Banabans call on Australian government to formally recognize their major role in Australia's Nation building

[Stacey King]

"When I'm asked, Where is Banaba?" I reply,
"Scattered all over Australia!"
Banaban - Ken Sigrah

"Our life was a simple one then, it should have remained so, but you have made it complicated, please come and help us unwind the complexities we are facing..."

Dr. Bauro (Paulo)Vanualailai - Chairman of Rabi Council of Leaders

Abara Banaban representatives - Ken Sigrah and Stacey King are calling on the Australian  government to formally recognise the Banaban people and their major contribution to Australia’s prosperity.

At the beginning of the last century Australia made great progress towards Nation Building through the development of the country’s agricultural and manufacturing capacities. Wool and wheat became the cornerstone of Australian agriculture and as the country’s production rapidly increased it led to Australia becoming one of the world’s leading food and wool exporters. The major components of this success depended on the subsided use of super-phosphate fertilisers derived from the rich phosphatic rock deposits from the Banabans’ small Pacific equatorial island. This discovery would revolutionise the Australian fertiliser industry. Between 1900 -1980 more than 20 million tons of the Banaban’s land would be removed with over 13 million tons scattered over Australian farmlands. This left the Island devastated and only capable of supporting a population of between 300-500 people. Today the majority of the Banaban population of approximately 6,000, which was moved to Rabi Island in Fiji, has been left as an impoverished minority people still suffering from the actions of past Colonial rulers. To further repress the Banabans they have been split under the governance of two Pacific nations of Fiji and Kiribati with over 90% of the Banaban population identified as living below Fiji’s poverty line.

No other country has paid such a devastating price to help build Australia as a nation. Today the Banabans are calling on the Australian government to formally recognise their major contribution and historic relationship to their country.

 

Come and join our special lobby group on Facebook to support our efforts - 

Banaban Rehabilitation Campaign - Help Lobby the Australian Govt

for detailed infromation on the topic -

 

Banaba Relations; the price of shaping a nation is now a call for recognition

Ken and Stacey are asking our fellow Banaban community, especially the younger generation to get behind our efforts The Australian government has never recognized the Banabans. In fact they have left the Banaban homeland destroyed and in ruins. No rehabilitation has ever taken place.

We the Banabans are now planning to take on the 'David and Goliath' struggle to Rehabilitate and Restore our homeland. Please come and join us.

Together we can all make this possible and fulfil the dreams of our elders.