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Leave protected forests alone, Ghanaian, Indonesian, Australian environment groups tell BHP Billiton
Saturday 22 February 2003
BHP Billiton pressures cash-strapped governments in Ghana and Indonesia to sacrifice their forests for strip-mining
Community groups in Ghana, Indonesia and Australia are appalled at BHP Billiton’s push to scrap legal protection for forests in Ghana and Indonesia. BHP Billiton is challenging laws protecting forests from mining at the Gag Island nickel project in West Papua, Indonesia, and again with its hopes of mining bauxite deposits within forest reserves at Kyebi and Nyinahin, Ghana. Both deposits would need to be strip-mined, their precious vegetation cover destroyed.The Ghanaian government is in the process of granting mining licences to two Australian companies who are asking for the removal of forest protection, Red Back Mining NL’s Chirano gold project in the Tano Suraw protected forest, and BHP Billiton’s bauxite/aluminium plans. (1)
In Indonesia, Gag Island is protected by environment law prohibiting open cut mining in protected forests, so BHP Billiton has been pushing to have the law overturned to enable nickel mining. Announcements by Indonesian government officials this month indicate forest protection will be scrapped to allow BHP Billiton’s project to proceed.
BHP Billiton’s mining plans cover much of Gag Island, and include dumping huge volumes of mine waste (tailings) into the surrounding ocean through the discredited practice of Submarine Tailings Disposal. The ocean around Gag Island is described as an undersea paradise owing to its uniquely high marine biodiversity, and is likely to be nominated for World Heritage listing.
Indonesian NGOs have also voiced concern over a mining lease they say BHP Billiton holds over Indonesia’s Wanggameti National Park on Sumba Island, and the company’s refusal to comment on its activities and plans for the area.
Indonesian officials have stated that a prime motivation to overturn the forest protection is a threat of legal action by transnational mining giants, through an international tribunal. Most recently, Indonesia's Minister for Environment, Nabiel Makarim expressed his fear that mining would accelerate forest destruction in Indonesia: "This is a dilemma for us (the government) on how to save the forests. There are only two alternatives: First, we continue to save the forests but the consequence is that we may be sued by investors at the international court. Second, we avoid the lawsuit but the forests will continue to degrade.” (2)
“The threat of legal action brought by bullying foreign mining TNCs is morally reprehensible. It’s also a heavy constraint on decision-makers who would rather act in the best interests of Indonesia’s environment and sustainable development”, responded Igor O’Neill of mining watchdog, the Mineral Policy Institute.
BHP once planned to mine in South Australia’s Gammon Ranges National Park, but after vocal campaigns by outraged South Australians, BHP cancelled the plan and on February 7 2001 these leases were officially allowed to lapse by BHP.
“BHP Billiton is pursuing a cynical double standard: it seeks to mine in protected areas in developing countries, but renounces such destruction in Australia. After bringing shame to Australia over waste dumping in PNG’s Ok Tedi River, BHP Billiton plans to dump waste from their Gag Island nickel mine into the sea. BHP Billiton has to know this is not going to help their tarnished image.”
After BHP Billiton CEO Brian Gilbertson’s departure last month, the Australian Financial Review published an article asking “Which kittens should Goodyear drown?” (2) In the article, the AFR speculated on which of the more adventurous or politically risky of BHP Billiton’s $10bn worth of proposed new projects “Chip” Goodyear may decide to scrap.
“BHP Billiton must have learned from the OK Tedi disaster that wholesale environmental destruction brings the highest political risks to the mining sector. This is because local people, while they may be dazzled by big promises during mine planning, will quickly turn against a mine if it turns out that their goodwill has been cynically taken for granted and their environment poisoned”, commented Mr O’Neill in reference to the AFR article.
“If Chip is in the business of best environmental practice and minimising risk, his decision is easy. No need to drown any kittens; just put down the dog of an idea of mining in protected forests.”
For media inquiries:
Igor O’Neill, phone 02 9557 9019 or 0405 325 897
Notes
(1) “Ghana opens forests to miners”, BBC 20 February, 2003 at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2783873.stm
and
“Ghana's gold dilemma” by Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, BBC, Accra, 4 February, 2003 at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2724339.stm
(2) “Minister urges more appropriate policies to protect environment, but without mining”, MiningIndo.com, January 27, 2003, including quotes from Media Indonesia.
(3) “Which kittens should Goodyear drown?”, Trevor Sykes, Australian Financial Review, Jan 11-12 2003.
For more information, please contact:
Igor O'Neill
Workphone: +62 21 794 1672
Mobile: +62 81 286 12 286
Created: 22 Feb 2003 | Last updated: 22 Feb 2003
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