The Good, the Bad, & the Unacceptable

Indonesia's government has promised to respect the customary rights of its forest-dwelling peoples. This could place a major curb on egregious logging, plantation and mining, and save the livelihoods of hundreds of communities.

Workers take part in the rescue effort at Grasberg. Photo: Reuters

Unfortunately, it comes too late to prevent the attritions of Freeport-Rio Tinto's Grasberg copper gold-mine - where yet another "accident" occurred last week.

On the Malaysian side of Borneo island, indigenous groups accuse Sarawak's chief minister of rampant corruption, calling for a halt to damaging dam projects - including one which would serve the interests of Rio Tinto-Alcan.

Other news this week

• Wayuu women from Colombia address a UN Forum on coal extraction
• Tibetans demonstrate against Chinese-sponsored mining
• Kyrgyzstan's government imposes a state of emergency after gold-related protests
• New conflicts erupt over Newmont's Conga project in Peru
  
• The "world's worst mining company" launches a US$1.7 billion bond offering
• New threats are posed to Philippines' anti-mining activists

Finally - how can a state jeopardise both human rights abroad and the economic health of its own citizens? Well, Canada's government seems to do a pretty good job of it ...

The London Declaration - 2008

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