the destruction of
cultural heritage sites, as well as adequate penalties for any
breaches.
It should also include buffer zones for cultural heritage sites
and a process for development decisions to be reviewed should
significant new information about cultural heritage come to light,
according to a final report.
Lawmakers have been investigating the May 2020 destruction of
the caves at Juukan Gorge, which cost Rio Tinto's former chief
executive his job and damaged the mining industry's reputation more
broadly.
"No state or territory legislative or policy framework is
adequately protecting the interests and the heritage of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and it is past time that this
is rectified," the report said.
The inquiry highlighted concerns over the expenses that
indigenous stakeholder groups face when negotiating agreements with
miners and lawmakers recommended an independent fund be established
to help cover costs. Funding should come from both the mining
industry and governments, they said.
The report also recommended Australia ratify Unesco's Convention
for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Juukan Gorge rock shelters in Australia's minerals-rich
Pilbara region, which supplies more than half the world's iron ore
traded by sea, contained a trove of artifacts that indicated they
had been occupied by humans more than 46,000 years ago.
Rio Tinto, which didn't break any laws when destroying the rock
shelters, has apologized to the traditional owners of the land, the
Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people, or PKKP.
"We will now take time to consider the report and its
recommendations," the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation said in an
emailed statement.
The Australian inquiry highlighted the power imbalance between
the mining industry and indigenous groups. It found most agreements
contained clauses that prevented traditional landowners from taking
legal action or raising concerns to prevent the destruction of
heritage sites.
"It was never our wish or choice to be in this position but the
response by Rio Tinto, other mining companies and government
decision makers to the events at Juukan Gorge will be a test case
for First Nations people throughout Australia and internationally,"
the PKKP said in its statement.
In an interim report last year, lawmakers recommended Rio Tinto
negotiate a restitution package with the PKKP, while urging miners
to end the use of so-called gag clauses.
Rio Tinto on Monday said it is focused on improving its
relationship with indigenous groups and reiterated that it has
changed its own processes to ensure significant heritage sites are
protected. It also continues to work with the PKKP to remediate the
Juukan Gorge site, the company said.
Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 18, 2021 01:03 ET (05:03 GMT)
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