Corporate Responsibility

Report questions Barrick Gold memorandum over Pascua Lama project

whit — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 21:10:48 +0100

Report questions legitimacy of memorandum between Barrick Gold and Diaguita indigenous communities

Latin American Observatory of Environmental Conflicts (OLCA) – MiningWatch Canada release – http://www.miningwatch.ca/news/report-questions-legitimacy-memorandum-be...

Santiago/Ottawa – While Barrick has been offloading assets and reducing operational costs in order to improve its standing with shareholders, the social costs of the Pascua Lama project in Chile’s Huasco Valley continue to grow.

Despite company statements that comm

Canadian Church Is to Divest Goldcorp Shares

whit — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 13:07:48 +0100

The United Church of Canada wants its pension board to sell its shares in Goldcorp.

The motion calling for divestment was approved on Aug.

UN urges Canada to probe mining abuses abroad

whit — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 06:47:20 +0100

Committee voices concern about ‘allegations of human rights abuses by Canadian companies operating abroad.’

A United Nations watchdog urged Canada on Thursday to investigate alleged human rights abuses by its mining companies abroad and launch an inquiry into the high number of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

The U.N.

Oxfam US report shows improved mining company policies on community consent

whit — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 09:50:32 +0100

Oxfam’s new report reviews the public policy commitments of 38 oil, gas, and mining companies around issues of community engagement and rights.

Emily Greenspan is a Senior Policy Advisor for Extractive Industries at Oxfam America.

For oil, gas, and mining companies, gaining access to land and water can make or break a project. For many communities living on that land and relying on that water, the stakes are much higher. Their land is their lifeline, and this can be lost when they don’t have a say and their rights are ignored.

Indonesia: Palm oil giant Wilmar resorts to dirty tricks

whit — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 09:27:54 +0100

World’s largest palm oil trading company, Wilmar International Ltd., under scrutiny as communities accuse its suppliers of harassment, deception and rights abuses.

Jakarta: Oil palm giant Wilmar International Ltd. (F34.SI / WLIL.SI) stands accused of resorting to ‘dirty tricks’ in its dealings with communities. The allegations come from community leaders and non-Governmental organisations who have tracked the company’s operations on the ground in Borneo, Sumatra, Uganda and Nigeria.

South Africa - Kumba Iron Ore's social license to operate is questioned

whit — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 17:11:25 +0100

The South African organisation Bench Marks has launched a report on Anglo American’s Kumba Iron ore, called Policy Gap 10 “Floating or Sinking” Social Licence to Operate (SLO): Kumba Iron Ore Limited.

They have produced eleven media releases relating to key issues discussed in the report.

Canada - Protest at Imperial Metals AGM turns ugly as shareholder goes full racist

whit — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 12:55:18 +0100

Indigenous activists say company behind Mount Polley spill not welcome on their territories

Imperial Metals’ annual meeting of shareholders received a not-so-warm welcome from activists and Indigenous warrior women on Wednesday in downtown Vancouver.

Impassioned voices spoke to the devastation left behind after a massive tailings pond breach at Imperial Metals’ Mount Polley gold and copper mine in August 2014.

Burma - Turquoise Hill must disclose all transactions related to Myanmar divestment

whit — Sun, 10 May 2015 20:51:21 +0100

Canadian mining corporation Turquoise Hill Resources (formerly called Ivanhoe Mines) should disclose all transactions related to the divestment of its interest in a mining project in Myanmar, which may have breached Canadian economic sanctions on Myanmar, Amnesty International said ahead of the company;s annual shareholder meeting in Vancouver today (8 May).

Ivanhoe Mines set up a secretive “Monywa Trust” to enable the company to divest its 50 per cent stake in the controversial Monywa copper mining project in central Myanmar, where abuses have included forced evictions and environmental

Social licence: easy to grant, hard to revoke

whit — Fri, 08 May 2015 09:03:16 +0100

What happens to community social licence when resource projects get shelved?

When a new pipeline or mine is proposed, promises are often made to communities and First Nations to win community approval.

The social-licence agreements often go above and beyond what regulators require and can include increased environmental protection measures and deals to provide First Nations with job training and employment.

They can also include community amenities, such as the pledge by Kinder Morgan Inc.

No More Goldcorp, No More Murders: a memorial and march to confront Goldcorp's AGM

whit — Tue, 05 May 2015 17:55:10 +0100

All photos by Allan Lissner.

Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee territory (Toronto, Canada) – On April 30, 2015 the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network and the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network joined with over 50 marchers in Toronto’s Financial District to greet Goldcorp head executives and shareholders outside of Goldcorp Inc’s Shareholders’ Meeting held at the Sheraton Hotel on Queen Street West.

Church of England $14bn fund blacklists coal, oil sands

whit — Sat, 02 May 2015 19:44:06 +0100

The Church of England is one of the world’s richest religious institutions with an investment portfolio worth $13.8 billion.

On Thursday the body said that it will no longer make any investment in companies that produce coal or are involved in Canada’s oil sands extraction.

Announcing the changes to the investment criteria the Bishop of Salisbury, the church’s lead official on the environment, called climate change “the most pressing moral issue in our world”.

The Church did leave some space for mining investment however by limiting the ban to companies which are primary producers

Investigate Rio Tinto's role in potential Myanmar sanctions busting

whit — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 09:03:03 +0100

The UK Government must investigate the British-Australian mining corporation Rio Tinto over a possible breach of EU economic sanctions on Myanmar, Amnesty International said ahead of the company’s annual shareholder meeting in London today (16 April).

Rio Tinto was instrumental in the setting up of the secretive ‘Monywa Trust’ which enabled Canadian-based Ivanhoe Mines (now Turquoise Hill Resources) to divest its stake in the controversial Monywa copper mine project in central Myanmar, where abuses have included forced evictions and extreme pollution.

Canada - First Nation Chiefs oppose Noront's purchase of Cliffs' assets in the Ring of Fire

whit — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 08:52:30 +0100

MARTEN FALLS FIRST NATION – The Chiefs of Marten Falls First Nation and Aroland First Nation re-affirmed today their opposition to Noront Resources’ proposed purchase of Cliffs Natural Resources’ chromite assets.

