UNITY STATEMENT
OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAUCUS ON MINING AND WTO
Boys and Girls Club Association, Hongkong
December 15, 2005
We, indigenous peoples (IP), women, artisanal/small-scale miners and
mining-affected communities, environmental advocates and activists, and
representing people's movements in China, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya,
Mongolia, Peru, Philippines, United Kingdom, United States of America
have gathered in the International Caucus on Mining and the World Trade
Organization (WTO) in Hong Kong to forge a common understanding of the
developments in global mining and the people's resistance to continuing
plunder and destruction by mining transnational corporations (TNCs).
We have also gathered to denounce the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the
WTO, which through negotiations on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA)
and General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) want to further liberalize
local industries and gain direct control of the world's mineral resources.
2. For the past decades, mining struggles have intensified as globalization
policies sweep through more than 120 mineralized countries all over the
world . Mining TNCs, with their agents and minions in bureaucracies and
international financial institutions, have distorted, dismantled and amended
constitutions, national policies and laws, systems and norms to be able
to outrightly plunder and exploit what are left of the world’s mineral
resources. In the name of profit, they have deprived the peoples of the
world of their inherent right to benefit from these natural resources
for their own livelihood and for their countries' own development. Meanwhile,
the people are left to suffer from the destruction and pollution that
their mining operations have wreaked.
3. We are proud to be part of the mining struggles raging in countries
like India, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and other African countries, China,
Peru, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. We have condemned the
blatant violations of economic, social and cultural human rights and massive
displacement of indigenous peoples and peasants. We condemn the displacement
of peoples, disruption of livelihoods, destruction of ecosystem, militarization,
land grabbing, killings, violation of land rights act. We have decried
abuses of mine workers and their rights and welfare. We denounce the mining
TNCs for their environmental impacts and their infringement on our national
sovereignty.
4. We are aware that the mining TNCs are re-surging as the prices and
demand for minerals in the international market is on the uptrend. They
are reasserting their plundering agenda through false promises of sustainable
development and sustainable mining constructs, through deceitful image-building
projects like Corporate Environmental Social Responsibility, Code of Ethics
and Code of Conduct, and through public-relations gimmickry such as presenting
showcases of Best Practices. This mining agenda is now being pushed in
the current round of the Ministerial Meeting of the WTO in Hong Kong.
5. Mining TNCs, their governments, WTO, World Bank, and international
financial institutions (IFIs) are conspiring to impose their globalization
policies on third world governments to further liberalize mining investments,
trade, services and market access. Arrayed against these, some third world
governments posture and make a show of defiance but in the end they collaborate
with foreign investors and creditors to disenfranchise the world’s
people of their resources and the very means to life.
In this light, we reaffirm our collective position for the people and
for the environment:
1. Oppose the globalization of the mining industry through policies of
privatization, liberalization and deregulation, as those set down in the
GATS and NAMA agreements. Oppose all anti-people and pro-TNC mining policies.
2. Ban destructive mining methods and technologies such as open-pit mining,
and riverine and submarine-tailings disposal. No more mining in agricultural
and protected areas.
3. Develop and ensure implementation of mining standards and practices
that genuinely protect the rights and welfare of the people and environment.
Hold mining TNCs and national governments responsible and punishable for
the social, economic and environmental impacts wrought by their large-scale
mining operations. Immediate and adequate compensation for mining-affected
people and rehabilitation of the environment.
4. Uphold and protect the rights of indigenous and aboriginal peoples
to self-determination and ancestral domain in mining areas.
5. Oppose the militarization in mining areas. Justice to victims of human
rights violations in the name of corporate mining.
6. Expose the duplicity of the global mining industry in their promotion
of mining TNCs projects and operations as socially, economically, culturally
and environmentally acceptable. Expose and oppose NGOs that in any way
collaborate in the promotion of this propaganda.
7. Promote mine workers' right to decent wages and benefits, right to
organize, and to work in a safe working environment.
8. Re-orient mining industries to genuinely address people's needs and
nations' needs to develop and industrialize.
Adopted by participants of the International Caucus on Mining and WTO,
held at the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association, Lockhart Street, Hong
Kong, on December 15, 2005.
1) BARCIK (BANGLADESH)
2) CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS (PHILIPPINES)
3) CHINA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION NGO
4) COMMUNITY RESOURCE INSTITUTE (KENYA)
5) CORDILLERA PEOPLES ALLIANCE (PHILIPPINES)
6) DIVERSE WOMEN FOR DIVERSITY
7) FRIENDS OF THE EARTH INTERNATIONAL
8) GUIZHOU HIGHLAND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTION (CHINA)
9) IBON FOUNDATION (PHILIPPINES)
10) IMPACT (KENYA)
11) JARINGAN ADVOKASI TAMBANG (JATAM)
12) KALIKASAN PEOPLE'S NETWORK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (PHILIPPINES)
13) KUELAP (PERU)
14) LRC-KSK/FRIENDS OF THE EARTH (PHILIPPINES)
15) MINES AND COMMUNITIES (UNITED KINGDOM)
16) NAFLU-KMU (PHILIPPINES)
17) PHILDHRRA/ATM (PHILIPPINES)
18) SOUTHERN TAGALOG ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION MOVEMENT
19) SPTN HPS (INDONESIA)
20) THIRD WORLD NETWORK AFRICA
21) VOICE (BANGLADESH)
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