|
Gold mines raise protests all over the
world as mining companies are urged to respect human rights and protect the
environment.
Representatives from Ghana, Indonesia, Peru, Romania,
and Nevada today called on Newmont Mining, the world's largest gold producer,
urgently to reform the human rights and environmental practices at its global
operations. Speaking at the company's annual shareholders meeting,
representatives called on the company permanently to cancel plans for new,
open-pit mines on densely populated farmland in Romania, in a Ghanaian forest
reserve, and on a mountain in Peru which is a source of community drinking
water. In 2003, The World Bank declined to finance a proposed mine in Romania
which Newmont had recently invested in, while some members European Parliament
threatened to block Romania's entry into the European Union in view of the
likely environmental damage the project would cause. Members of the
international delegation highlighted the hardships faced by hundreds of farmers
in Rosia Montana, Romania, and villagers in the Ahafo region of Ghana, who are
being displaced from their homes to make way for large, industrial gold mines
owned by Newmont and its partners.
"I have come from Romania to tell Newmont that the people of Rosia Montana will not be forced from our homes and our land," stated Stephanie Roth of Alburnus Maior, a community group of farmers and property owners in Rosia Montana. "Newmont has not obtained the community's consent to operate in Rosia Montana. It's time for them to cut their losses and leave the project." The Newmont company was asked by representatives of the community, present at the shareholders' meeting, to halt development of Rosia Montana, Europe's largest open-pit cyanide leach gold mine. The proposed mine, owned by Gabriel Resources and Newmont Mining Corp., would displace 2,000 residents and place four huge open pits and an unlined mine-waste lagoon in this densely populated agricultural region.
Newmont has had trouble with its operations much closer to home as well. In Nevada, the Western Shoshone people continue to defend their right to live off their own land, according to their traditional lifestyle. "Any damage to our land has a direct impact on our people, our home, and our cultural and spiritual way of life, said Kristi Begay, a member of the Western Shoshone Nation, and a Wells Band Council Chairwoman. "Although our elders are passing on, as the younger generation, we will continue this fight until our issues and concerns are resolved." All the representatives present called on Newmont Mining to stop developing projects which have not secured the free, prior, and informed consent of the communities concerned, disclose all the information about the environmental and social impacts of projects, provide fair and just compensation for local communities affected by mining, and protect water resources from pollution and depletion. The company was also asked to ensure that operations will not result in sulfuric acid drainage to water and soil.
Newmont Mining suffered its biggest one-day stock drop in nearly a year Wednesday following a fall in reported profits. First-quarter net income at the world's largest gold mine dropped 3.4 percent because of lower gold production and higher costs. "Production was lower because we had some operating problems," Newmont president Pierre Lassonde said after the meeting.
Copyright © 2004 Bucharest Daily News
http://www.daily-news.ro/article_detail.php?idarticle=10069
Vali
*** sustineti [romania_eu_list] prin 1% din impozitul pe 2005 -
detalii la http://www.europe.org.ro/euroatlantic_club/unulasuta.php ***
Yahoo! Groups Links
- To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romania_eu_list/
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
