All Topics

Australia - Aborigines have a right to economic development

whit — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 16:57:53 +0100

In his victory speech, new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced: “There has never been a more exciting time to be alive than today and there has never been a more exciting time to be an Australian.

Peru - Two killed in protest at $7.4-billion MMG copper project in Peru

whit — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:24:11 +0100

LIMA – Two protesters were shot dead and eight police officers wounded after a group of activists broke into MMG Ltd’s $7.4- billion Las Bambas project in a remote Andean region in Peru, the government said on Monday.

Peru, the world’s third biggest producer of copper, is expected to nearly double output of the metal in coming years, but is rife with conflicts over mining.

Peru - Two killed in protest at $7.4-billion MMG copper project in Peru

whit — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:24:11 +0100

Peru, the world’s third biggest producer of copper, is expected to nearly double output of the metal in coming years, but is rife with conflicts over mining.

Extractive Industries and Human Rights in Central Africa

whit — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:51:38 +0100

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Working Group on Extractive Industries, Environment and Human Rights held a sub-regional consultation for Central Africa, in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 13 to 15 July 2015.

Indonesia - Antimining activist beaten to death in East Java

whit — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 14:37:34 +0100

Lumajang, East Java – The Lumajang Police in East Java have arrested 36 people on suspicion of involvement in a deadly assault that claimed the life of a local farmer who had co-arranged a protest against invasive sand-mining in his village.

Lumajang Police’s criminal investigation unit chief Adj. Comr. Heri Sugiono said his office, however, had yet to formally name any suspects, as the investigation was still ongoing.

“We are still conducting field checks, going deeper into the case.

Indonesia - Antimining activist beaten to death in East Java

whit — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 14:37:34 +0100

Lumajang Police’s criminal investigation unit chief Adj. Comr. Heri Sugiono said his office, however, had yet to formally name any suspects, as the investigation was still ongoing.

“We are still conducting field checks, going deeper into the case.

Fiji - Listen to youths, chief pleads

whit — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 20:14:11 +0100

GOVERNMENT and Opposition must listen to the youths of Fiji.

The plea was made by member of Opposition Ratu Suliano Matanitobua in Parliament yesterday.

The Tui Namosi referred to concerns of Bua urban youths who called for wider consultation in the district of Wainunu for the proposed Wainunu bauxite mine.

“The network is stressing the need for development that is focused and driven by the people, where all members of the community are meaningfully involved in all stages from consultation, negotiation to monitoring stage,” Ratu Suliano said.

“The network is cal

Russia - Evenks of Amur Region vow to stop UK based gold mining company

whit — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 20:29:00 +0100

Indigenous residents of Ivanovskoye village in Selemdzhinski District in Amur Region in Russia’s Far East are outraged by the plans of a UK based gold mining company to start an open cast gold mine less than two kilometres from their village without their consent. I village gathering held 10 September, they vowed to defend their territories and threatened road blocks to stop the company from carrying out their plans.

On 10 July, the villager had held an initial gathering where they had discussed their concerns regarding the planned gold and its impact on their territory and livelihood.

USA - Hillary Clinton Announces Opposition to KXL, Native Leaders Respond

whit — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 11:31:42 +0100

At a town hall meeting in Iowa yesterday afternoon, Hillary Clinton finally gave her position on the Keystone XL pipeline, telling the crowd, “I oppose it. I oppose it because I don’t think it’s in the best interest of what we need to do to combat climate change.”

Clinton’s statement is being met with skepticism and guarded celebration by grassroots Native American leaders of the Oceti Sakowin, also known as the Great Sioux Nation.

USA - Sacred Lands vs. King Coal

whit — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 11:28:00 +0100

Indigenous struggles against resource extraction are gathering strength in the Pacific Northwest

Under the breaking waves of Lummi Bay in northwest Washington, salmon, clams, geoducks and oysters are washed in rhythmic cascades from the Pacific Ocean. Just north of here is Cherry Point, home for three intimately related threatened and endangered species: herring, Chinook salmon, and orcas. It is also the home of the Lummi Nation, who call themselves the Lhaq’temish (LOCK-tuh-mish), or the People of the Sea.

Colombian Constitutional Court decision to reject mining could change the history of the Amazon

whit — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 09:37:19 +0100

After five years of legal uncertainty, the Colombian Constitutional court finally made clear that a National Park prevails over a mining title. A victory for nature and indigenous peoples and a precedent in defense of territory for communities all around the world!

In our time of devastation in the natural world around us, with the exception of indigenous people, nature is rarely expressed as sacred (Cashford 2011).

