NEWS PEG: Thursday, 14 April 2011 Rio Tinto annual meeting
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
London Olympic Medal Provider slammed for abuses
Gold, silver and bronze medals for the London 2012 Games will be sourced from Rio Tinto mines including the Kennecott Utah Copper mine in the USA, and the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia. Protestors from both mines, as well as representatives from other Rio Tinto mines refute Rio Tinto’s claims of respect for human and environmental rights, and will demonstrate at the firm’s AGM in London.
WHAT? Campaigners with banners will protest over alleged human rights abuses by London-based mining company and Olympic Medal provider Rio Tinto. Protestors from Utah in the US, challenging the firm over air pollution from its mining and smelting operations at Salt Lake City, will perform colourful street theatre as part of their demonstration.
WHEN? 10.00-11.00 am GMT, Thursday 14 April 2011
WHERE? Queen Elizabeth II conference centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3EE
Protestors against mining giant Rio Tinto’s alleged human rights abuses will demonstrate with banners tomorrow (Thursday, 14 April) outside the London-based company’s annual meeting.
Claims of rape, torture and expulsion have been made against Rio Tinto, the world’s third largest publicly traded mining company.
The abuses have occurred at its Kelian gold mine in Indonesia.
The mine has been closed since 2004, but campaigners say abuses continue, and outstanding allegations have not been addressed by the firm.
Chalid Muhammad, chairman of the Indonesian Green Institute, who has acted as witness in negotiations between Rio Tinto and communities around the Kelian mine and will attend the meeting, said: “Rio Tinto needs to address allegations of abuse – of rape, torture and dispossession. These issues don’t simply disappear by closing the mine. Rio Tinto is not what it seems. It claims to be socially responsible, but it is not.”
Muhammad, from Indonesia , and visitors from Michigan in the US , will attend the protest and the AGM to confront the company with the impacts of its activities on their communities.
Meg Townsend works in a New York City law firm handling high-profile environmental litigation and represents Michigan groups concerned about water pollution and violations of Indigenous rights at the Eagle mine.
Cherise Udell from Utah Moms for Clean Air, will lead the Utah delegation.
London Mining Network, coordinating the visits, is an alliance of solidarity, human rights, development and environmental groups.
It is calling Rio Tinto to account for its human rights and environmental abuses.
And LMN plans to raise concerns at the annual meeting.
CONTACT: Richard Solly, LMN Co-ordinator, on 07929 023214 for further details and to arrange interviews.