Papua New Guinea activist disappointed at Barrick snub Radio New Zealand |
A Papua New Guinean member of the Porgera Alliance says he�s
disappointed the Canadian mining giant, Barrick Gold Limited, wouldn�t
allow him to address the company�s annual general meeting in Canada last
week.
Jethro Tulin was among 200 people barred from addressing the meeting to try to bring about policy change. Mr Tulin says the company has to do more to stop the abuse his people suffer at the hands of Barrick�s security forces, such as beatings, shootings and rapes.
Meanwhile, Barrick has announced a 22% rise in first quarter earnings to just over $3 billion. Barrick�s 2011 annual report says it has changed its security at Porgera, increased its support to women, strengthened grievances mechanisms and developed a training program. Barrick did allow an investigation by Human Rights Watch into its security operations at Porgera, which resulted in five Barrick employees being dismissed, with eight former employees implicated in the abuse. |