Colombian Constitutional Court decision to reject mining could change the history of the Amazon

whit — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 09:37:19 +0100

In our time of devastation in the natural world around us, with the exception of indigenous people, nature is rarely expressed as sacred (Cashford 2011).

Canada - Study touts free, informed consent as key to resource development

whit — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 12:45:10 +0100

The report, “Understanding Successful Approaches to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent in Canada. Part I.” can be downloaded here – http://borealcouncil.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/BLC_FPIC_Successes_Re...

————

Can we talk?

Cambodia - Major breakthrough in mediation between Hoang Anh Gia Lai company and fourteen indigenous villages

whit — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 11:11:22 +0100

Siem Reap – A major breakthrough was reached in the mediation between fourteen Cambodian indigenous communities and the Vietnamese rubber firm Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL), during meetings held this week in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

On 15-19 September 2015, community representatives of fourteen indigenous villages affected by HAGL’s land concessions in Ratanakiri province, company representatives of HAGL and its subsidiaries, and the communities’ advisors, including Inclusive Development International, met in Siem Reap.

Cambodia - Major breakthrough in mediation between Hoang Anh Gia Lai company and fourteen indigenous villages

whit — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 11:11:22 +0100

Bougainville - The views, plans and recommendations of the Bougainville Hardliners

whit — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 20:45:41 +0100

The Hardliners describe themselves as an organized group of Members of the Public, Women, Youth, Community Leaders, Concerned Citizens and Former Combatants who are opposed to mining on Bougainville. They have already put a stop to the Bel Kol between the Landowners and BCL / Rio Tinto.

Here they explain more about their plan for Bougainville and set out their recommendations for the future

Introduction

1. OUR STAND – (“RIO+20”) PEOPLE-CENTERED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, towards a world that is just, equitable and inclusive.

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

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...

Despite company statements that comm

Canada: Alberta Premier asks Indigenous peoples to be patient

whit — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 08:25:12 +0100

“It’s not something that happens overnight.” Alberta Premier asks Indigenous peoples to be patient while government works on promises

CALGARY – First Nations need to be patient when it comes to the province of Alberta implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other promises made on the spring election campaign trail according to Premier Rachel Notley.

In a sit down interview with APTN, Notley said her government has been working “furiously” over the last few months since taking office to move forward on a number of goals includi

Canada: Alberta Premier asks Indigenous peoples to be patient

whit — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 08:25:12 +0100

“It’s not something that happens overnight.” Alberta Premier asks Indigenous peoples to be patient while government works on promises

In a sit down interview with APTN, Notley said her government has been working “furiously” over the last few months since taking office to move forward on a number of goals includi

India: Tribals oppose bauxite mining

whit — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 20:55:20 +0100

Tribal organisations like Niyamgiri Suraksha Samity (NSS) and Lok Sangram Manch (LSM) are opposed to efforts of the Odisha government to start bauxite mining from Karlapat mines to save alumina refinery of Vedanta at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district.

The one million tonne capacity Lanjigarh refinery of Vedanta is facing severe bauxite ore shortage and it had started to shut down the unit.

Earlier plan of Vedanta to mine bauxite from ecologically fragile Niyamgiri hills had been thwarted in 2013 due to protest of local tribals.

Guatemala: Hudbay Minerals Evades Justice for Crimes in Guatemala

whit — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 09:03:26 +0100

Just how much money is Hudbay Minerals spending to drag out the precedent setting civil lawsuits in Canada and a courageous criminal trial in the Guatemala?

Six years after the mining related crimes took place at Hudbay’s mine site in Guatemala, no justice has been done for the victims, neither in Guatemala nor in Canada.

Most recently, Hudbay paid John Terry, a partner at the well-connected Toronto-based Torys law firm, for “many hours of work” (as Terry said in a Guatemalan courtroom on Sept.

Guatemala: Hudbay Minerals Evades Justice for Crimes in Guatemala

whit — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 09:03:26 +0100

Just how much money is Hudbay Minerals spending to drag out the precedent setting civil lawsuits in Canada and a courageous criminal trial in the Guatemala?

Six years after the mining related crimes took place at Hudbay’s mine site in Guatemala, no justice has been done for the victims, neither in Guatemala nor in Canada.

Most recently, Hudbay paid John Terry, a partner at the well-connected Toronto-based Torys law firm, for “many hours of work” (as Terry said in a Guatemalan courtroom on Sept.

Public fears put uranium mining on same path as shale gas in Quebec

whit — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 12:55:45 +0100

MONTREAL — Fears about radioactive contamination may close the door to uranium mining in Quebec just as public angst shelved shale gas extraction in the province in 2011.

