In recent years there have been several accusations of severe human rights abuses being committed by “security” forces employed by one of the world’s largest gold miners, Barrick of Canada, at its Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea. Late last month, as residents continued to protest at the company’s violations of their rights and failure to curb environmental destruction, an indigenous land owner was alleged to have been shot dead by these forces.
See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10383.
Barrick is a Canadian company but London-based AXA Investment Managers UK Ltd had over $10 million invested in the company in 2007, BlackRock Commodities Income Trust plc has invested in the company, and the company also has connections with Millhouse Capital, controlled by London resident Roman Abramovich, and New City Investment Managers Ltd/NCIM (UK). (See From Money to Metals by Roger Moody, http://moneytometal.org/index.php/From_Money_to_Metals.)