Hi all, response to The Daily Telegraph concerning their slanderous lies and misrepresentation of the good people protecting our Land Our Water and Our Future xxx PRB
Att : The Daily Telegraph
Re: Your recent article “NSW CSG Laws Rein in protest “Fascists” 7/3/2016
My name is Paul Robert Burton I am the president of Our Land Our Water Our Future Inc. We are a not for profit incorporated association and environmental group. www.ourlandourwaterourfuture.org
Our group supports the right of individuals to engage in civil disobedience when our political and legal system fails and there is enormous social injustice. People in this situation have no choice but to protect with peaceful direct action based on the highest principles of “Satyagraha” as taught by individuals like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Junior.
I would like to bring the Daily Telegraph’s attention to some significant errors in a recent article
That was published Titled “NSW CSG Laws Rein in protest “Fascists”
The following information requires a public apology from the Daily Telegraph.
Despite the Daily Telegraph’s claim of strong local support for mining there is much stronger local support apposing mining activities in the Pilliga Forest as well as throughout the entire North West of NSW and both nationally and globally. The only people that condone Santos here in The Pilliga are those in the region with a direct pecuniary relationship with that same corporation. Most others appose it. These include many local farmers from around the region, many Original Sovereigns known to the government as Aboriginals, many businesses involved with tourism, renewable energies, cultural heritage, environmental protection and agriculture. There is also strong support from concerned church/spiritual groups. Your article is misleading and incorrect.
To suggest that someone has no right to object to mining based on their personal geographic location is also an absurd proposition. I am currently in the Pilliga and I travel extensively my home is Newcastle. The right to protect our land, our water, our cultural heritage, our agriculture and our tourism is a fundamental human right and something that will eventually affect everyone. The Government’s blatant disregard for our fundamental human rights is a shameful disgrace and we hold both major political parties to full account for this appalling behavior. Anyone anywhere has the right to protect our national environmental resources and a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren, the matter is a significant global concern and not simply determined by the fact of whether or not it is near where you live. The Great Artesian basin is our primary water resource and any experiment in or around it by mining companies with an appalling record of environmental destruction is an “insane” proposition. There is no economy without an environment in which it exists.
You have a quote from “Santos” saying “workers have been followed home and vehicles have been vandalised and defaced with material”
”There is no evidence to support any such incident/s that has any connection to protectors of the forest or anyone else. There are no court cases or any other information to support this appalling defamatory statement.
You also mentioned an action with Whitehaven Maules Creek Mine suggesting that 187 wires were attached to extremely powerful explosives. There is no such listing or any such evidence with the NSW Police to support this statement. This is an outright lie.
Speaking on behalf of all good people from all walks of life I would suggest that The Daily Telegraph publicly apologise forthwith and retract their statements.
“The Eco Fascists are without any doubt the mining companies and our shameful disgrace of a government that openly supports them.”
Many Australians are aware of this and in time all good people will know the truth.
Regards Paul Robert Burton
President
Our Land Our Water Our Future Inc.