“Like shale gas, it touches a sensitive chord in Quebec,” says Ugo Lapointe of MiningWatch Canada, which opposes mining of the metal that fuels nuclear power plants.

Hundreds of municipalities have joined First Nations to oppose uranium mining, worried that it could threaten their health, harm natural environments and ruin traditional hunting and fishing.

Quebec’s environmental regulation agency (BAPE) has con

Canada - Respect Unist’ot’en land and sovereignty

whit — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 10:32:16 +0100

In 1990, the Kanien’kéha:ka Mohawk community of Kanehsatà:ke, an unceded territory, resisted the Canadian military to defend its sovereignty. The reason for the dispute was the nearby town of Oka’s decision to expand a golf course through a portion of Kanehsatà:ke, which included sacred burial grounds. Now, 25 years later, in the unceded Wet’suwet’en territory located in British Columbia, the Unist’ot’en clan is resisting numerous pipeline projects that threaten its land and sovereignty, and expects heavy-handed Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) intervention.

Bolivia - What's Behind the Bolivian Government's Attack on NGOs?

whit — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 20:17:39 +0100

The fraught relationship between the government of President Evo Morales and Bolivia’s NGOs took a turn for the worse this past August, when Vice President Alvaro García Linera launched an attack on four well-respected Bolivian research organizations: the Center for the Study of Labor and Agrarian Development (CEDLA), the Bolivian Center for Documentation and Information (CEDIB), and the Tierra and Milenio Foundations.

Bolivia - What's Behind the Bolivian Government's Attack on NGOs?

whit — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 20:17:39 +0100

Land Rights: An Essential Global Indicator for the Post-2015 SDGs

whit — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 16:24:42 +0100

Secure land rights for all are a critical component of a transformational agenda of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets.

Land Rights: An Essential Global Indicator for the Post-2015 SDGs

whit — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 16:24:42 +0100

Secure land rights for all are a critical component of a transformational agenda of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets.

Colombia suspends gold mining in protected natural reserve

whit — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 15:57:21 +0100

Colombia’s Constitutional Court has suspended gold mining activity across more than 247 million acres of protected land in the south of the country.

Following the Court’s decision, The Ministry of Mines and Energy will suspend all gold mining operations in the Yaigoje Apaporis National Park, that spans between the southeastern states of Amazonas and Vaupes.

According to reports, the Court took action after a Canadian company, Cosigo Frontier Mining, allegedly tried to convince local indigenous communities to lift mining restrictions that had been implemented when the land was d

Colombia suspends gold mining in protected natural reserve

whit — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 15:57:21 +0100

Colombia’s Constitutional Court has suspended gold mining activity across more than 247 million acres of protected land in the south of the country.

Australia - Bank rules out funding Adani's Carmichael mine

whit — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 10:24:26 +0100

NAB rules out funding Adani’s Carmichael mine as buyer LG pulls out

Australia’s biggest proposed coal project loses 4m tonne deal with one of its two big customers as the country’s fourth-largest bank publicly distances itself

The National Australia Bank has ruled out funding Adani’s Carmichael mine, as the country’s biggest proposed coal project also lost a key customer in Korean electronics giant LG.

NAB, Australia’s fourth largest bank, had “no plans to be involved in any financing” of the controversial project, the Australian Financial Review reported.

Native protesters seize oil wells in Peru to urge government action

whit — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 10:26:12 +0100

LIMA – Indigenous protesters in Peru seized oil wells in an Amazonian oil block on Tuesday and said they also planned to halt output in a neighboring concession to press the government to address pollution and compensation demands.

Achuar communities shut down 11 wells and took control of an airdrome in oil block 8 to demand clean water, reparations for oil pollution and more pay for the use of native land, said Carlos Sandi, chief of the indigenous federation Feconaco.

Argentine energy firm Pluspetrol, which operates block 8, said daily output of about 8,500 barrels per day had stop

Rising tensions in Bolivia over oil and gas exploitation on indigenous lands

whit — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 10:30:11 +0100

On August 19, members of the People’s Guarani Assembly of Takova Mora blocked a main highway in the Chaco region of Bolivia demanding their right to free, prior and informed consent regarding oil extraction on their communal lands.

USA - Oak Flat mining proponents act selfishly, short-sightedly and stupidly

whit — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 11:49:31 +0100

Native American tribes, notably the San Carlos Apaches, consider Oak Flat a sacred site, and the tribe has held religious and coming-of-age ceremonies there for generations. Thousands of climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, bird watchers and campers visit the Oak Flat campground and recreation area’s distinctive volcanic features each year.

However, legislation to mine on Oak Flat, which many consider a gemstone of natural land, was stealthily attached to a defense bill and passed the U.S.

