The police army, on 16th May 2011 intentionally shot dead five people in Nyamongo-Tarime and inflicted seriously bodily harm to many others alleging that they invaded one of the Barrick Gold mines at Nyamongo-Tarime district.

As part of its work, LEAT sent a special research/fact finding mission to collect facts regarding Nyamongo-Tarime massacre and impunities reportedly taking place on 16th May 2011. The fact finding mission composed of Mr. Stanslaus Nyembea (LEAT) and Evans Sichalwe (LHRC).

leer el art�culo en espa�ol aqui

On May 16, over a thousand people entered a mine in northern Tanzania, desperate to collect whatever gold they could from the modern industrial site that used to be their bread and butter. But instead of providing the displaced artisanal miners with a boost to their meager income, the day ended in horror. Seven men were killed, and at least a dozen wounded when police unleashed a hail of bullets.

Confrontations between local people and mining security are not uncommon near Barrick's North Mara mine in Tanzania. As Bloomberg journalist Cam Simpson reported in his feature story about the mine, "Security guards and federal police allegedly have shot and killed people scavenging the gold-laced rocks to sell for small amounts of cash, according to interviews with 28 people, including victims� relatives, witnesses, local officials and human-rights workers."

These conflicts take place in the context of forced displacement, destroyed livelihoods and farmlands, and the on-going poisoning of local residents that characterizes Barrick's North Mara mine.

READ: North Mara�s message to government, by Beldina Nyakeke of The Citizen (Tanzania) May 2011

Join us for the...

Mining Injustice Solidarity Network is pleased to invite you to the third conference on the impact of Canadian mining on local communities throughout the world, which will take place the 6th - 8th of May of 2011, in Toronto.

FOR COMPLETE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE PLEASE VISIT: http://www.solidarityresponse.net/mining-injustice-conference/conference-agenda-2011/

***bring your own cup and a blank t-shirt if you can!***

As part of the growing Peter Munk out of the University of Toronto campaign over 100 University of Toronto students, joined by professors and US Academic Noam Chomsky, protested a donation from founder/chair of Barrick Gold, Peter Munk ... read more

A report released today by Human Rights Watch confirms allegations of gang rapes and other human rights abuses by security guards of Barrick Gold�s Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) mine in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

In May 2009, toxic waste from a gold mine located in North Mara, Tanzania, spilled into River Thigithe. Reports from the surrounding villages alleged that 20 people and from 700 to 1,000 head of livestock died from the contaminated water. The company that operates the mine, African Barrick, denied that the spillage led to the deaths of villagers, and Barrick's spokesperson said recently that there are no more problems with the river. But villagers living in Tarime district claim they are still experiencing health-related illnesses from the water. There are also reports that a number of people have been killed by security forces belonging to the company. Zahra Moloo reports in this audio piece [mp3].

This video is a speech from Barrick Gold's founder and chairman, Peter Munk, at the company's shareholder's meeting last year. The only thing that we added were the photos from Barrick's operations around the world, to expose the delusional and misleading nature of Munk's words.

On Sunday 21 November, Wiradjuri Traditional Owner, Neville �Chappy� Williams, Friends of the Earth campaigner, Natalie Lowrey and photojournalist, Conor Ashleigh took an aerial flight over Lake Cowal.Lake Cowal is an ephemeral lake which has a wet and dry cycle of 20 years. The past 10 years has seen the central western NSW region where Lake Cowal is situated in drought, but many like Wiradjuri Traditional Owner, Neville �Chappy� Williams has warned of the big wet seasons. In the past 6 weeks this area has seen huge amounts of rainfall, Lake Cowal is 75% full of water. Once paradise to much wildlife and leisure time for locals, Lake Cowal now has a large open cut pit penetrating into it lake bed.

View photos here.

View media release here.

PhD grad Masrour Zoghi used his graduation to protest the increasing corporatization of the University of Toronto, by rejecting his degree from the institution.

His main issue of concern was the new Munk School of Global Affairs, launched after a $35 million donation from Peter Munk and his wife. Munk is Chairman of Barrick Gold, a mining company registered in Canada.

See the new UofT campaign to stop Barrick's influence in the university.

The Western Shoshone have been in a constant struggle with the United States Government and Barrick Gold Corp. over the mining taking place on sacred Shoshone homelands in Nevada. The conflict focuses on two main questions: who has the rights to the land and what are the environmental impacts of mining.

Most recently, this conflict has centered around the proposed expansion of the Cortez Mine, already one of the largest mines in the United States. The Cortez Mine, which is located within the spiritual center of the Shoshone people, Mt. Tenabo, threatens to dewater sacred springs and streams. The proposed expansion project was for an 850 acre pit to be used for cyanide-heap leaching process and will cause serious irreversible damage to the sacred Shoshone homelands.

Argentina's Senate passed a law on Thursday that curbs mining on and around the nation's glaciers to protect water supplies, a measure praised by environmentalists but criticized by industry supporters.

* Senate narrowly approves glacier-protection law
* Law seen affecting Barrick's vast Pascua Lama project
* President has said will not veto mining measure

Letters to the BLM commenting on the inadequacy of the draft Supplementary EIS to provide an adequate mitigation plan for the seeps and springs that are under risk. It is important that the courts understand how important this issue is to the public, so your letter even if brief will be registered as concern and help out the legal effort that is still underway.

Report Documents Poisoning Following Toxic Discharge from Barrick�s Porgera Mine Reports from Papua New Guinea detail the aftermath of an unusually high discharge of un=neutralized waste at Barrick Gold�s Porgera mine. The discharge � which reportedly occurred on July 27, 2010 � poisoned dozens of locals, whose accounts are documented in a recent report produced by the Porgera Alliance, a coalition of human rights and landowner groups.

In October & November 2009, the Canadian House of Commons' Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs & Intl. Development held hearings on "Bill C-300, An Act respecting Corporate Accountability".  The following statements were made regarding issues including allegations of killings, rape & other security problems involving personnel at the Porgera Joint Venture in Papua New Guinea, as well as the Porgera mine's environmental impacts.  (Barrick Gold holds a large majority stake of the Porgera Joint Venture.)

Last year, former environment minister of Argentina Romina Picolotti claimed she was forced to resign, after her family was threatened by Canadian mining companies. See: Argentina ex-minister: "Mining companies threatened me"

Now, National Deputies Elisa Carri�, Miguel Bonasso and Fernanda Reyes demanded an investigations over  possible traffic of influence in favour of Barrick Gold, and direct economic links between the gold miner and San Juan province Governor Jos� Luis Gioja.

Luis Claps, Latin American editor, Mines and Communities

More info:
ENGLISH: San Juan province governor accused of 'economic ties' with Barrick Gold
ESPANOL: Denuncian lazos de Mayoral con la minera canadiense Barrick
ESPANOL: A la Justicia por Pascua Lama
ESPANOL: Acusan a Cristina por �tr�fico de influencias� en favor de una minera

The Akali Tange Association (ATA) recently received a complaint that three young girls at the age around 14 years were taken into PJV Yoko 2 camp on the 18th June 2010 and raped by PJV engaged police mobile squads. The victims reported the matter at the Paiam Police Station on the 19th June 2010 with full details of the transporting vehicle.

Forced rape and violation against woman is serious crime in PNG and such un ethical behaviours desire urgent investigation. The ATA condemns the actions with term strongest possible terms and call for full investigation and appropriate actions taken with law.