A Canadian-owned mine in Guatemala. A nearby indigenous community evicted.
If you talk to the company, the community is solidly behind them. But according
to a special documentary report not everyone agrees.
For the company’s side of the story, Avi talks to Andrew Grant of Skye
Resources Limited in Vancouver.
Violent Evictions at El Estor, Guatemala
From Rights Action: On January 8th and 9th 2007, hundreds of police and soldiers in Guatemala forcibly evicted the inhabitants of several communities who were living on lands that a Guatemalan military government had granted to Canadian mining company INCO in 1965. Local indigenous people claim the land to be theirs, and resent the exploitation of a foreign corporation. Canada’s Skye Resources now lays claim to the land, and paid workers a nominal sum to destroy people’s homes. With the force of the army and police, company workers took chainsaws and torches to people’s homes, while women and children stood by. Skye Resources claims that they maintained “a peaceful atmosphere during this action.”
Here are some more videos. This time about mining.
Some are for mining, some are against it.
Mine Your Own Business
Mine Your Own Business exposes the dark side of environmentalism. The documentary hacks away at the cosy image of environmentalists’ as well meaning, harmless activists.
Undermining Paradise
Mining operations on Rapu Rapu island in the Philippines by Australian company LaFayette are a ticking time bomb for local fisheries and the region’s coral reefs and whale sharks.
PC’s Undermine Environment
Tory candidate Randy Hillier shares his perspective on Environmental Laws.
Take and take and take.
In Montana’s Little Rocky Mountains, the Zortman-Landusky mine complex has permanently polluted the water and devastated the land that once belonged to the Ft. Belknap tribes. A commercial running in Alaska to oppose the Pebble mine proposal. Paid for by the Renewable Resources Coalition.
Rio Tinto: Diverse People, Places and Products
Rio Tinto’s latest corporate video addressing many aspects of our activities and our commitment and values as a global business and local neighbour.
Canadian Mining Industry
Aired on June 20, 2007
As commodity prices boom around the world, Canada’s mining industry is booming, too. But it’s also under increasing scrutiny.
Pressure from NGO’s who monitor Canadian companies abroad, led to a national round-table on corporate social responsibility and the extractive industry. Its produced a stellar and unanimous report N-G-Os and industry came to a consensus.
We wanted to talk to someone from Foreign Affairs about these new guidelines, unfortunately, they declined saying they’re still studying the proposals. It seems there may not be consensus in the Canadian government.
But for the bigger picture of the Canadian mining industry worldwide, Avi talks to Karyn Keenan with the Halifax Initiative, an international development NGO based in Ottawa.
THE FACTS ON MINING IN CANADA:
Sixty percent of the world’s exploration companies are listed on Canada’s Stock Exchanges.
Eighty-five percent of all the mining deals done world wide are done in Canada.
Canadian companies account for over 40% of global exploration budgets.
And they have Interests in more than 3,000 mineral properties in more than 100 countries.