Indigenous people fighting for their culture in Cambodia

whit — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 10:33:14 +0100

by Alex Blair, a former press officer for Oxfam America’s Extractive Industries team.

Gold mining threatens rights and livelihoods of local communities.

In the far northeast of Cambodia, the forest is disappearing. On my first visit there, I expected to see thick, dense forests everywhere. Instead, most of the land has been cleared for large rubber and cassava plantations. The remaining forests are central to the daily lives of the local people, their livelihoods and culture.

Indigenous people fighting for their culture in Cambodia

whit — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 10:33:14 +0100

by Alex Blair, a former press officer for Oxfam America’s Extractive Industries team.

Gold mining threatens rights and livelihoods of local communities.

Indigenous people fighting for their culture in Cambodia

whit — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 10:33:14 +0100

by Alex Blair, a former press officer for Oxfam America’s Extractive Industries team.

Gold mining threatens rights and livelihoods of local communities.

USA: Lakota grandmother debuts film about uranium

whit — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:05:36 +0100

‘Crying Earth Rise Up’ premieres

Vimeo: Crying Earth Rise Up Trailer – https://vimeo.com/118535243

CRAWFORD, Neb. –– Lakota grandmother Debra White Plume didn’t set out to become a filmmaker. It never crossed her mind. She had no training in film school, yet she spent the past seven years of her life doggedly making a feature documentary that premiered just in time to serve its purpose.

“Crying Earth Rise Up,” a compelling case for preventing further uranium mining, showcased in Crawford, Neb., on Aug.

Bangladesh government says ‘no’ to open-pit mine

whit — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:42:22 +0100

The state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, Nasrul Hamid, on Sunday said that the government was not interested to extract coal from the deposits in the north Bengal region using open-pit method.

‘We have decided not to extract coal right now… We must consider high density of population and the agro-based economy of the mining area,’ he said while addressing as the chief guest a seminar on ‘Energy Challenges to Vision 2030.’ The discussion was organized by weekly Energy and Power magazine.

Instead, the government is planning to use imported coal to run large p

Bangladesh government says ‘no’ to open-pit mine

whit — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:42:22 +0100

Instead, the government is planning to use imported coal to run large p

Canada - Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou board urges feds to uphold Kiggavik decision

whit — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 14:54:44 +0100

‘If these herds are not protected to the utmost, we’re concerned that a source of livelihood and tradition which is valued at over $20 million annually from the harvest will be lost,” says Ross Thompson, executive director of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board.

The right to say “No”: Indigenous rights experts weigh in on community consent

whit — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 09:59:11 +0100

“I think the issue of consent goes to the very core of the rights that indigenous peoples are entitled to… because it is central to the whole notion of hegemony over property, culture, and I think their very existence.” -Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, Chair and special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In order for FPIC policy commitments to have any real meaning for communities, companies must recognize that communities may choose to say no to oil or mining development.

Many mining companies are promising to get t

Canada - New landscape for BC mining environmental reviews

whit — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 12:50:22 +0100

When the B.C.

How developing countries are paying a high price for the global mineral boom

whit — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 11:02:24 +0100

Soaring worldwide demand for the minerals used in electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops has left a legacy of social conflict and human rights violations across Asia, Latin America and Africa

A 200ft deep pit gapes where three years ago stood a mountain.

Indonesia: Promised task force on indigenous rights in Indonesia hits snag

whit — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:27:17 +0100

Indigenous leaders were expecting the Environment and Forestry Minister to announce the formation of the task force in a speech at the Nusantara Festival in Bali last week.

Instead, the minister asked for trust and patience while the government ‘harmonizes’ the proposal.

The task force’s mandate would include recommending pardons for wrongfully convicted citizens and working with the legislature to pass a draft bill on indigenous rights.

Last Sunday on the Indonesian island of Bali, the country’s environment and forestry minister had the uncomfortable task of telling hundred

How developing countries are paying a high price for the global mineral boom

whit — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 11:02:24 +0100

A 200ft deep pit gapes where three years ago stood a mountain.

Indonesia: Promised task force on indigenous rights in Indonesia hits snag

whit — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:27:17 +0100

Indigenous leaders were expecting the Environment and Forestry Minister to announce the formation of the task force in a speech at the Nusantara Festival in Bali last week.

Instead, the minister asked for trust and patience while the government ‘harmonizes’ the proposal.

The task force’s mandate would include recommending pardons for wrongfully convicted citizens and working with the legislature to pass a draft bill on indigenous rights.