Interim Chief Bruce Achneepineskum of Marten Falls First Nation and Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation met for two days this week with their advisors at a Bay Street law office in Toronto to review the status of the proposed Noront purchase of Cliffs chromite assets in the Ring of Fire. The Cliffs assets are in Marten Falls’ traditional territory.

Burmese women's rights activists wary of Canadian mining investment

whit — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 17:32:09 +0000

Representatives of Burmese women’s groups who were in Ottawa last week say that the Harper government should be wary of promoting mining investment in Myanmar, because it could further inflame ethnic conflict that they say continues—despite a Western perception that the country is improving.

Staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, including an environment specialist and natural resources management specialist, spent 13 days last October in the country also known as Burma exploring “if and how Canada’s development assistance program could support Burma

Corporate encroachment reduces indigenous lands, biodiversity - U.N.

whit — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 09:57:55 +0000

ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Aboriginal people around the world faced growing displacement over the last decade as property values rose and large companies pushed onto traditional territories to extract resources, a U.N. specialist on indigenous peoples’ rights said.

“A lot of money is going into (land) speculation; this has worsened the situation,” Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, U.N.

Myanmar: Canadian mining company colluding in serious abuses and illegality

whit — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 16:11:29 +0000

Canadian company Ivanhoe Mines Limited and Chinese mining interests have profited from, and in some cases colluded with the Myanmar authorities in serious human rights abuses and illegal activity around the Monywa copper mine complex, which includes the notorious Letpadaung mine, Amnesty International said in a report released today.

Open for Business? Corporate Crime and Abuses at Myanmar Copper Mine describes how large-scale forced evictions and serious pollution linked to the mine have destroyed livelihoods and exposed thousands of people to health risks.

Constant Conflict? Unresolved Land Disputes Still Haunt Asia Pulp and Paper

whit — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:08:59 +0000

On-the-ground interviews with 17 affected Indonesian communities reveal policy implementation problems while hundreds of unresolved land conflicts remain

Nearly two years after Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) made groundbreaking commitments to transform its notoriously destructive business practices, Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has partnered with one international and nine local Indonesian allies to produce a report that documents the company’s performance in meeting its social responsibility promises.

Robert Friedland's Mining Showdown in South Africa

whit — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 17:07:17 +0000

MOKOPANE, SOUTH AFRICA – The two men took the cash from an envelope, counted it carefully and spread it on the table in front of Raesetsa Makgabo in her village home.

Indigenous position presented to UN Forum on Business and Human Rights

whit — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 18:09:23 +0000

[NB – PIPLinks is a member of ENIP]

Geneva – Despite being most vulnerable to adverse human rights impact of business operations on their land, indigenous peoples are among those facing the greatest obstacles for accessing judicial and non-judicial remedy.

On December 1, CAOI, ENIP and AIPP hosted a panel discussion on Indigenous peoples and access to justice in the context of business operation.

Comments on the draft IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining (v.10 7-14)

whit — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 14:04:38 +0000

on Chapter 2.10 on Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC)

Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks) and Middlesex University Business School would like to submit the following comments on the draft IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining in the spirit of constructive criticism, focussing on the area of most concern to us which is chapter 2.10 on Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC).

First, we would like to congratulate the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) for both affirming the central importance of FPIC in relation to ensuring respect for indigenous peoples’ rights, and for t

PNG - Rape Survivors Offered Business Remedy by Barrick Gold in Exchange for Waiving Legal Rights

whit — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 18:28:20 +0000

Survivors of Rape by Barrick Gold Security Guards Offered “Business Grants” and “Training” in Exchange for Waiving Legal Rights

Human rights advocates denounce Barrick’s reparations process in Papua New Guinea as inconsistent with international law and inadequate to remedy brutal rapes

Washington DC and Porgera, Papua New Guinea — Approximately 200 women who survived brutal rapes by Barrick Gold’s security guards in Papua New Guinea were asked to waive their legal rights in exchange for small “business grants” and “business training,” a reparations process that huma

Canadian Government Acknowledges Power to Act on Extractive Companies, Declines to Do So

whit — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 13:57:24 +0000

Canada’s CSR Strategy for Extractives 2.0 – Government Acknowledges Power to Act, Declines to Do So

(Ottawa) Today the Government of Canada released its revised Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy for extractive companies operating overseas, finally recognising its power to withdraw the substantial support that it provides such companies in order to make them accountable, but declining to apply that power in any meaningful way.

Coming five years after the 2009 launch of the Government’s initial CSR strategy, the updated policy leans heavily on a revised role for the CSR

UK MPs back campaigners’ call for action on ‘unethical’ mining industry

whit — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 16:49:47 +0000

Campaigners have welcomed the outcome of an inquiry into the extractives sector conducted by the Parliamentary Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills, calling on the government to take action on the sector that campaigners have accused of being ‘unethical and often hugely destructive’.

For some years campaign groups including the London Mining Network and the World Development Movement have been pressuring the UK government to introduce social and environmental criteria for companies wanting to list on the London Stock Exchange (LSX).

Currently, the finance sector regulator, th

Guatemala - La Puya Peaceful Mining Resistance Dismantled by Force

whit — Thu, 29 May 2014 09:52:13 +0100

Land is a historically contentious issue in Guatemala. In a country where 2% of the population owns 70% of the arable land, campesinos and their communities must push back against those who would threaten their livelihoods. This is especially true for the community of San José del Golfo.

Conflict with Local Communities Hits Mining and Oil Companies Where It Hurts

whit — Sun, 18 May 2014 15:57:45 +0100

UXBRIDGE, Canada – Conflicts with local communities over mining, oil and gas development are costing companies billions of dollars a year. One corporation alone reported a six billion dollar cost over a two-year period according to the first-ever peer-reviewed study on the cost of conflicts in the extractive sector.

The Pascua Lama gold mining project in Chile has cost Canada’s Barrick Gold 5.4 billion dollars following 10 years of protests and irregularities.

