#StandUpForThePacific - Tell Whitehaven to stop Maules Creek coal mine!

Tell Whitehaven Coal to stop construction of Maules Creek coal mine

To Paul Flynn, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Whitehaven Coal:             

As Pacific Islanders, we stand in solidarity with our fellow First Nations people, the Gomeroi traditional owners, in their fight against Whitehaven’’s proposed coal mine at Maules Creek.

  • We DO NOT support the destruction of Gomeroi sacred sites, including burial sites, located on the coal mine site.

  • We DO NOT support the opening of a new coal mine in light of the enormous threat to our island homes posed by continued coal consumption and its contribution to man-made climate change.

We are calling on Whitehaven Coal to halt construction of the mine site immediately.

Sincerely,

Signed,

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Warm Pacific greetings,

I'm writing to ask your help to stand up for the Pacific, and to stand with the Gomeroi People of Australia. Let me explain.

Last week, I traveled to the Solomon Islands who had, only the week before, suffered the devastation of flash flooding that destroyed homes, businesses and sadly claimed more than 20 lives - mainly children. Arriving when grief was still raw, and more than 9,000 people remaining homeless, I was unsure if participants would be prepared to come to the Warrior Training we were to run. But every participant who had signed up arrived that first morning with a united determination that the time to fight to save their beloved Solomon Islands - was now.

When we discussed plans for the Pacific Climate Warriors to build canoes to deliver a message to the fossil fuel industry in Australia, one of the key questions raised was how the indigenous people of Australia were feeling during this climate crisis - especially given it was the natural resources of their land that was contributing to the problem. I explained that in the case of the biggest coal mine currently in development in Australia, Maules Creek, the Traditional Owners, the Gomeroi People people have been ignored in their requests to stop the desecration of important cultural sites, forest and land. A deep sense of sadness and empathy for the Gomeroi People descended upon the room and the question was asked - how can we support them?

Stand with the Gomeroi peoples, Australians, and our fellow Pacific Islanders - sign the petition to send a message to Whitehaven that their Maules Creek Coal Mine must stop!

The good news is that hundreds of people from across Australia have been standing with the Gomeroi Peoples in opposing the Maules Creek coal mine. Two weeks ago, 80 people got arrested for marching onto the mine site, and voicing their deep concerns about the mine. This weekend, dozens more Australians are heading up to the mine to put their bodies on the line to stop Maules Creek mine.

Yet the company building the coal mine, Whitehaven Coal, is determined to ignore all of this, and the climate risks to our Pacific communities. If this mine goes ahead, each year 13 million tonnes of coal will be ripped from the ground and transported to the Port of Newcastle for export. This will go on for 30 years.

Coal - a massive threat to the future of the Pacific Islands

Digging up and burning all the coal, oil and gas that the fossil fuel industry plans already will release five times more carbon dioxide than climate change scientists say is safe for our Pacific Islands and the world. To keep our islands above water, we need to keep this coal in the ground.

It's time to tell Whitehaven Coal that Maules Creek Coal Mine needs to stop.

In solidarity,

Koreti for 350.org Pacific