Last Sunday on the Indonesian island of Bali, the country’s environment and forestry minister had the uncomfortable task of telling hundred

Brazil - Vale ordered to halt production at giant Amazon nickel mine

whit — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 11:20:15 +0100

A Brazilian federal court on Friday ordered Vale, the world’s number one nickel and iron ore producer, to halt activity at its Onça Puma nickel mine in northwestern Brazil.

The judge said operations at the mine which produces nearly 9% of Vale’s total production of the steelmaking raw material should cease until the Rio de Janeiro-based company sorts out compensation to indigenous communities in the region, reports Reuters.

The court also ordered the company to deposit 1 million reais ($287,000) for each indigenous village in the area in Para state until a new payment program for

Australia - Pilbara indigenous community split over Fortescue mine claim

whit — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 11:21:22 +0100

Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest is a champion of indigenous people, a mining magnate who grew up with blackfellas in the outback and has overseen the hiring of thousands of Aborigines at his iron ore mines in Western Australia’s vast Pilbara region.

Michael Woodley is a firebrand Aboriginal leader from the impoverished town of Roebourne who views Forrest as a mega-rich white paternalist leading a mining company that cares little for his people and acts purely in its own commercial interests.

Both sons of the Pilbara with strong connections to the land, Forrest and Woodley have vastly d

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.

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.

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.

Cambodia - M’kiri indigenous rally blocked

whit — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 12:37:06 +0100

Hundreds of indigenous peoples in Mondulkiri are planning to lodge a complaint with the National Assembly and relevant ministries to demand the ouster of the provincial governor after authorities yesterday pre-emptively shut down celebrations in honour of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

Around 700 members of the Phnong ethnic group in Pou Chrei commune’s Puo Tang village, in Mondulkiri’s Pech Chreada district, slaughtered chickens, pigs and a buffalo in a ritual yesterday.

But when community members had attempted to set up a venue for celebrations on Satu

World Bank - Dangerous Rollback in Environmental, Social Protections

whit — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 02:59:14 +0100

New Framework Undermines President Kim’s Commitment to ‘No Dilution’

(Washington, DC) – The World Bank has released new draft safeguard policies that will vastly weaken protections for affected communities and the environment at the same time as the bank intends to finance more high-risk projects, 19 organizations said today.

India - Odisha villagers retake land acquired for Posco plant

whit — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 04:43:29 +0100

Nuagaon, Odisha – Betel vines are once again beginning to dot the landscape that was meant to be the site for a Rs 52,000 crore giant steel plant.

Ten years after South Korean steel major Posco signed an agreement with the Odisha government under a blaze of publicity to set up a 12-million tonne steel plant in the state’s coastal Jagatsinghpur district some 150 kilometers from capital Bhubaneswar, the project has made no headway and local residents have begun to reclaim inch-by-inch the land that had been acquired for the plant.

In Nuagaon, villagers have smashed down a Posco-built

India - Odisha villagers retake land acquired for Posco plant

whit — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 04:43:29 +0100

Nuagaon, Odisha – Betel vines are once again beginning to dot the landscape that was meant to be the site for a Rs 52,000 crore giant steel plant.

In Nuagaon, villagers have smashed down a Posco-built

Burma - Against Letpadaung: copper mining in Myanmar and the struggle for human rights

whit — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 06:45:04 +0100

Contention around a mine in Myanmar – especially police treatment of activists campaigning to close it – has grown into a challenge for the development of rule of law in that country.

The Letpadaung copper mine in the Sagaing Region of central Myanmar has become a major fault line in the struggle for human rights in that country.

Burma - Against Letpadaung: copper mining in Myanmar and the struggle for human rights

whit — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 06:45:04 +0100

Contention around a mine in Myanmar – especially police treatment of activists campaigning to close it – has grown into a challenge for the development of rule of law in that country.

The Letpadaung copper mine in the Sagaing Region of central Myanmar has become a major fault line in the struggle for human rights in that country.

The Observer view on global mining regulation

whit — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 04:45:50 +0100

The suffering of communities in Zambia’s copper mining region highlights the need to create a global regulatory regime

The appalling suffering of villagers living close to the mining town of Chingola, in Zambia’s copperbelt region, whose water supplies have been dangerously polluted by leaks of sulphuric acid and other toxic chemicals, is both avoidable and unacceptable.

Cambodia - Going straight in the 'forest of gold'

whit — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 04:49:26 +0100

Mondulkiri province – Until recently, the illegal mining community at the remote village of Poutung did their digging at risk of arrest. They have since become the first to be given official sanction.