PIPLinks co-signs letter to UK Government on treaty on human rights

whit — Sat, 17 May 2014 21:59:06 +0100

Rt Hon William Hague MP,
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office

14 May 2014

Dear Foreign Secretary,

UN Human Rights Council resolution on an inter-governmental process towards a treaty to address business-related human rights abuses

Thank you for your continuing leadership on, and commitment to the business and human rights agenda.

At the June 2014 session of the UN Human Rights Council, a group of States will table a resolution that will seek to begin a process of developing an international treaty on busines

Shell’s first time in UK Court over key issues in Nigerian oil spill case

whit — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 15:10:58 +0100

Hearing to determine key legal issues in claim against Shell by 15,000 Nigerians

An historic legal hearing will begin on 29th April 2014 which will hear evidence from the UK lawyers representing 15,000 Nigerian fishermen from the Bodo community against oil giant Shell in a hearing which will determine the key legal issues to be considered in one of the largest ever environmental law cases which is due to take place in May 2015.

The ‘preliminary issues hearing’ will be the first time Shell have had to face formal Court proceedings in the UK for its environmental record in the Niger De

Rio Tinto face a broad front of protestors

whit — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 17:42:45 +0100

This year’s Rio Tinto’s Annual General Meeting, held on 15 April 2014, had the characteristics of a long war of attrition. Numerous shareholders raised issues which were dealt with at length, so it ended up as an almost three hour meeting.

Numerous issues were raised. Below is a small selection of articles on those issues.

Rio Tinto walks away from massive Pebble copper-gold project

whit — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:19:38 +0100

Opponents to the project had long argued it could jeopardize the pristine environment of U.S. biggest salmon fishery.

Global miner Rio Tinto said on Monday it is pulling out of the polemic Pebble Mine copper and gold project in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, by giving away its 19.1% percent stake in Northern Dynasty Minerals, the owner of the huge deposit.

The company said the project does not fit its strategy, so it will donate its shares to two Alaskan charities.

PIPLinks supported network tells Parliamentary Committee to tighten regulation on mining companies

whit — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:30:10 +0000

Regulation, regulation, regulation …

Richard Solly, the Co-ordinator of London Mining Network (LMN) was one of four civil society representatives called to give testimony today before a Department of Business Innovation and Skills Parliamentary Select Committee on the extractive industries. The other representatives were from LMN member World Development Movement (WDM), Christian Aid and WWF-UK. Those presenting had already submitted written evidence to the Committee.

Hudbay Minerals: Confronting a Corporate Criminal

whit — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 10:08:41 +0000

Communities in Guatemala and Manitoba are getting their day in court against the Canadian mining giant.

The scene was absurd: four activists, each with a bundle of 75 black and gold helium-filled balloons, riding an escalator. As we reached the top, we clipped our banner to the bundles and let go, watching our work rise slowly toward the hundred-foot ceiling of the lobby of a downtown Toronto office tower. Suddenly there were security guards rushing toward us. One of them jumped to make a grab for the bottom edge of the banner. We held our breath. He missed by mere inches and groaned.

Areva and Niger's uranium fight

whit — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 14:09:57 +0000

ARLIT, Niger/PARIS – When France began mining uranium ore in the desert of northern Niger in the early 1970s, Arlit was a cluster of miners’ huts stranded between the sun-blasted rocks of the Air mountains and the sands of the Sahara.

The 1973 OPEC oil embargo changed that.

Declaration - The World Trade Organization (WTO) and Indigenous Peoples: Resisting Globalization, Asserting Self-Determination

whit — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 09:43:34 +0000

Declaration – The World Trade Organization (WTO) and Indigenous Peoples: Resisting Globalization, Asserting Self-Determination

We, the Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth gathered here in Bali, Indonesia on 2-6 December 2013, organizing our own workshop and various events parallel to the World Trade Organization Ninth Ministerial Meeting (WTO MC9), hereby agreed to resist neoliberal globalization and assert our right to Self-Determination.

As Indigenous Peoples of the land and the waters, we have a close relationship to Mother Earth and nature.

Declaration of the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA)

whit — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 12:04:35 +0000

Launched in Accra, Ghana on 27 November 2013

We, the undersigned organisations, some of which came together in 2012 to create a regional coalition for corporate accountability, announce our intention to launch the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA).

We, the undersigned organisations, support African communities and individuals whose human rights are adversely impacted daily by the activities of corporations, both multi-national and domestic.

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Consider "Home Country Liability" for Actions of Transnational Companies

whit — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 10:51:06 +0000

In an exciting development in the corporate accountability world, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, for the first time in its history, will directly consider the question: can a corporation’s home country be held liable for the actions of that corporation abroad, or for failing to provide a remedy to its victims?

This question was squarely presented before the Commission on November 1, 2013 by a coalition of over 30 NGOs and organizations of affected peoples at a thematic hearing on “the human rights situation of those persons affected by mining in the Americas, and the r

Canada needs effective mining oversight

whit — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 09:35:02 +0000

The Office of the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor (CSR Counsellor) was announced with much government fanfare in October 2009 as a central “pillar” in the government’s “CSR strategy” for Canada’s extractive sector. The CSR Counsellor was to provide remedy for people who had been harmed by the overseas operations of Canadian extractive companies by mediating disputes.

On Oct. 18, CSR Counsellor Marketa Evans quietly resigned. No news release, no information about her departure on the official website of the office.

Guatemalan plaintiffs in HudBay lawsuit allege interference

whit — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 11:40:29 +0100

A former HudBay Minerals Inc. subsidiary in Guatemala is pressuring a group of indigenous women to drop their high-profile lawsuit against the Canadian miner, lawyers for the women says.

The lawsuit is one of three accusing HudBay and its former subsidiary Compania Guatemalteca de Niquel (CGN) of responsibility for a killing, shootings and gang rapes in Guatemala in 2007 and 2009.

People veto bauxite mining, but Vedanta is unlikely to let go of the bounty

whit — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:19:35 +0100

JULY 18th to August 19th: the monsoon of 2013 will go down in the history of India for hosting the country’s first environment referendum.

