The huge Anglo-Australian mining corporation, Rio Tinto, is under fire from communities around the world who point to many examples of its profit-driven destruction of nature, culture and livelihoods.
At their Annual General Meeting today, shareholders will hear directly from people affected by its mining operations and plans, to counter what they claim is the greenwash of a company claiming to provide the minerals we need for a cleaner future.
Yesterday, campaign group London Mining Network staged a mock trial of ‘Mr. Tinto’ outside the company’s London HQ at 6, St James’ Square in London. Among the witnesses were Roger Featherstone, an Arizona activist fighting plans to mine sacred Native American land at Oak Flat. He is concerned the mine will use the same amount of water as a small city, in an area already suffering its worst drought for 1200 years.
Ketakandriana Rafitoson spoke on behalf of people in northern Madagascar where a Rio Tinto subsidiary, QMM Mining, is blamed for more than a decade of toxicity in their water supplies, and accused of involvement in government corruption.
Serbian activist Zoe Lujic is fighting plans in the beautiful Jadar Valley in Serbia, where forest and precious agricultural land could be lost if the deeply unpopular mine goes ahead.
At the end of the trial ‘Mr. Tinto’ was found guilty of ‘crimes against humanity’, for profiting from the destruction of culture, livelihoods and land across the world.
More info at London Mining Network.