International Peoples Mining Conference 2105: A global unity forged to resist devastation of global mining liberalization

whit — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 02:11:03 +0100

‘Our Resistance, Our Hope’: A global unity forged to resist devastation of global mining liberalization

After three days of extensive discussions, shared stories, and strategic planning, a global unity has been forged by more than 140 representatives of mining-affected communities, people’s organizations and other concerned groups and individuals from over 29 countries and six continents who have come together in the International People’s Conference on Mining 2015 (IPCM) held from July 30 to August 1, 2015 in Quezon City, Philippines.

In a unity statement released on the occasio

India - Convention Against the Government's Attack on Tribal Peoples

whit — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 12:31:51 +0100

Joint Convention Against the NDA Government’s Attack on the Rights of Tribals

Organisations representing tribal communities from across India have joined hands to give a call for a national convention during the forthcoming Parliament sesson against the NDA government’s systematic attack on the rights of Adivasis.

Cambodia - Going straight in the 'forest of gold'

whit — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 04:49:26 +0100

Unity Statement of the International People’s Conference on Mining

whit — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 15:52:49 +0100

Our Resistance, Our Hope

Unity Statement of the International People’s Conference on Mining

July 30 – August 1, 2015

Quezon City, Philippines – We are representatives of mining-affected communities, people’s organizations and other concerned groups and individuals coming from 29 countries and 6 continents. We come from diverse cultures, faith perspectives, social contexts and political identities with distinct dreams, beliefs and expectations.

India - Convention Against the Government's Attack on Tribal Peoples

whit — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 12:31:51 +0100

Joint Convention Against the NDA Government’s Attack on the Rights of Tribals

What role will energy and minerals play in the future of Greenland?

whit — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 04:40:01 +0100

Greenland is reassessing the potential for its minerals and energy resources to help the country secure independence from Denmark. There are several reasons for this.

Canada / USA - Massive oil spill fuels protests in Lakota Territory

whit — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 12:36:53 +0100

RAPID CITY – A massive, new spill from a bitumen pipeline in the tar-sands oil fields of Alberta, Canada’s Athabascan territory fueled a series of pipeline protests by Native Americans and allies across South Dakota, beginning July 24.

Taking part in the protests were the Yankton and Rosebud Sioux tribes, members of Indigenous Environmental Network and the No KXL Dakota Coalition, including: Dakota Rural Action, South Dakota Peace and Justice Center, BOLD Nebraska, Ihanktonwan Treaty Council, Kul Wicasa Treaty Council, Oyate Wahacanka Woecun, and many others.

They paraded a banner

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.

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.’

The U.N.

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.’

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.

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.

BHP to open new coal mine in Borneo amid concern for orangutans

whit — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 00:06:32 +0100

If you thought Shenhua and Adani had raised hackles with their plans to develop new coal mines in controversial parts of Australia, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

In a move likely to enrage environmental campaigners, BHP Billiton quietly flagged on Wednesday that it would soon start production of coal at the Haju mine in Indonesian Borneo.

Haju will initially produce about 1 million tonnes of coal a year, which is pretty small compared to the coal mines BHP already operates in Queensland.

But Haju could be the start of a much larger coal project for BHP in Indonesian Borneo known as

BHP to open new coal mine in Borneo amid concern for orangutans

whit — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 00:06:32 +0100

If you thought Shenhua and Adani had raised hackles with their plans to develop new coal mines in controversial parts of Australia, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

In a move likely to enrage environmental campaigners, BHP Billiton quietly flagged on Wednesday that it would soon start production of coal at the Haju mine in Indonesian Borneo.

Haju will initially produce about 1 million tonnes of coal a year, which is pretty small compared to the coal mines BHP already operates in Queensland.

But Haju could be the start of a much larger coal project for BHP in Indonesian Borneo known as

Statements of the Asia Indigenous Peoples: Eighth Session of EMRIP

whit — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 01:19:30 +0100

Statements of the Asia Indigenous Peoples: Eighth Session of Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Item 3 of the provisional agenda  

Follow-up to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, including the review of the mandate of the Expert Mechanism

Delivered by Jennifer Tauli Corpuz, Tebtebba Foundation

20-24 July 2015

Thank you Mr Chairperson,

The Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus is pleased to provide its comments on this agenda item.

BHP to open new coal mine in Borneo amid concern for orangutans

whit — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 00:06:32 +0100

If you thought Shenhua and Adani had raised hackles with their plans to develop new coal mines in controversial parts of Australia, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

In a move likely to enrage environmental campaigners, BHP Billiton quietly flagged on Wednesday that it would soon start production of coal at the Haju mine in Indonesian Borneo.

Haju will initially produce about 1 million tonnes of coal a year, which is pretty small compared to the coal mines BHP already operates in Queensland.