Vedanta says: India needs us, and it wasn’t us what did it

whit — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 12:43:04 +0100

Report of the Vedanta plc AGM held in the London Marriott Hotel near Grosvenor Square, 1 August 2013

While a lively and colourful protest took place in warm sunshine outside the Vedanta AGM, those in the quiet, air-conditioned hall where the meeting took place may have had to fight insomnia.

Vedanta’s Executive Chairman, Anil Agarwal, is at risk of sounding like a talking doll containing a limited number of pre-recorded messages.

ERA/FoEN launches Publish What You Pump Campaign

whit — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 12:39:43 +0100

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) today (July 24, 2013) launched a new campaign titled “Publish What You Pump” which campaign aims to fill the gap in the present Publish What You Pay and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) processes.

At an event in Port Harcourt graced by representatives of civil society groups, community-based organizations and the media, ERA/FoEN said that although the NEITI processes have been ongoing for nearly 12 years, it has largely failed to sanitize the Nigerian petroleum sector or reduced the le

Guatemala said to suspend operating license for Tahoes Escobal Mine

whit — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 11:20:02 +0100

A Guatemalan court of appeals has allegedly suspended Wednesday the operating license for Canadian miner Tahoe Resources’ Escobal silver project, located in San Rafael Las Flores, in the countrys southeast.

The ruling, tweeted Prensa Libre, was announced around 11:30 am ET in a press conference held by CALAS (Centro de Acción Legal-Ambiental y Social de Guatemala), an environmentalist group.

However a spokesperson for the company told MINING.com the announcement is far from the truth.

Indonesia: Local tribes want to be involved in Freeport contract renegotiations

whit — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 12:37:27 +0100

The Custom Institute of Amungme Tribe (Lemasa) in Papua has called on the central government to involve customary communities in the renegotiation process for the PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) contract extension.

“After tens of years of Freeport mining our natural resources, there is no single point in the current contract that manages the basic rights of the indigenous people, especially the Amungme and Kamoro tribes,” Lemasa director executive Anton Alomang said, as reported by Antara news agency on Thursday.

Anton said Freeport started paying attention to the Amungme and Kamoro

Posco: Human Rights panel seeks details

whit — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 18:38:00 +0100

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a report from the State Government on its reported plan to forcibly evict about 20,000 people in Jagatsinghpur district to facilitate the proposed steel project of Posco.

“Please provide information regarding alleged plans by the Government of Odisha to forcibly evict as many as 20,000 people living in Jagatsinghpur district and surrounding areas in violation of international human rights standards and domestic laws,” said a communication from Nalini Ranjan Singh of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) to the Chief Secretary.

The ministry wr

Judge nixes stop-work order; miner forges on First Nation wants to evict firm from land

whit — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 16:28:23 +0100

A court has granted a mineral-exploration company a temporary injunction against an eviction notice and a stop-work order obtained by a Manitoba First Nation.

The injunction means Mega Precious Metals Inc.

Mining Firms Face New Regulator Scrutiny Amid Deal Probes

whit — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:24:54 +0100

For an industry that routinely makes multi-billion dollar deals with developing-world governments and an array of sometimes controversial leaders, the mining sector has been remarkably free of political scrutiny.

No longer. World leaders gathering in Northern Ireland for the Group of Eight summit beginning today have mining transactions and companies in their cross hairs. They are proposing tighter oversight by requiring companies to disclose all payments made to foreign governments. The new rules, aimed at exposing corruption, come as U.S.

UK government accepts complaint over GCM Resources’ Bangladesh coal mine

whit — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:42:02 +0100

British company GCM Resources was dealt a serious blow today as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) agreed to consider complaints regarding severe human rights violations associated with the company’s planned coal mine in Bangladesh.

GCM wants to open a massive open-pit coal mine in Phulbari in the north-west of Bangladesh, displacing up to 220,000 people and threatening the Sundarbans, one of the world’s largest remaining mangrove forests and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The complaint by the International Accountability Project and the World Development

Niyamgiri: CRPF Harass Dongria as Palli Sabhas Approach

whit — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:37:21 +0100

Dongria Konds report sustained harassment from police and special forces in Niyamgiri villages

UK members of parliament submit letter of concern on Vedanta’s part in Palli Sabha process to UK government and OECD.

Reports from the Niyamgiri hills have confirmed that CRPF special forces have been targeting villages who are opposing Vedanta’s proposed mine, threatening them not to do so, and destroying grain stores and items of worship in their homesteads. A Dongria woman has been filmed reporting these abuses [see: http://youtu.be/V5D7FAUhNQg].

Australia: Mining benefits 'not getting to Indigenous people'

whit — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:36:35 +0100

Download Episode – http://media.sbs.com.au/audio/world-news_130521_268312.mp3

A WA native title organisation is calling for greater community consultation over mining projects in remote communities.

A native title organisation has used an international mining conference to call for greater community consultation over mining projects in remote communities.

The concerns have been raised by the Yamatiji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, a group which represents Traditional Owners in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The corporation’s co-chairperson Doris Eaton has given a key spee

MPs consider probe into transparency of mining firms

whit — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:13:05 +0100

LONDON – Britain’s parliament will this week consider whether to probe the transparency of oil and mining firms listed in London, an issue highlighted by corruption probes at emerging market miners which MPs fear have dented the stock market’s reputation.

The chairman of parliament’s Committee for Business, Innovation and Skills said on Sunday he would this week propose an inquiry into issues including governance and anticorruption protection at mining and oil companies.

The probe could start before the end of the parliamentary session in July.

Miners falling short on Indigenous consultation: Oxfam

whit — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:25:52 +0100

A major aid agency says Australia’s resources companies are not being open enough about how they gain the consent of Indigenous land owners at their overseas mining projects.

A study by Oxfam Australia found that only one of the 53 biggest miners on the Australian stock exchange had a public commitment to the United Nation’s principles of informed consent for Indigenous people.

Oxfam Australia chief executive, Helen Szoke, says Australian mining companies need to do better.

“We looked at the policies of companies specifically within the context of how they dealt with the issue of co

Hudbay Minerals denounced for criminalizing land defenders, infringing on Indigenous rights around the world

whit — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:12:55 +0100

TORONTO – Hudbay was confronted at their annual shareholder meeting over their violations of human rights and targeting of Indigenous land defenders in Canada and Guatemala.

