Traditional Owners will have greater control over Rio Tinto’s mine sites in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, as the second anniversary of the company’s destruction of ancient Juukan Gorge rock shelters looms.
The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people said they have signed a non-binding agreement with the mining giant to guide cultural heritage management as they work towards eventual co-management of mine sites.
Rio Tinto sparked an international backlash after it deliberately blasted the 46,000 year-old rock shelters on May 24 2020, devastating Aboriginal groups across Australia and sparking a federal parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s cultural heritage protections.
PKKP chairman Burchell Hayes said the PKKP had worked to rebuild its relationship with Rio Tinto since then, despite the ongoing pain wrought by the destruction.
A year ago on the one-year anniversary of the Juukan Gorge destruction, PKKP told NITV it wanted to co-manage mine sites to ensure it never happened again
The 46,000-year-old caves were destroyed by mining giant Rio Tinto in May 2020, sparking the reform of legislation. Source: PKKP AND ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
Mr Hayes said the new agreement would guide the ongoing development and finalisation of co-management of mining on PKKP Country.
It outlines key principals for co-management including communication on equal terms between parties, clear delineation of mine areas and greater control and involvement of traditional owners over mining activities.
"This agreement provides clear acknowledgement that Rio Tinto accepts that the destruction of the rock shelters should not have happened and makes clear that it is absolutely committed to listening, learning, changing and co-managing country," Mr Hayes said in a statement.
"While the agreement is non-binding, we believe it is a clear signal of intent from Rio Tinto and one that will ultimately be tested in the co-management agreement that is reached."