But Haju could be the start of a much larger coal project for BHP in Indonesian Borneo known as

Canadian ministers urged to better prevent damage from mining

whit — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 00:30:50 +0100

A coalition of over 50 environmental, First Nations, and community organizations from Canada and Alaska are asking Canadian Energy and Mines ministers to take immediate action to prevent further damage from waste dams and pipelines ruptures.

In a letter addressed to the ministers from across Canada, who are finishing Tuesday a two-day meeting in Halifax, the group said that changes to mine waste management policies are urgent, especially after the failure of the Mount Polley tailings site in British Columbia last year.

Based on the findings and recommendations of the Independent Expe

India rejects new uranium mining projects

whit — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 17:30:46 +0100

India has taken the decision not to pursue any new uranium projects in at least three of its provinces in consideration of local populace who was against uranium mining, as well as the limited availability of financial allocations from the federal government.

Senior government officials noted that while the prospects for new uranium mines had emerged in provinces like Meghalaya, Himachal and Uttarakhand, issues like unstable hilly terrains and opposition from sections of the locals had forced the government to go slow in taking up mining projects in these areas.

Simultaneously, uranium

Brazil - Yudja indigenous people request consultation regarding Belo Sun

whit — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 19:39:44 +0100

Yudja indigenous people request consultation regarding Belo Sun, Canadian mining company that wants to mine gold on the Xingu River

The company proposes to undertake mining operations in precisely the area that will be most impacted by the Belo Monte hydroelectric project.

Brazil - Yudja indigenous people request consultation regarding Belo Sun

whit — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 19:39:44 +0100

Yudja indigenous people request consultation regarding Belo Sun, Canadian mining company that wants to mine gold on the Xingu River

The company proposes to undertake mining operations in precisely the area that will be most impacted by the Belo Monte hydroelectric project.

Red Light for Uranium Mining in Quebec

whit — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 10:11:31 +0100

Quebec meillure mine Coalition Welcomes Independent Panel’s Conclusions

Quebec – The Coalition pour que le Québec ait meilleure mine welcomes the conclusions of the Quebec Environmental & Public Hearings Panel (BAPE), which concluded that the risks and uncertainties of the mining of uranium relating to health and the environment are still too numerous to allow it to proceed.

Guatemalan Court Suspends Mining Operations in La Puya

whit — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 09:54:46 +0100

Local communities have been peacefully fighting against the mining project for the past three years.

Communities of La Puya, Guatemala, celebrated a major victory on Wednesday when a constitutional court suspended the mining license and operations of national company Exmingua, a subsidiary of U.S.

Guatemalan Court Suspends Mining Operations in La Puya

whit — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 09:54:46 +0100

Local communities have been peacefully fighting against the mining project for the past three years.

Communities of La Puya, Guatemala, celebrated a major victory on Wednesday when a constitutional court suspended the mining license and operations of national company Exmingua, a subsidiary of U.S.

Posco puts $12 billion India plant on hold

whit — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 10:09:34 +0100

Posco, South Korea’s biggest steelmaker, has put on hold plans to build a steel plant in India after land acquisition and farmer protests stalled the $12 billion project for a decade.

The project in India’s eastern state of Odisha has been “tentatively postponed,” Chief Executive Officer Kwon Oh Joon said Wednesday.

Posco puts $12 billion India plant on hold

whit — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 10:09:34 +0100

Posco, South Korea’s biggest steelmaker, has put on hold plans to build a steel plant in India after land acquisition and farmer protests stalled the $12 billion project for a decade.

The project in India’s eastern state of Odisha has been “tentatively postponed,” Chief Executive Officer Kwon Oh Joon said Wednesday.

Canada - Why Does Canada Hate Indigenous Rights? One Word: Oil

whit — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 11:29:54 +0100

Why implementing Free, Prior and Informed Consent in Canada is essential – and why the government is refusing to do so, in spite of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Why does Canada hate Indigenous rights?

Or, more properly, why has the government campaigned so hard to subdue the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), even when it’s now enshrined in a UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)?

The specific right to FPIC, as it is called by those who regularly deal with it, tells us a lot about where we are as an international

Militarization and murders stifle anti-mining movement in Guatemala

whit — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 10:13:59 +0100

The sweet smell of the pine forest covers the hillside, fifty miles east of Guatemala City. Two young farmers come around the bend, walking down the rocky unpaved road, machetes in hand. Down below, the small town of San Rafael las Flores is surrounded by a patchwork of agricultural crops, the mainstay of the regional economy.

The Escobal silver mine sits at the base of a hill just above San Rafael las Flores, located in a municipality with the same name in the southwestern Guatemalan department of Santa Rosa.