Chief Arlen Dumas of the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (MCCN) flew in from Manitoba to assert the rights of his community after Hudbay sued community members for hundreds of millions of dollars for holding peaceful gatherings at the Lalor Lake mine site. “Hudbay has been operating nearby for 80 years and has never consulted with us,” said Chief Dumas.

Tahoe Resources Investor Alert calls Guatemala project a Dangerous Investment

whit — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:17:29 +0100

(Ottawa/Guatemala City) – Today, the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) and MiningWatch Canada warned Tahoe Resources investors against further investment in the Escobal silver project, given lack of community support and increasing violence and repression in the area.

Risks identified include:

Tahoe Resources does not have the social license to operate the Escobal project; It is likely that conflict and violence will persist if the mining project continues to be imposed without community consent, given recent violence attributed to public armed forc

Goldcorp grilled in shareholder meeting, poor practices make “toxic zones” protestors say

whit — Sat, 04 May 2013 09:03:43 +0100

TORONTO – Goldcorp was drilled with questions inside their annual shareholder meeting about the poor environmental, human rights and health record throughout Latin America. Health researcher Susana Caxaj, who works with affected villages near Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine, was one of several concerned citizens asking hard questions of the company. “Communities are very concerned about their health, they are frustrated that their concerns are not being taken seriously,” she said.

UN must challenge Canada's complicity in mining's human rights abuses

whit — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:00:06 +0100

Canada is due for review at the UN human rights council – abuses by its mining companies must not be overlooked

Canada is scheduled for its universal periodic review (UPR) at the UN human rights council on 26 April. The UPR is an international mechanism established in 2006 to hold governments accountable for their human rights records.

Keystone XL And Native Americans: South Dakota Tribes Fight The 'Black Snake'

whit — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:40:02 +0100

Debra White Plume and Marie Brush Breaker Randall stood in the middle of Highway 44, alongside more than 70 other members of the Oglala Lakota Nation. For hours, they didn’t budge — much to the chagrin of some tractor-trailer drivers bound for the tar sands region of Alberta, Canada.

“This is our land,” said Randall, during the blockade in March 2012. “We have to protect” our grandchildren. Randall, then 92, appealed to the truckers attempting to pass through the sovereign territory in Wablee, S.D.: “Please stay out of our nation.”

Randall’s plea went beyond halting the truck caravan.

First Nations to get cut of Copper Mountain Mine tax

whit — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:10:55 +0100

Two First Nations near Princeton, B.C. will get a share of the taxes the B.C. government collects from the new Copper Mountain Mine.

Under a new economic and community development agreement signed with the B.C. government, the Similkameen Indian Band and Lower Similkameen Indian Band will get 35% of the taxes the B.C. government collects on the new mine, which went into operation in June 2011.

The B.C.

EU agrees landmark anti-corruption law for global resource companies

whit — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:45:43 +0100

New law represents a major victory after decade and a half campaign

The EU has today agreed ground-breaking new rules forcing oil, gas, mining and logging companies to publish details of the payments they make to governments for access to natural resources around the world.

Native title 'industry' costs miners millions

whit — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:13:26 +0100

MINERS say they are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for a “significant industry” of anthropologists, archeologists and native title representatives to deal with Aboriginal cultural heritage regulations, with as little as 10-15 per cent of the funds for heritage purposes going to traditional owners.

Projects also face costly delays because there are about 450 native title claims still outstanding, about half of which have been in the system for more than a decade, despite the legislation having been in place for 20 years.

In a new submission to a Productivity Commission

More bloodshed expected around POSCO Odisha Project

whit — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 17:17:37 +0000

On March 22, two men from India stood holding a protest in front of the firmly closed doors of the POSCO center. “Shareholders of POSCO, please hear us out on what happened in Odisha”, they said. On this day, a general shareholders’ meeting was taking place inside the closed office.

Human rights activist Direhdra Panda and human rights lawyer Chandranath Dani described the situation in Odisha by saying, “The police are currently blockading three villages that are against the Indian government’s forced land expropriation for the POSCO Odisha steel factory”.

Amnesty International weighs in on HudBay case

whit — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:05:45 +0000

Lawyers for Amnesty International Canada will be in a Toronto courtroom on Tuesday, arguing that Canadian mining companies should face justice here for alleged human-rights abuses by their subsidiaries in foreign countries.

“Canadian society has a strong interest in ensuring that Canadian corporations respect human rights, wherever they may operate and whatever ownership and other business structure they may put in place to advance their operations,” Amnesty’s submission to the court reads.

The human-rights group was granted intervenor status by a judge in order to weigh in on thre

Protests prevent British mining company GCM visiting mine site in Bangladesh – director resigns

whit — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:18:04 +0000

Massive protests against British mining company GCM Resources prevented the company’s CEO visiting the site of its proposed open-pit coal mine in Bangladesh last week. One of the company’s directors resigned the following day.

CEO Gary Lye was due to visit Phulbari on 29 January, where GCM wants to open a mine that would displace up to 220,000 people. Mr Lye had planned to distribute blankets to people living in the area, according to the local press.

Demolishing democracy: An Oppressive State violates its own rules

whit — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:05:17 +0000

In the wee hours of 3 February 2013 (at around 4 am), twelve (12) police platoons entered Govindpur and Nuagaon villages in Jagatsinghpur district of Orissa (India) and started beating up sleeping women & children,injuring many of them seriously, and arresting people at random.

Dutch court says Shell responsible for Nigeria spills

whit — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:38:22 +0000

THE HAGUE – A Dutch court ruled on Wednesday that Royal Dutch Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary was responsible for a case of oil pollution in the Niger Delta and ordered it to pay damages in a decision that could open the door to further litigation.

The district court in The Hague said Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.

