Yabra grave uncovered; Archaeology Department dodges
When the Yabra Development Project was launched on May twenty-sixth of last year, there were only a few residents who opposed the plans. But since the project broke ground, its opponents have become more vocal, openly protesting, through various mediums, what they see as desecration of sacred ground. In the forefront of the controversy is the question of whether the graves of the cemetery will be disturbed during construction. From the get go, area representative Mark Espat, has said no, graves will not be disturbed and that the Department of Archaeology has been on the site every step of the way to make sure everything is done by the book.
Mark Espat, Area Representative, Albert Division
“The Department of Archaeology will be supervising anything that’s done out there. We do not intend to dig anybody up or get involved with the moving of any graves. They have their detailed maps, an overseer overseeing the project and we will leave that decision to them. We are not involved with that side of it.”
Q: “But you won’t condone that sort of… either, either right?”
Mark Espat
“Absolutely not. Absolutely not.”
When News Five went to the Yabra Cemetery this morning, this was the scene that greeted us. A bulldozer was working hard to clear the area and we decided to take a look around. This is what we saw.
(shots of grave in dirt)
Shortly after we got there, the bulldozer packed up and left. When they thought we had gone, these men proceeded to cover up what we had just seen, a set of buried bricks which appeared to be a grave. We wanted to find out what was happening but later in the day, when we approached an archaeologist from the Department of Archaeology about the matter, he got extremely camera shy.
Q: “Excuse me, are you from the Department of Archaeology? Can you tell me if graves are being disturbed here?”
(archeologist gets in vehicle and drives off)
News Five tried to contact Archaeological Commissioner Alan Moore for comment but we were unsuccessful. Albert Representative Mark Espat says he has been made aware that a tombstone was uncovered today but says the Department of Archaeology is handling the matter.
Work on the Yabra Development Project, which includes sporting facilities and new housing, continues.
