European Parliament Uranium Mining Urgency Resolution

The European Parliament

• recalling the provisions on the rights of Indigenous peoples made of the Vienna Declaration adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights stressing the protection of Indigenous peoples' economic, social and cultural well-being including their distinct identities and cultures;

• recalling the principles of Agenda 21 and of the Convention on Biological Diversity;

• mindful of its numerous resolutions on the rights of Indigenous peoples and in particular of its resolutions B4-0062, 0067 and 0103/95; A3-0059/93

A. mindful of the objection of the Australian government to a human rights clause within the Cooperation Agremment between Australia and the European Union;

B. concerned about the recent decision of the Australian government to consider the development of the Jabiluka uranium project which is located in an area surrounded by the World Heritage Kadadu National Park;

C. aware of the motion of the Australian Senate from 20 October 1997 calling on the Australian government not to proceed with the project;

D. aware of the fact that the Jabiluka site as well as the nearby Ranger uranium mining operations are located on legally recognised aboriginal territory;

E. considering the fact that the sites are of siginificance for the cultural heritage of the aborginal peoples;

F. noting that the project evaluation by Environment Australia has resulted in concerns regarding its impacts on wilderness and world heritage values as well as on radioactive tailings;

G. concerned about the health effects of the already existing mining facilities at Roxby Downs, Ranger and the currently planned Jabiluka project for the aboriginal people;

H. noting that Australia is exporting uranium into the European Union;

1. Calls on the Australian Government to respect the status of the Kakadu National Park as a World Heritage site;

2. Calls on the Australian Government to respect the landrights of the Aboriginal Peoples as well as the provisions on indigenous peoples provided by the Vienna Declaration;

3. Calls therefore on the Australian Government not to proceed with the project;

4. Calls on the Commission to obtain an independent study about the uranium imports of the European Union analysing the impact of uranium mining and processing on health and environment, on the rights of Indigenous peoples and on waste production of the mining operations in regard to the respective country of origin;

5. Calls on the Member States, as a first step, to ban all imports of uranium from mines where the landrights of Indigenous Peoples are being compromised;

6. Calls on its Subcommittee on Human Rights to closely monitor the case;

7. Instructs its president to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the Australian Government, the Australian Senate, the Northern Aboriginal Land Council and the Internatonal Atomic Energy Agency.

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WISE Uranium Project (home)