Rape Victims Must Sign Away Rights to Get Remedy from Barrick

whit — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 22:19:23 +0000

Ottawa – Washington, D.C. – Oxford – January 30, 2013. Following years of denial, Barrick Gold is implementing a remedy program for victims of rape by employees of its Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) mine in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

In order to receive a remedy package, women must enter into an agreement in which “the claimant agrees that she will not pursue or participate in any legal action against PJV, PRFA [Porgera Remediation Framework Association Inc.] or Barrick in or outside of PNG.

Navajos and Appalachians protest Peabody Coal, protesters arrested

whit — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:49:39 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO — About one hundred protesters gathered in downtown St. Louis today outside of the Peabody Coal corporate headquarters. St. Louis locals were joined by Navajo residents from Black Mesa, Ariz., Appalachians from coal-burdened West Virginia, and supporters from across the United States to demand the cessation of strip mining and accountability for land and people.
Navajo residents of Black Mesa, Don Yellowman and Fern Benally, demanded to speak with Peabody CEO Greg H. Boyce and deliver a letter detailing their concerns.

'They know they are not alone': Anti-mining activists connect-the-dots in Oaxaca, Mexico

whit — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:57:21 +0000

Between January 17th and 20th, nearly 500 activists from across Mexico, Central America and beyond, gathered in the Mexican mountain town of Capulálpam de Méndez, Oaxaca, to support a growing tide of resistance to the human and environmental impacts of the extractive industries in the region.

‘Yes to life!

Traditional owners happy at mine deals

whit — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 11:17:55 +0000

AFTER 14 years of negotiations, Energy Resources of Australia Ltd (ERA) has signed agreements for the Ranger uranium mine that local Aboriginal people say gives them a better deal.

“The negotiations, which involved some very complex legal, cultural, and operational considerations, have taken many years and much hard work by all parties,” said ERA chief executive Rob Atkinson.

The deals come after 14 years of talks between ERA and Mirarr traditional owners, the Northern Land Council and the federal government.

They cover existing operations at Ranger and historic issues that have been

External Affairs: A Battle Brews Between Chevron and Shareholders

whit — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:59:13 +0000

Activists push back against Chevron’s legal strategy attacking shareholder groups.

In what is being called an unprecedented move, fossil fuel giant Chevron Corporation [NYSE: CVX] is taking legal action against investors who have challenged the company to improve its environmental impact and corporate governance.

Rio Tinto threatens to exit Madagascar after CEO is trapped by protesters

whit — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:34:46 +0000

UK mining giant Rio Tinto has threatened to abandon Madagascar after hundreds of protesters trapped 200 staff including the country’s chief executive in a mining compound.

Local inhabitants armed with spears and slingshots have been protesting since Wednesday against the low prices the company paid to buy their land and the employment policy at its mineral sands operation near Fort-Dauphin at the island’s south-east tip.

They blocked workers of Rio Tinto QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) inside the site, and though some were evacuated on Thursday, chief executive Nyfanja Rakotomalala i

Resource firms slowly embracing indigenous rights

whit — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 09:20:59 +0000

Twenty-eight of the world’s biggest oil, gas and mining companies get a report card on their community consent policies

The Achuar people of northern Peru came to Canada last April to have Talisman Energy’s drilling operations on their ancestral land stopped. The Calgary-based oil company failed to consult with them before drilling in the Amazonian rainforest, a delegation of Achuar leaders told politicians and journalists in Ottawa, a contention Talisman officials denied.

Mining Saps a Thirsty Desert

whit — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 07:39:49 +0000

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (IPS) – The Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in the southern Gobi desert in Mongolia has become a symbol of a looming crisis: a limited water supply that could be exhausted within a decade, seriously threatening the lives and livelihoods of the local population.

Oyu Tolgoi is one of the largest copper deposits in the world and has attracted major investors over the years, from Robert Friedland of Ivanhoe Capital Corporation, to the mining giant Rio Tinto, which now holds a majority stake in the investment, while the Mongolian government controls just 34 percent of the proje

Ecuadoreans to sue Chevron in Argentina over pollution

whit — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:18:59 +0000

Ecuadorean plaintiffs say they plan to sue Chevron in Argentina to try to seize the oil company’s assets there.

The group accuses Chevron of polluting land in the Amazon region for almost three decades.

Last year, an Ecuadorean court ordered Chevron to pay $19bn (£11.8bn) in damages.

Since Chevron has few assets in Ecuador, the plaintiffs are trying to get the ruling, which Chevron says is illegitimate, enforced abroad.

Juan Pablo Sainz, one of the lawyers representing the Ecuadorean group, said they would ask for Chevron’s assets in Argentina “to be frozen, to prevent Chevron fro

Keonjhar tribals up in arms over mining plans in Khandadhar

whit — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:06:37 +0000

KEONJHAR: Fear of displacement stalks tribals inhabiting Banspal block of Keonjhar district abutting the beautiful Khandadhar waterfall with hundreds of companies, including South Korean steel behemoth Posco, applying for lease to mine the Khandadhar hill. A Niyamgiri-type agitation (against Vedanta in Lanjigarh) is already on in the area.

Sources said only two mines, owned by Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), are operating in Malangtoli region near the hill as of now. Posco has applied for mining lease (ML) over an area close to the waterfall. The hill is about 65 km from Keonjhar.

Amnesty International supports historic legal challenge to oil sands expansion

whit — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:12:23 +0100

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in Alberta has filed a potentially groundbreaking legal challenge over the failure of the federal and provincial governments to protect Indigenous land rights in the face of oilsands development on their traditional territory.

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) is challenging the proposed expansion of Shell’s Jackpine Mine north of Fort McMurray.

3,500 protest against Northern Gateway; company still to go ahead

whit — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 08:54:12 +0100

Thousands of people jammed the front lawn of Canada’s British Columbian parliament on Monday to oppose Enbridge’s controversial $5.5-billion pipeline from the Alberta oil sands to the country’s West Coast.

But the company behind the projected Northern Gateway duct had its own message for the crowd.

Enbridge vice president, Janet Holder, told CKNW News the company would go ahead with its plans despite opposition, taking every precaution to prevent an oil spill from happening.

