SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE'S STRUGGLES
Amplifying voices of Indigenous Peoples and local communities resisting against Australian interests that are undermining lives, lands, and watersSolidarity with partners, frontline communities, and movements for equality and justice to lay foundations for a radically different and better future for all.
Unlike most overseas aid programs that start with an imposition, international solidarity is about allies in relationship with communities in the Global South together committed to global equality, peace, and justice. We believe work, now and into the future, demands decoloniality and intersectionality in our approach, processes, and everyday social relations – as an organisation, we still have a way to go. For this reason, we collaborate and act in solidarity with our partners, networks, Indigenous peoples, and frontline communities to defend and protect lands, waters, and livelihoods.
Greenwashing Extractivism and A Radioactive Legacy
The Stop Lynas Campaign has been led by a strong Australian-Malaysian community-driven campaign. It began in Malaysia in 2011 by residents of the city of Kuantan protesting against Australia’s Lynas Rare Earth (formerly Lynas Corporation).
Aid/Watch’s Lee Tan has been leading this work in Australia since 2011.
There are more than one million metric tonnes of toxic and radioactive waste piled up at the Lynas refinery. Hundreds and thousands of Malaysians have been demanding Lynas to radioactive waste issue produced at its plant.
Guardians of ‘Avisak’, the Mighty Sepik River
As one of the world’s greatest river systems, the mighty Sepik River is the largest unpolluted freshwater system in Papua New Guinea. It is among the largest and most intact freshwater basins in the Asia Pacific and is often referred to as the Amazon of the region.
The Sepik River has been under threat by a large-scale extractive mining project, the Frieda River mine. It is run by Frieda River Ltd, a subsidiary of PanAust a Chinese-owned and Australian-registered incorporated company.
Until now the mine has not gone ahead. This is due to the fierce organising and opposition from Aid/Watch partner Project Sepik and the Guardians of the Sepik River – the Indigenous Peoples who have lived along this mighty river system for thousands and thousands of years.
We are very proud and honored to be partners with Project Sepik and to support the Save the Sepik campaign by amplifying their work on the ground and through international solidarity.
#Justice4paga:
land grabbing, forced evictions and human rights in Papua New Guinea
Since 2017, AID/WATCH has campaigned to seek justice for the Paga Hill community through research, advocacy, lobbying, and media. This has been in collaboration with the Paga Hill community, Jubilee Australia, Human Rights Law Centre, and The Opposition film.
Living conditions and evictions of informal settlements have become one of the most pervasive violations of human rights globally. Aid/Watch in collaboration with the Paga Hill community and Jubilee Australia led a three-year Paga Hill Social Mapping project. In November 2021 we launched the 100-page report Haus Bagarap, Hevi Kamap (Homes destroyed, livelihoods lost) – Voices from the aftermath of community evictions and displacement at Paga Hill.
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