The following statement was released on January 19

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Several activists involved in the protests against the International Mining And Resources Conference (IMARC) 2018 last October had their homes raided and searched by Victoria Police on Friday January 18. They were arrested, detained and interrogated and had phones, computers and other belongings seized.

The Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET), Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR), Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy (BASE), Voices of the 3%, Melbourne Rainforest Action Group (MRAG) and other groups strongly denounce the harassment, surveillance and criminalisation of dissent and protest at the hands of Victoria Police, the Australian government and the multinational companies they serve.

This is not an isolated event. These arrests are happening in the context of other social and environmental activists having been raided and harassed in recent weeks and months by Victoria Police.

This is just another example in Victoria Police's long history of human rights violations against Indigenous peoples, migrants, women, LGBT people, working people and anyone who challenges the racist, capitalist and patriarchal system that the Australian police uphold and protect.

IMARC is a gathering of the global mining industry to develop and expand its operations and exploitation of people, land and water across the globe. While they talk about how to increase their projects and profits Aboriginal land is plundered and poisoned, communities are displaced from their lands without veto rights, and Indigenous and working class families are dying from respiratory diseases from mines and coal dust.

Meanwhile, globally, climate scientists tell us if we don’t stop fossil fuel use we will go past the point of no return, facing the prospects of mass extinction, deforestation, climate catastrophe...

When the last tonne is extracted, what will be left?

We stand in solidarity with the activists arrested and raided on Friday and in recent weeks, and with all those defending the Earth from the plunder of mining. We fight for a just and liveable future for all, from Andymathana and Gomeroi land to Ecuador, Colombia and Honduras, from Papua New Guinea to South Africa.

Not to mining! Yes to life!

Land rights not mining rights!

Water is life!

Water is more precious than gold!

Mining is not sustainable!

Extractivism is not development!

Media contacts: Lucho 0425 539 149 / Rebecca 0447 682 695