The company estimates that opening up Asian markets to Canadian oil would boost Canada’s GDP by $270 billion

Investing in Nussir ASA renders major investment banks complicit in human rights violations!

whit — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:43:31 +0100

In letters sent today, the Saami Council calls on two major investment banks not to further invest in Nussir ASA. The Saami Council warns the Banks that investing in Nussir ASA may render them complicit in human rights violations. The background of the letters is Nussir ASA’s refusal to withdraw from the Nussir, Gumpenjunni and Ásavággi area, despite Fiettar Reindeer Herding District’s persistent and rigorous objections to the company’s mining project.

Aid money used to support Australian mining interests in Africa

whit — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:05:06 +0100

AID/WATCH in coordination with the Minerals Policy Institute have today released a letter calling on the Government to stop using Australian aid funds to support the expansion of Australian mining interests overseas.

Is Rio Tinto managing herders in “Oyu Tolgoi City” in the South Gobi region of Mongolia?

whit — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:55:54 +0100

Rio Tinto bought in to the Oyu Tolgoi [or Turquoise Hill] copper-gold and coal project at the time when the first herders were moved out of their traditional pastures, with only money compensation offered, with the result that 50% of those evicted effectively had their traditional livelihoods ended.

The company are negotiating large-scale loan finance from a clutch of banks including the World Bank’s IFC, the EBRD and Standard Chartered for an opencast and underground block-cave mine.

Nigerian villagers sue Shell in landmark pollution case

whit — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:49:31 +0100

Four Nigerian villagers took Royal Dutch Shell to court on Thursday in a landmark pollution case that campaigners said could open the door to more compensation claims against international companies.

The fishermen and farmers, together with the Friends of the Earth campaign group, accuse the oil major of polluting land and waterways around their homes in the Niger Delta region of Africa’s top energy producer.

Shell has denied responsibility, saying the leaks were caused by sabotage.

The villagers launched their claim in a civil court in The Hague, where Shell has its joint global he

Tribes Add Potent Voice Against Plan for Northwest Coal Terminals

whit — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 08:49:02 +0100

FERNDALE, Wash. — At age 94, Mary Helen Cagey, an elder of the Lummi Indian tribe, has seen a lot of yesterdays. Some are ripe for fond reminiscence, like the herring that used to run rich in the waters here in the nation’s upper-left margin, near the border with Canada. Others are best left in the past, she said, like coal.

The Westshore coal terminal in British Columbia.

Chevron loses bid against $18bn Ecuador fine

whit — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:35:23 +0100

US Supreme Court rejects oil giant’s attempts to block an $18bn judgment in a case over pollution in the Amazon jungle.

Oil giant Chevron has lost a US Supreme Court bid to block an $18.2bn judgement against it in Ecuador in a case over pollution in the Amazon jungle.

The court did not give any explanation for Tuesday’s decision, which rejected Chevron’s appeal of a lower court ruling.

The lower court in January had thrown out an injunction blocking enforcement of the Ecuadorean judgement.

The decision is the latest in a nearly two-decade conflict between the second largest oil

Bumi’s lesson: FSA light-touch approach does not work

whit — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:07:59 +0100

The announcement (1) of new Financial Services Authority (FSA) rules on reverse takeovers (2) and other regulatory ‘blind spots’ is yet another case of too little too late. Light-touch regulation of London-listed companies has for years allowed companies like Bumi plc and individuals associated with them to mislead investors and the public over the real impacts of their activities.

In March of this year, the London Mining Network (LMN) issued a report (3) outlining these issues with case studies of various mining companies, including Bumi plc.

Peru: indigenous consulta rejects mineral project

whit — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:37:20 +0100

On Oct. 1, the indigenous village of San Juan Bautista de Cañaris in Peru’s northern region of Lambayeque announced the results of a consulta, or community consultation, on the proposed Cañariaco Norte open-pit copper mine, saying 1,896 members of the pueblo of some 4,000 voted by 95% to reject it. The results were immediately forwarded to the Energy and Mines Ministry (MINEM).

Vancouver-based Candente Copper, which hopes to develop the project, issued a statement rejecting the consulta, saying the community had already approved the project in a “general assembly” held on July 8.

Guatemala: Hudbay Minerals Chief of security arrested for murder

whit — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 18:55:46 +0100

Chief of security at Canadian mining company Hudbay Minerals Guatemalan mine arrested for murdering Mayan community leader

Toronto, Canada – Almost three years to the day after the brutal slaying of community leader Adolfo Ich at Hudbay Minerals mining project in Guatemala, Guatemalan authorities finally arrested the former chief of security of the mine, Mynor Padilla, on charges of murder and attempted murder.

“While this is an important first step towards justice for Mayan communities harmed by Hudbays mining project, Hudbay has not yet been held to account and Canadian human rig

Experts Find Increasing Trend of Oil and Mining Companies Adopting Human Rights Policies

whit — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:26:33 +0100

Rhetorical advances must be matched by policy implementation

Washington, DC – Oil and mining companies are increasing their stated commitments to human rights, including in some cases adopting policies in favor of securing community approval prior to projects moving forward, according to new research by international relief and development organization Oxfam America.

“Too often, communities have no say in the decision of whether to extract resources from their backyards and receive little information about these projects,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America.

Keystone XL pipeline raises tribal concerns

whit — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:42:10 +0100

In CUSHING, Okla. — In energy circles, the town of Cushing is well known as the hub used by New York oil traders to set the benchmark price for all U.S. crude oil. Row after row of giant oil storage tanks are lined up around a moribund downtown and a shopping strip.

Talisman Energy Withdraws from Peruvian Amazon

whit — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 09:12:54 +0100

Achuar people celebrate victory for indigenous rights

Calgary, Canada – Today Talisman Energy (TLM) announced its decision to cease oil exploration activities in the Peruvian Amazon, and to exit the country upon completion of ongoing commercial transactions.

“We have fought long and hard against Talisman’s drilling in our territory because of the negative environmental and social impacts we have seen from oil drilling around the world,” said Peas Peas Ayui, President of the National Achuar Federation of Peru (FENAP).

Social licence vital for mining

whit — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:53:08 +0100

This opinion editorial was first published in The West Australian

Amidst speculation this week that Australia’s resources boom is nearing an end, unlocking the vast wealth of Africa is high on the agenda for mining executives, investors, government officials and NGOs meeting in Perth this week.

