DE BEERS BACKTRACKS ON DENIAL OF TRIBAL PEOPLES' RIGHTS
IMCista | 15.07.2004 16:16 | World
De Beers has this week been backpedalling fast on its refusal to
recognise indigenous rights in southern Africa.
De Beers told Survival International in October 2002 that it did not
have a policy on indigenous peoples' rights in southern Africa
because such a policy would 'head down the path' to 'apartheid'.
recognise indigenous rights in southern Africa.
De Beers told Survival International in October 2002 that it did not
have a policy on indigenous peoples' rights in southern Africa
because such a policy would 'head down the path' to 'apartheid'.
Representatives of De Beers attending a presentation by Survival this
week to the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Botswana denied the
October 2002 statement. Also this week, company Chairman Nicky
Oppenheimer, asked by Canadian radio whether it was true that De
Beers did not support indigenous rights in Africa, said, 'I find that
quite amusing,' and suggested the company was working on a policy.
Survival's director Stephen Corry said today, 'De Beers is decades
behind international thinking on the rights of tribal peoples. It is
not acceptable to pretend they do not exist. Mining company Rio
Tinto, for example, recently promised not to mine on the land of the
Mirrar Aborigines in Australia without their consent.'
De Beers and its subsidiaries own diamond exploration concessions and
licences on the ancestral land of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen in
Botswana. The Bushmen were evicted from their land in 2002 and
forced to live in bleak resettlement centres where they are reduced
to beggars, alcoholics and prostitutes.
Please help the Bushmen in their struggle to return to their
ancestral lands. Click here for more information:
http://www.survival-international.org/bushman_home.htm
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0) 20 7687 8701
General enquiries:
info@survival-international.org
http://www.survival-international.org
week to the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Botswana denied the
October 2002 statement. Also this week, company Chairman Nicky
Oppenheimer, asked by Canadian radio whether it was true that De
Beers did not support indigenous rights in Africa, said, 'I find that
quite amusing,' and suggested the company was working on a policy.
Survival's director Stephen Corry said today, 'De Beers is decades
behind international thinking on the rights of tribal peoples. It is
not acceptable to pretend they do not exist. Mining company Rio
Tinto, for example, recently promised not to mine on the land of the
Mirrar Aborigines in Australia without their consent.'
De Beers and its subsidiaries own diamond exploration concessions and
licences on the ancestral land of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen in
Botswana. The Bushmen were evicted from their land in 2002 and
forced to live in bleak resettlement centres where they are reduced
to beggars, alcoholics and prostitutes.
Please help the Bushmen in their struggle to return to their
ancestral lands. Click here for more information:
http://www.survival-international.org/bushman_home.htm Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0) 20 7687 8701
General enquiries:
info@survival-international.org http://www.survival-international.org
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