Response to criticisms of Rio Tinto in Colombia

In late April 2009, London Mining Network member group Colombia Solidarity Campaign made a submission to the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into business and human rights. The submission concerned the involvement of London-listed Rio Tinto plc with La Muriel Mining Corporation in Colombia, and allegations of associated human rights abuse. It noted the support which affected community members were receiving from respected international human rights organisation Peace Brigades International and from the Colombian Inter-church Commission for Justice and Peace, from whom much of the information in the submission was received. La Muriel Mining chose to respond by accusing both PBI and the Inter-church Commission of having links with the FARC guerrillas, a slanderous accusation which immediately put human rights workers’ lives at risk from far-right paramilitary organisations. British agency ABColombia has responded to La Muriel Mining’s accusations. See http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/587704.