In 2007, complaints were made to the Australian and Swiss National Contact Points (NCP) of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) about mining companies BHP Billiton and Xstrata, listed on the London Stock Exchange but headquartered in Australia and Switzerland respectively.
The complaints concerned forced removals of communities around the Cerrejon Coal mine in Colombia, a mine which the two companies, along with London-listed Anglo American, own. (For various reports on the subject, see http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/content/category/9/20/31/). In December, 2008, an agreement was signed between the Cerrejon Coal company and members of one of the displaced communities (see http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/content/view/444/31/).
Negotiations continue between the company and other communities facing relocation. Community members are highly critical of the negotiations, accusing the company of lacking good faith, failing to keep them properly informed, and imposing timetables for relocation without consulting the communities. Nonetheless, the OECD NCP in Australia has decided to terminate the complaint process on the grounds that progress has been made towards the resolution sought by the complainants.
The NCP’s decision is at http://www.ausncp.gov.au/content/docs/385_435_Final_Statement_BHP_Billiton_Cerrejon_Coal.pdf.