While Australia’s politicians debate the so-called “Inconvenient Truth” of human-induced climate change, inhabitants of low lying islands across the Pacific know climate change is very real.
Today, on World Environment Day, comes news that rising seas are threatening an island inside Australia’s own territorial waters.
Poruma, (formerly known as Coconut Island) is a small island in the Torres Strait Archipelago, between Queensland and PNG. A part of Queensland, in the Catholic Diocese of Cairns, Poruma is home to 205 people who have traditionally lived by fishing. They also manage an award-winning resort on the island.
But there is another side of Poruma. It is drowning. Rising sea levels, storm surges and salinity in its freshwater wells is making Poruma uninhabitable for its people.
When Dolly McGaughey last returned to her island home, the severity of erosion shocked her. “It has all been eaten up by the sea. The beautiful white beaches of my childhood have gone underwater. Some of the trees I knew then are gone,” Dolly told Catholic Mission.“To look for the places where I used to play and see they had vanished was hurtful.”
“The island is sand built up on coral and with the sea level rising all the time. It’s just eating the sand. One day it’s going to be just coral reef.” said Dolly.
Where once there was a freshwater well, now the well water is salty, said Dolly. “The people are trying to plant trees
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Dolly McGaughey expresses her fears for Poruma | on the beach but they just get washed away again, or the rough winds just rip them out. There is nothing we can do about it.”
Born on Poruma in 1945, Dolly McGaughey, 65, is the Torres Strait Islander representative of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Catholic Council (NATSICC).
She feels helpless about the destruction of Poruma and has empathy with other Torres Strait island people who are experiencing similar devastation, such as on Masig (Yorke Island) and Saibai in the Western Group near the PNG border. She fears that they too may be driven off their islands. But she is conflicted by strong emotions in even raising the issue. This is her ancestral home.
“We are one spiritual people. We have sacred places, burial grounds. Part of the cemetery that is on the sisterly island has been washed away. Although repairs have been carried out, what about the future as the water level rises? That is bad for our people. These are the bones of your mother or your grandmother, and it hurts the people a lot.” said Dolly.
“My people are very proud. They won’t move. The elders are not going to move. But it’s necessary for my people to move because the island is disappearing slowly and they must find another place to live. It’s very sensitive.”
Despite her reservations, Dolly McGaughey is adamant the issue of her dying island is aired. “I want to get it out there for someone to know, for the world to know. I think it’s important. I am open to a study group coming to the island. I wish there was some kind of funding to see the erosion so that you know I am not exaggerating.”
Catholic Mission supports the pastoral care of Torres Strait Islanders. On World Environment Day 2010, we acknowledge Dolly McGaughey’s call for more research into the environmental destruction of Poruma. We look to the Australian and Queensland Governments to work to allay the fears of the people of Poruma as to what the future holds for them and their island home.
For further information contact Catholic Mission’s Media Officer Netta Kovach on (02) 9919 7800 |
