CONSEJO INTERNACIONAL DE TRATADOS INDIOS

UNITED OUTCRY AGAINST MINING GREENWASH

Indigenous peoples, mine-affected local communities and major organisations of civil society decried today the partnership forged by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) as a cynical greenwash of the mining industry.

"It’s a contradiction  for the ICMM, whose mining industry members have systematically engaged in the rape of the Mother Earth to have suddenly changed heart to implement best management practices to protectg  biodiversity.  By nature of its technology, mining is unsustainable. The mining industry has a poor record of community accountability and in  many parts of the world is socially unacceptable", said Tom Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network. 

Mining has left a legacy of impoverished communities and environmental despoiliation.  "Entering a partnership on Mining and Biodiversity with the World Conservation Union, while marginalizing indigenous peoples and local communities, who are most severely impacted, is a gross cynicism and non-accountability on the part of these global organisations" said Joji Carino of  Tebtebba Foundation, the Indigenous Peoples International Centre for Policy-Research and Education.

A global coalition of indigenous peoples organisations, mine-affected communities and civil society organisations called today for:

1.        A moratorium on mining activities until governments and corporations respect indigenous peoples' rights to self-determination and to free, prior and informed consent to all forms of mining;

2.        Down-sizing of the mining industry;

3.        A stop to environmentally damaging mining practices such as bulk and strip-mining; the use of cyanide mining;  and sub-marine tailings disposal;

4.        Reparations to affected communities and restitution for past damages;

5.        A Convention on Corporate Accountability covering the mining, energy and chemical industries.

Supported by:

Indigenous Environtal Network:  Tom Goldtooth -  082 858 0316

Tebtebba Foundation:  Joji Carino and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz – 082 3454541

African Indigenous Women’s Organisation

Indigenous Information Network

Asian Indigenous Women’s Network

International Indian Treaty Council

Indigenous Women’s Network

Third World Network:  Abdulai Dimarani

Friends of the Earth:  Gabriel Ducca-Rivas

Oilwatch:  Elizabeth Bravo

AMIGRANSA