A stunning vista of jagged brick-red cliffs lies in Australia’s
desolate Northern Territory. As breathtaking as the scenery is,
though, most people are more concerned with what lies beneath
Koongarra: A massive deposit of uranium worth $5 billion. Just one
man, 36-year-old Jeffrey Lee, holds the title to this unfathomably
valuable piece of real estate – and he says it’s not for sale. Lee, an
Australian Aborigine, won’t condone the destruction of his ancestral
land at any cost. As the sole survivor of the Djok clan, he believes
that he has a grave responsibility to protect Koongarra and the rest
of his tribe’s native lands from harm.
special places out there which are my responsibility to look after,”
Lee told The Sydney Morning Herald. So, rather than rubbing elbows
with Donald Trump and Richard Branson on the Forbes billionaire list,
Lee has rejected all requests to purchase Koongarra. He is committed
to protecting it from uranium mining, which would poison the land and
destroy its fragile ecosystem. It’s a shocking choice, to be sure – but Lee has no need for a fleet
of yachts, his own island, or any other trappings of the decadent
life. His desire is simply to preserve the legacy of his ancestral
tribe. Lee’s incredible sacrifice isn’t just about salvaging the past:
It’s about protecting the future, too. Even though he has no children
yet, he believes that access to the sacred ancestral land is the
greatest gift that he can provide for his future offspring. “I was
taken all through here on the shoulder of my grandmother,” said Lee.
“I heard all the stories and learnt everything about this land, and I
want to pass it all on to my kids.”
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