Militarization and murders stifle anti-mining movement in Guatemala

whit — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 10:13:59 +0100

The Escobal silver mine sits at the base of a hill just above San Rafael las Flores, located in a municipality with the same name in the southwestern Guatemalan department of Santa Rosa.

Canada - Why Does Canada Hate Indigenous Rights? One Word: Oil

whit — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 11:29:54 +0100

Why implementing Free, Prior and Informed Consent in Canada is essential – and why the government is refusing to do so, in spite of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Why does Canada hate Indigenous rights?

The specific right to FPIC, as it is called by those who regularly deal with it, tells us a lot about where we are as an international

Ecuador: Girón advances toward a community plebiscite to stop mining in Kimsacocha

whit — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 10:52:13 +0100

Quito/Ottawa – Members of the Union of Community Water Systems in Girón County (UNAGUA-Girón) in the south-central province of Azuay, Ecuador are collecting signatures in order to undertake a community plebiscite to decide the future of the mining project “Loma Larga” owned by Canadian mining company INV Metals in the area of Kimsacocha.

In April 2012, a group of residents from Girón presented a request to the Provincial Office of the National Electoral Council (NEC).

Ecuador: Girón advances toward a community plebiscite to stop mining in Kimsacocha

whit — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 10:52:13 +0100

In April 2012, a group of residents from Girón presented a request to the Provincial Office of the National Electoral Council (NEC).

Malaysia - Calls for CM Adenan and Sarawak Energy to be Accountable

whit — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 15:48:14 +0100

Malaysia: Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) Calls on CM Adenan and Sarawak Energy to be Accountable to All Sarawakians

Miri – Jaringan Orang Asal Se Malaysia (JOAS), the Network of Indigenous Peoples of Malaysia, is dismayed that Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan is once again recorded in the Borneo Post as saying that the Baram Dam has the support of community leaders, while Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) CEO Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit is quoted as dismissing scientific studies that show Sarawak’s future energy demands could be met by relying on a mix of renewables as opposed to destr

Malaysia - Calls for CM Adenan and Sarawak Energy to be Accountable

whit — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 15:48:14 +0100

Malaysia: Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) Calls on CM Adenan and Sarawak Energy to be Accountable to All Sarawakians

South Africa - Stop Xolobeni project to avoid another Marikana

whit — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 10:03:49 +0100

One cannot help but wonder how much longer the government will stand by as an observer to a war brewing up in Xolobeni on the Wild Coast?

The conflict tearing apart families, communities, clans and tribe is a sad one – and destined to go on for generations, perhaps forever, similar to the war of the cousins, Israel and Palestine.

Violence has already flared up and earlier this year five people, allegedly with direct financial links to the international mining company seeking to strip mine the dunes at Xolobeni for titanium, were interdicted from threatening or assaulting those oppo

Pope Francis asks pardon for church's 'crimes' against indigenous peoples

whit — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 10:45:22 +0100

Francis acknowledged ‘crimes committed against the native peoples during the so-called conquest of America’

Pope Francis apologized Thursday for the sins, offences and crimes committed by the Catholic Church against indigenous peoples during the colonial-era conquest of the Americas, delivering a powerful mea culpa on the part of the church in the climactic highlight of his South American pilgrimage.

History’s first Latin American pope “humbly” begged forgiveness during an encounter in Bolivia with indigenous groups and other activists and in the presence of Bolivia’s first-ever in

South Africa - Stop Xolobeni project to avoid another Marikana

whit — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 10:03:49 +0100

One cannot help but wonder how much longer the government will stand by as an observer to a war brewing up in Xolobeni on the Wild Coast?

The conflict tearing apart families, communities, clans and tribe is a sad one – and destined to go on for generations, perhaps forever, similar to the war of the cousins, Israel and Palestine.

Solidarity statement with Cambodian human rights defender Mr Ny Chakrya

whit — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 08:08:53 +0100

We, the undersigned civil society organizations from across Asia and the Pacific call on the government of Cambodia to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Mr Ny Chakrya, which are an attack on his lawful activities as a human rights defender.

Solidarity statement with Cambodian human rights defender Mr Ny Chakrya

whit — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 08:08:53 +0100

Guyana: Gold For Green Forests

whit — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:43:33 +0100

[This article first appeared in Norway’s Bergens Tidende magazine on 3rd May 2015. It is translated and reproduced here (in abridged form) with the kind permission of Bergens Tidende. Text by Atle Andersson (original in Norwegian)]

The large-scale hunt for gold not only destroys rainforest in Guyana, it also threatens a deal for billions in funds from Norway

Kevin Ramkissoon is standing halfway buried in white mud. He controls the intake of the pump, a dangerous part of the job as gold miner in the Amazon jungle. His leg can break like a match if it touches the device.