Namibia’s National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) strongly condemns the planned commencement of uranium mining in the country’s environmentally sensitive Namib Naukluft Park (NNP). An Australian company, Paladin Resources Ltd, will perform a "ground breaking ceremony" on September 15 2005 to signal the initiation of the mining operations, local NBC Radio news reported on September 13 2005.

The planned ceremony marks the formal beginning of site works at the Langer Heinrich (LH) uranium mine, 80 kilometers east of Swakopmund. The mine is wholly owned by Paladin Resources.

In July 2005 the Namibian Government secretly granted Paladin Resources a mining license in defiance of overwhelming public opinion.

"Licensing this mining is tantamount to licensing contamination of our scarce ground and surface water sources, dispersal of radioactive dusts that will affect plants, fish, birds, animals and humans. It is like licensing our death and destruction. It is a well-known fact that uranium mining creates deadly uranium tailings and other radioactive materials such as thorium, radium and radon gas. Radiation exposure can affect reproductive health in humans. It is also associated with lower testosterone levels, chromosomal abnormality and several forms of cancer, bronchitis, emphysema and possibly other diseases", warned NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh earlier this afternoon.

In his speech elevating the Namib Desert-borne Gobabeb Research and Training Centre to the status of a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Centre of Excellence on May 9 2005, Namibian Prime Minister Nahas Angula warned that human activity threatened the unique life forms of the arid Namib ecoregion.

In addition to the indigenous minority Topnaar people, NNP is home to a host of rare biological species. Research indicates that at least 42 plant species in and around the Park are on the red list of the CITES Convention.

A group of human rights defenders and environmentalists will stage a peaceful protest against Paladin Resources at the entrance of the Park tomorrow, September 15 2005, to register NSHR’s strong disapproval of the LH uranium mine.