The Africa Down Under Conference has become an increasingly important event, as Africa continues to attract an ever larger share of global exploration dollars.

There are reportedly more than 300 Australian mining companies active in Africa, where competition for resources – particularly l

BHP sells Australia’s mammoth uranium deposit

whit — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:16:02 +0100

BHP Billiton took Monday another step away from resource expansion in Australia, particularly in the uranium sector.

Australia: Congress Brings First Peoples, Industry and Government Together for Talks

whit — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 10:12:58 +0100

Please find below news of a meeting in Australia, organised by the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples to review relations with Australian Indigenous Peoples and the extractive industries.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples attended, in order to inform his on-going study on the issue (in fact his latest report to the Human Rights Council has been release – http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session...).

The Special Rapporteur also visited the Njamal people of the Pilbara region, where Fortescue Metals

Marketing Consent

whit — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:56:10 +0100

A journey into the public relations underside of Canada’s mining sector

VANCOUVER—It’s no secret that Canadian mining companies are fanned out around the world. Conflicts linked to large-scale mining projects have come to the fore as some of the most intense social and environmental struggles in this hemisphere and beyond.

Vedanta may temporarily shut down Odisha refinery

whit — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:44:14 +0100

Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar – Rapidly dwindling stock of bauxite at its refinery complex at Lanjigarh in Odisha’s Kalahandi district has forced Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL) to downsize its capacity significantly.

And, with bauxite stock depleting to almost ‘zero level’, the refinery plant is barely able to run intermittent operations for the past two days after operating at 40-50 per cent capacity since August 1 this year.

After being denied access to the bauxite deposits at Niyamgiri Hills by Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), VAL wholly depended on bauxite sourced from

Archeologists uncovered treasures at Rio Tinto coal mine

whit — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:28:06 +0100

Archeologists have found some of the oldest aboriginal artifacts at Rio Tinto’s Warkworth coal mine in Australia’s Hunter Valley, reports the Newcastle Herald.

After a decade of work in the area, scientists have uncovered a range of evidence to show human tool making dating back at least 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.

The discovery at Rio Tinto’s mine, a number of “chipped stone tools,” took place at what the researches call “the Warkworth sand sheets.”

The instruments, around 15,000 years old, are not extremely ancient by Australian standards – several mainland and Tasmanian s

Winning iron at the Olympics. Fresh charges of conflict of interest over giant Arctic iron mine

whit — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 08:36:56 +0100

Mining Watch Canada, an NGO, tells the CBC that the Qikiqtani Inuit Association needs to adopt a code of conduct to rule out any conflicts of interest because the organization’s president is on a junket at the London Olympics as a guest of ArcelorMittal this week.

Headed up by Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, ArcelorMittal is the world’s largest steel company and owns the majority of Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.

Baffinland’s controversial Mary River project in the Qikiqtani Region of Nunavut almost 500 kilometre inside the Arctic circle is in the final stages of approval.

Chevron Faces Midnight Deadline in $19 Billion Ecuador Judgment

whit — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:45:31 +0100

LAGO AGRIO, Ecuador – U.S. oil giant Chevron has until midnight tonight to pay a US$19.04 billion Ecuador court judgment for polluting Amazon waterways or officially default and face another lawsuit to seize its assets, this time in Ecuador.

In Vancouver, Memorial for Killed Anti-Mining Protesters

whit — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 11:30:56 +0100

Group sends letters to companies to ‘end unjust mining’ and honour victims.

Several dozen people set up a memorial for slain anti-mining activists near the headquarters of Vancouver-based Goldcorp yesterday, highlighting what they said is widespread human rights abuse, ecological damage and health affects triggered by resource extraction by Canadian companies.

The group Mining Justice Alliance (MJA) — including a number of people from communities in Latin America and Asia impacted by Canadian-owned mines — demanded that companies extracting resources be held accountable for the impacts

Judge halts rail project close to Earth’s most threatened tribe

whit — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:30:19 +0100

A judge has ordered Brazil’s largest mining company to suspend plans to double a controversial railway track, which would have put the livelihoods of Earth’s most threatened tribe in jeopardy.

In a major setback for mining giant Vale, the ruling demands an immediate freeze on expansion work along the Carajás railway, and sets a daily penalty of US$25,000 for any breach.

The forest home of Brazil’s Awá tribe lies next to the existing railway, along which 2 km-long trains run to the world’s largest iron ore mine.

The Indians have vocally contested the mining giant’s plans,

Complaint seeks resettlement and just compensation from royal Dutch Shell and UK banks for damage caused by Sakhalin II Oil and

whit — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:09:10 +0100

Sakhalin Island, Russia – Today, residents living adjacent to a highly polluting liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) plant and oil and gas export terminals on Sakhalin Island, Russia, filed a complaint against Royal Dutch Shell and three of the largest UK banks: Royal Bank of Scotland (“RBS”), Standard Chartered, and Barclays, for their failure to adhere to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (“OECD”) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (the “Guidelines”).

The enormous LNG plant and the export terminals, called the Prigorodnoye Production Complex,

B.C. natives willing to 'go to the wall' against Enbridge pipeline

whit — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 11:28:05 +0100

The proposed Enbridge pipeline is the largest issue ever faced by B.C.’s aboriginal community, native leader Stewart Phillip declared Monday, as he vowed a long, protracted fight, including blockades and mass protests, against the project, if it is allowed to proceed.

“Our people are prepared to go to the wall against this. There is no doubt about that,” warned Grand Chief Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

Ecuador: Inter-American Court ruling marks key victory for Indigenous Peoples

whit — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 10:36:20 +0100

“This sentence will have a far-reaching effect on countries across the region – it makes it crystal clear that states bear a responsibility to carry out special consultation processes before engaging in development projects affecting Indigenous Peoples and their rights”
Fernanda Doz Costa, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Americas

A regional human rights court has come down in favour of the Sarayaku Indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Amazon in what Amnesty International has called a key victory for Indigenous Peoples.

The Inte