BHP Billiton to face grilling from coal-impacted communities
22nd October 2014,
The board of controversial mining company BHP Billiton will face angry community representatives on Thursday as they describe the impact of coal mining around the world.
| World Development Movement Press Release |
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Wednesday, 22 October 2014 |
| BHP Billiton to face grilling from coal-impacted communities at AGM |
| Representatives from Colombia and Indonesia arrive in London to tell the BHP Billiton board that coal-mining is detroying communities. When: Thursday 24 October 10am Where: BHP Billiton AGM, The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster, SW1P 3EE Rogelio Ustate and Francisco Tovar are from communities impacted by the Cerrejón coal mine in the La Guajira region of Colombia. The mine, which is part-owned by BHP Billiton has led to the forced removal of numerous farming communities, almost all of Indigenous or African descent. Pius Ginting is from Friends of the Earth in Indonesia where BHP Billiton is planning a series of massive coal mines in the rainforests of Central Kalimantan. Critics argue that this development would destroy some of the last pockets of primary rainforest on the island of Borneo, deprive Indigenous Peoples of their livelihoods and pollute water sources relied on by up to a million people. Rogelio Ustate from FECODEMIGUA (the Federation of Communities Displaced by Mining in La Guajira) said: “BHP Billiton’s coal mining in Colombia has led to the destruction of the social fabric, the loss of ancestral or traditional medicine, the destruction and disappearance of sacred sites, such as cemeteries, rivers, lakes and springs of living and pure water." Pius Ginting from Friends of the Earth Indonesia said: “We are asking BHP Billiton to reconsider its plan to mine coal in the rainforest of Kalimantan, and to work with the local and national governments to re-establish this area as a protected forest or an indigenous people's forest." After the AGM, the visitors will be embarking on a nationwide “Dirty Coal Tour” with the first speaking date taking place in London on Thursday evening followed by dates in Norwich, Sheffield, Newcastle, Oxford, Durham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Lanarkshire. The speaking dates are being hosted by student groups campaigning against their universities holding investments in fossil fuel companies. In October Glasgow University became the first UK university to announce divestment from fossil fuel companies. As of 2013 the Glasgow had an £80,000 investment in BHP Billiton as part of its endowment. Richard Solly from London Mining Network said: “BHP Billiton is coming under greater pressure now than ever before. Fossil Free university groups, church groups and others are calling for investors to pull their funds out of the company because of climate change, and our friends from Colombia and Indonesia are here to tell people about the human rights impacts of the company's operations.” Kirsty Wright, the energy justice campaigner from World Development Movement said: “These destructive coal projects show how the corporate control of energy is having devastating impacts on local communities as well as the climate. With a quarter of the UK’s coal being imported from Colombia, we need to stop London-listed mining companies like BHP Billiton from trampling over the rights of local communities with impunity.” Notes The visit and coal tour has been organized by London Mining Network, the World Development Movement, Colombia Solidarity Campaign, Coal Action Network, Coal Action Scotland, Down to Earth, War on Want, People and Planet and Fossil Free University groups. More information on the Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia More information on the proposed coal mining project in Kalimantan Tour dates and venues for the Dirty Coal Tour News of Glasgow University’s Divestment in October 2014 Glasgow University’s 2013 list of endowment investments |
