65 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
65 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
The **Franklin River Campaign** was a massive protest wave and
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[blockade](blockade "wikilink") that occurred in Tasmania and Victoria,
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[Australia](Commonwealth_of_Australia "wikilink") that successfully
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stopped of the construction of a controversial [dam](dam "wikilink")
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over the Gordon River, Tasmania. The campaign [began in 1976 with the
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announcement of dam construction, and ended in
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1983](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Oceania "wikilink") with the
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dam project being ended.
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## Background
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The dam was proposed in 1976 and immediately faced controversy and
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dissent. Protesters from the unsuccessful anti-dam [Lake Pedder
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Campaign](Lake_Pedder_Campaign "wikilink") began to reassemble and plan
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out more actions.\[1\]
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The discovery of [ancient aboriginal](Aboriginal_Australians "wikilink")
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paintings in caves around the river (Tasmanian Aboriginals had been
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exterminated in a [genocidal war in the
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1830s](Black_War_\(Tasmania\) "wikilink")) in 1981 further raised
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tensions. The colonial government of Tasmania did not care about the
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exterminate of culture for further [profits](Profit "wikilink").\[2\]
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## Events
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The campaign began with the creation of the Tasmanian Wilderness
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Society, a [nonviolent protest](Pacifism "wikilink") group that focused
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on 'raising awareness' by placing posters, pamphlets, tours of the
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river, thousands-strong protest marches in cities and calling
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representatives. This was completely ineffective, as the Tasmanian
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government announced a referendum and ignored the most popular options,
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(showing the [state](State_\(Polity\) "wikilink") is an insult to
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[democracy](democracy "wikilink")).
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The most effective action took place on the 14th of December, 1982,
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where 2,500 occupied the dam construction site. Forming a human chain
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through the forest to prevent construction workers from entering the
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site. The blockade also occurred on a flotilla and canoes prevented
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[police](police "wikilink") from bringing construction machinery to the
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site by barge. Around 1,440 people were arrested by police (for what?
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protecting their community? protecting the environment? police do not
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serve the people, they serve the state). Folk singer Shane Howard wrote
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the official anthem of the campaign, titled “[Let the Franklin
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Flow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyU7KxVBGP8)”.
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On the 1st of March 1983, 231 people were arrested in their boats on the
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Gordon River and the Wilderness Society's flag was flown above the Hydro
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Electric Commission building in Hobart.\[3\]
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## Results
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The construction of the dam was blocked, and ended the construction of
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new dams across Australia. The action also won [$270
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million](Money "wikilink") in grants to environmental protection groups
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in Tasmania and inspired further anti-dam actions across the world.\[4\]
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## References
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<references />
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1. [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") -
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<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Dam_controversy>
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2. <https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/tasmanian-wilderness-society-blocks-dam-construction-franklin-river-campaign-1981-83>
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3.
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4. |