82-YEAR-OLD ABORIGINAL ELDER RELEASED ON BAIL AFTER ARREST DEFENDING SACRED LANDS
Uncle Jim Everett pictured at the protest agaisnt logging PC: Bob Brown Foundation
BY ASAD KHAN
Uncle Jim Everett, an 82-year-old Aboriginal elder and long-time activist, has been released on bail following his arrest for allegedly trespassing on ancestral lands. The arrest occurred during a protest against native forest logging in Tasmania, where Uncle Jim was defending sacred Aboriginal territory from destruction.
The elder, a writer and filmmaker with over five decades of activism, was taken into custody by police but has vowed to continue his efforts to protect the land.
Despite his arrest, he noted that he was treated kindly by the police, who provided him with pillows during his uncomfortable ride in the police vehicle to the New Norfolk Police Station.
In an interview, Uncle Jim recounted the circumstances that led to his arrest. He explained that the protest was coordinated with the Bob Brown Foundation, an environmental advocacy group, to resist ongoing logging activities.
“We spent the night camping until the morning, and around 4:00 AM the loggers showed up,” he said.
“They went away, and the police came in at about 8:30 in the morning, they arrested me, and nobody else. Everybody else agreed to leave. It was all set up for me to be arrested.”
Uncle Jim's arrest, however, has drawn immense support from the Aboriginal community and environmental activists.
He highlighted the ongoing trauma felt by Aboriginal people witnessing the degradation of their lands and waters, which have been cared for by their ancestors for millennia.
“The hopelessness people in Aboriginal communities feel seeing their lands and waters being trashed and poisoned is a trauma in itself,” he said, linking this to the intergenerational trauma already suffered by Aboriginal Australians.
Uncle Jim’s arrest comes at a time when tensions are high in Tasmania over native forest logging and land rights issues.
The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, along with broader community support, has rallied behind him, underscoring the significance of protecting sacred lands from environmental degradation.
Looking forward, Uncle Jim remains steadfast in his mission. He believes the legal system has failed to acknowledge the inherent rights of Aboriginal people to protect their ancestral lands, stating, “We haven’t got justice yet, and I’ll be doing this for as long as I can.”
He urged both the government and the public to recognize the value of these lands, not only for their environmental importance but for the cultural and spiritual connection they hold for Aboriginal people.
As Uncle Jim celebrates his 82nd year, his resolve to stand up for his people and their rights remains unwavering, serving as a reminder of the deep connection Aboriginal Australians have with their land and the lengths they will go to in order to defend it.
Listen to Ngaarda Media’s lead journalist Asad Khan speak with Uncle Jim Everett: