Malawian NGOs blast Paladin Resources director and affirm ongoing opposition to poor uranium mining
Published by MAC on 2007-07-03
Malawian NGOs blast Paladin Resources director and affirm ongoing opposition to poor uranium mining practices
Mineral Policy Institute Media Alert
3rd July 2007
Malawian NGOs determined to continue efforts to prevent poor practices of Aussie uranium miner Paladin Resources
Malawian civil society has issued a statement today to communicate their determination that the project will meet sustained opposition until it responds to a range of long standing concerns over its impacts and benefits to the people of Malawi .
Paladin Resources has come under sustained heat from a coalition of NGOs in Malawi who have brought a court case to halt the company’s proposed Kayelekera mining operation until it addresses alleged unconstitutionality and breaches of environment laws.
The organisations stated in response to claims by Managing director of Paladin John Borshoff: “We totally disagree with Paladin as reportedly stated that the development work at Kayelekera will continue even without addressing the concerns that have been raised by the civil society in Malawi . The Civic Society Organizations believe such statements will deprive the initiatives of the honorable representatives of a cordial and peaceful resolution to the court case.”
"The Malawian legal system offers significant constitutional and democratic protection from the untransparent practices and poor standards proposed by Paladin Resources. Organisations in Malawi are determined to utilise the constitutional protections to protect the public interest from a range of deficiencies in the current approach." stated Techa Beaumont of the Mineral Policy Institute
The company’s first project in Namibia has been underperforming and Paladin announced that it has failures in its heap leach facility in shareholder disclosure earlier this month. The full extent of problems in Namibia are not known.
For more information in Australia contact +61 428970434, in Malawi contact Undule on 265 09664176