Australia Aboriginal Land Claim success

Giving back land to Indigenous peoples... does America do this too or just expect other countries to do it? Just wondering ....

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25262600-29277,00.html


Adnyamathanha win South Australia's biggest native title claim

SOUTH Australia's biggest ever native title claim has been resolved, giving the Adnyamathanha people non-exclusive rights over a large section of the state's mid-north.
Recognising the coexistence between the traditional owners of the land, pastoralists and mining companies, the determination will provide the Adnyamathanha people access to 4.1 million hectares of land for ceremonial and cultural activities such as hunting, camping and gathering bush tucker.

The 4.1m ha section of land resolution includes consent to access the 91,800ha Flinders Ranges National Park.

The tribunal also partially resolved a claim relating to the 36,700ha Angepena pastoral lease contained within the full title.

Tribunal deputy president Chris Summer said the handing down of the ruling today was the result of many years of careful negotiation and perseverance by all parties involved.

"The resolution of these applications results in the formal recognition of the Adnyamathanha people's ancient ties to the land,'' he said.

Lodging the initial claim more than a decade ago, the Adnyamathanha will now work with the state Government to finalise an indigenous land use agreement for the comanagement of the Flinders Ranges National Park.


The new agreement is expected to give the traditional owners some say in developments, including the planned expansion of the Beverley uranium mine, and give stronger protection to Aboriginal rock art created tens of thousands of years ago.

The claim will go down in the history books as the first native title claim lodged in South Australia and the fourth to be resolved, covering the biggest total determined area to date.