[Bhpbilliton] UK firm's partner 'wanted Peru to curb priests in mine conflict areas'

[Andy Whitmore]

UK firm's partner 'wanted Peru to curb priests in mine conflict areas'

BHP Billiton associate urged removal of teachers and clergy, according 
to leaked US embassy cables

Tim Webb

Guardian

31 January 2011

A mining company in Peru part-owned by a British FTSE 100 company 
agitated for the removal of teachers and Catholic bishops to new posts 
away from "conflictive mining communities", according to a leaked US 
cable obtained via WikiLeaks.

An executive of the company, in which BHP Billiton has a one-third 
stake, urged diplomats to persuade the Peruvian government and church to 
"rotate" such professionals out of sensitive areas, the secret document 
said.

The US and Canadian ambassadors, who hosted a summit of foreign mining 
executives in Peru in August 2005, requested specific examples of 
"anti-mining" teachers and bishops "who engage in inappropriate 
activities" to take to government and church leaders, the cable claimed.

The US embassy reported in another cable that the role of the church in 
the protests – mostly involving local indigenous communities – was 
"controversial and still open to question".

The cable also claims mining companies were said to feed information to 
the US embassy about the activities of drug traffickers in northern Peru.

The Majaz open cast mine, owned by British company Monterrico Metals and 
site of one of the bloodiest protests shortly before the summit, was 
said by company representatives to lie "along a foot track used by 
couriers who convey opium latex to Ecuador," reported the same cable.

"We are working with both the police and company representatives to 
further develop the information they have," the cable said. But it added 
that in the past there had been instances where unnamed non-US companies 
falsely claimed that drugs traffickers were co-ordinating protests to 
"enlist our [US government] assistance".

Police shot three protesters at the Majaz mine protest, one of whom 
died. Protesters have issued proceedings in the high court in London 
against Monterrico Metals relating to the alleged "torture, inhuman and 
degrading treatment and false imprisonment" of demonstrators by police.

The company, which was taken over by Chinese gold mining firm Zijin in 
2007, has vigorously denied any involvement in the alleged abuses at the 
mine and said it considers "allegations to the contrary made by the 
claimants to be wholly without merit". The case is listed for trial in 
October.

Following the Majaz protest, the Peruvian president launched a crackdown 
on anti-mining demonstrations and promised to protect foreign mining 
investments in the country, the world's third largest copper producer.

At the summit, the first cable reports the US ambassador also encouraged 
the mining companies to provide examples of NGOs or individuals 
advocating violence against them.

"Armed with this information, ambassadors would be able to confront any 
NGOs from their respective countries about such dangerous activities," 
reported the cable.

An executive from Anglo American's Minera Quellaveco reportedly blamed 
Oxfam America and Friends of the Earth for largely "fomenting 
anti-mining attitudes" at the meeting, it was alleged.

A spokesman for Oxfam America said that while such NGOs tried to make 
sure companies treated communities "justly", they only did so through 
legal channels and never advocated violence.

Antamina is Peru's second largest copper producer and is 33.75% owned by 
Anglo-Australian multinational BHP Billiton. Swiss-based miner Xstrata 
took a 33.75% stake in 2006, with the remainder owned by Japan's 
Mitsubishi and Canada's Teck.

The cable reports: "The Antamina executive recommended that the 
diplomats meet as a group with the education ministry to encourage a 
rotation of teachers – often members of the radical SUTEP teachers union 
and Patria Roja [a left wing political group] - in conflictive mining 
communities.

"He also suggested that the embassies urge the Catholic church to rotate 
bishops operating in these regions. The ambassadors agreed to consider 
this, but needed specific examples of anti-mining teachers and priests 
who engage in inappropriate activities."

Antamina said: "The statements attributed to a former employee do not 
express Antamina's policies or values either today or when the remarks 
were supposedly made. Antamina operates under a rigorous code of 
conduct, and works with its communities and local institutions in a 
spirit of collaboration and respect."

BHP said it did not operate the Antamina business but added: "BHP 
Billiton encourages all the companies with which it partners, including 
joint ventures like Antamina that are not under BHP Billiton control, to 
adopt its principles of business conduct."

Anglo American said it "enjoys strong and constructive relationships 
with a large number of NGO partners around the world, including in Peru 
where our social investment initiatives are a significant focus as we 
progress our two multibillion dollar copper projects, Quellaveco and 
Michiquillay".



-- 

Andy Whitmore (Whit)
Indigenous Peoples Links (PIPLinks)
Communications and Research
Finspace, 225-229 Seven Sisters Road, London, N4 2DA
Ph / fax: + 44 (0)207 263 1002
Email: comms at piplinks.org  Web: http://www.piplinks.org

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell