Yvonne Margarula
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Margarula won the 1998 Friends of the Earth
International Environment Award and the 1998 Nuclear-Free Future Award
. She also won the 1999 U.S. Goldman Environmental Prize
, with Jacqui Katona
, in recognition of efforts to protect their country and culture against uranium mining
.
people, led by Margarula and Katona, mounted a large campaign in opposition to the proposed Jabiluka
uranium mine in the Northern Territory
of Australia
. They used legal action and education to gain national and international support. In March 1998 the Mirrar, together with environmental organizations, used massive on-site civil disobedience
to create one of the largest blockades in Australia's history. Over several months, approximately 5,000 people from across Australia and around the world travelled to the remote camp to protest with the Mirrar people. In July the land was cleared by Energy Resources of Australia
and construction of the entrance to the Jabiluka mine began; however, protesters intervened and about 550 were arrested, including Margarula and Katona.
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
International Environment Award and the 1998 Nuclear-Free Future Award
Nuclear-Free Future Award
Since 1998 the Nuclear-Free Future Award is an award given to anti-nuclear activists, organizations and communities. The award is intended to promote the opposition to uranium mining, nuclear weapons and nuclear power....
. She also won the 1999 U.S. Goldman Environmental Prize
Goldman Environmental Prize
The Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize awarded annually to grassroots environmental activists, one from each of the world's six geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The prize includes a no-strings-attached award of...
, with Jacqui Katona
Jacqui Katona
Jacqui Katona is a western-educated Aboriginal woman who led the campaign to stop the Jabiluka uranium mine in the Northern Territory. In 1998 the Mirrar Aboriginal people, together with environmental groups, used peaceful on-site civil disobedience to create one of the largest blockades in...
, in recognition of efforts to protect their country and culture against uranium mining
Uranium mining
Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. The worldwide production of uranium in 2009 amounted to 50,572 tonnes, of which 27% was mined in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia are the top three producers and together account for 63% of world uranium...
.
Protests
The Mirrar aboriginalAustralian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
people, led by Margarula and Katona, mounted a large campaign in opposition to the proposed Jabiluka
Jabiluka
Jabiluka is a uranium deposit and mine development in the Northern Territory of Australia that was to have been built on land belonging to the Mirarr Aboriginal people...
uranium mine in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They used legal action and education to gain national and international support. In March 1998 the Mirrar, together with environmental organizations, used massive on-site civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
to create one of the largest blockades in Australia's history. Over several months, approximately 5,000 people from across Australia and around the world travelled to the remote camp to protest with the Mirrar people. In July the land was cleared by Energy Resources of Australia
Energy Resources of Australia
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd is a public company based in Australia. It is a subsidiary of the Rio Tinto Group which owns 68.4% of the company. The chairman is David Klingner and chief executive officer is Harry Kenyon-Slaney....
and construction of the entrance to the Jabiluka mine began; however, protesters intervened and about 550 were arrested, including Margarula and Katona.
See also
- List of Australian inquiries into uranium mining
- List of Nuclear-Free Future Award recipients
- Uranium in the environmentUranium in the environmentUranium in the environment refers to the science of the sources, environmental behaviour, and effects of uranium on humans and other animals. Uranium is weakly radioactive and remains so because of its long physical half-life...
- Uranium mining in Kakadu National Park
- Women and the environment through historyWomen and the environment through historyEnvironmental history books have mostly focused on men’s roles, and generally women’s involvement with nature has been ignored. Even historical texts have been deficient in writing about women participation in environmentalist actions. So, the result is that women’s role in environmental struggles...