Anglo American has withdrawn its lawsuit against the organisations Nucleus of Assistance to Communities Affected by Dams (NACAB) and the Israel Pinheiro Foundation (FIP) and against the Minas Gerais State Secretariat (SEMAD). The judge has quashed the lawsuit.
The company was taking legal action against the organisations in a dispute over the funding of independent technical advice to communities affected by its operations.
It seems the tables are now turned. NACAB sent a message yesterday to people affected by Anglo American saying , “The Public Ministry of Minas Gerais has filed a Public Civil Action (ACP) against Anglo American and the Government of the State of Minas Gerais, against the granting of the Environmental License for raising the height of the Anglo American tailings dam, granted in December 2019. Attached is a file with the ACP and a highlight of the conclusion, addressing the obligation/duty of the mining company to fund the collective resettlement and the Independent Technical Advisory services already chosen by the communities, but the ITA is not yet contracted … The fight goes on!”