Kanak Blockades Continue at Goro Nickel:

Active opposition to the activities of Goro Nickel continue in New Caledonia with reports of fresh blockades across the country, including one formed today about 110km from Noumea on the way to Kone.  Rheebuu Nuu affirms that blockades will strengthen if meaningful negotiations do not begin, and national support for the issue appears to be growing.

Reports from New Caledonia this morning also indicate French military forces have charged the Medelaine camp, a base camp occupied mainly by woman and children who are cooking and providing support to Kanak opposition against the Goro Nickel mine, after having violently cleared blockades of the roads into the mine site earlier this month.

During the weekend there was a meeting between Kanak politicians and members of Rheebuu Nuu in efforts to find a solution to the issue, which is the culmination of long standing efforts by Kanaky groups to have environmental and social concerns addressed in the development of the Goro nickel mine.

The Rheebuu Nuu maintains its position that it wants the project to stop, and that the authorization granted to Inco for Goro for the mining operation and plant to be cancelled, and that new negotiations rounds start with the mining companies and the Kanak authorites.

Jacques Boengkih, who has spoken to Rheebuu Nuu over the weekend stated: “They are adamant that there should not be further developments until agreements are signed. Key concerns which are at the centre of the opposition including the proposal to build a marine effluent pipeline which pumps waste water containing chemicals from the plant into nearby coastal waters, the protection of fresh water sources at Yate’s which Inco plans to tap for the mine’s operations, and the need for further environmental impact assessments that addresses flaws identified in the existing studies.”

Rheebuu Nuu leaders Raphael Mapou and Andre Vama are still in hiding after being sought by the French police.  The Kanak Customary Senate requested the French authorities lift warrants for their arrest, and guarantee that the leaders will be free from harassment or imprisonment if they enter roundtable discussions with other parties as a necessary element to resuming negotiations to resolve the issues.  The warrants have prevented the Rheebuu Nuu leaders from attending a roundtable with other parties, as they could face arrest and imprisonment, and Kanak representatives did not participate in proposed talks, affirming that these discussions could not proceed without the presence of the two men. Raphel Mapou 

According to Boengkih “There is determination on the ground that nothing is to take place while this assessment is not done and before new negotiation rounds take place that will lead to an agreement on these issues. Dependent on the French authorities and the Goro-Nickel management’s will to negotiate, the next step can be taking part in a genuine round table of negotiation or strengthening the blockade.”

The Kanaks have sought commitments from Inco to apply the same standards as it has implemented at its operations at home in Canada, and point towards Inco’s negotiated legally binding Impact and Benefits Agreements (IBAs) with  the Innu Nation and Labrador Inuit Association (LIA) in Canada. These agreements address social and environmental issues of the indigenous populations including establishing targets for Innu and Inuit employment and training, promotion of aboriginal businesses, and involvement of aboriginal people in environmental monitoring. 

Inco’s has a reputation for poor relations and conflict with indigenous peoples at its global operations. Currently Inco is also facing opposition by the indigenous Karonsi’e Dongi at its operations in Indonesia, and has faced censure for human rights abuses at its operations in Guatemala. In March, Inco was removed from the Financial Times Sustainability Index (FTSE4Good) as it “failed to meet the FTSE4Good human rights criteria requirements,”

Further background is available at www.mpi.org.au  or www.miningwatch.ca

For further information contact:

Techa Beaumont, Mineral Policy Institute, Australia on +61(0)409 318 406
Jacques Boengkih, Agence Kanak de Developpement, Nouvelle-Caledonie
                                                            Tel 687 + 412 244 - Fax 687 + 412 294

For more information, please contact:

Techa Beaumont
Executive Director

Workphone: +61 2 9557 9019
Mobile: +61 (0) 409 318 406

Created: 18 Apr 2006 | Last updated: 05 May 2006

This page: http://www.mpi.org.au/ campaigns/indigenous/kanak_blockades/

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