CAFOD is claiming that a nickel project run by mining company BHP Billiton has been "imposed on a Philippine community through bribery and poor information". Islanders claim that BHP Billiton’s joint venture partner AMCOR and Philippine government officials "have offered members of the community bribes in return for supporting the proposed mine and to silence opposition". CAFOD said:
“Kept in the Dark” ... reveals how the Macambol community has been kept in the dark about the proposed mine and how the process to secure indigenous people’s consent for it, as required under Filipino law, was seriously flawed. It also highlights how the project - known as the Hallmark project - could lead to increased soil erosion, landslides and flash-floods and pollution from mine waste or chemicals could endanger the livelihoods of the 65,000 people living near Pujada Bay.
The Telegraph and BBC News have picked up the story. CAFOD is calling on BHP Billiton to let communities in the Philippines have a say over their future.
Added 25 October: The BBC quoted BHP Billiton as saying:
BHP Billiton has a strict code of conduct governing all aspects of our business conduct, including relationship with joint venture partners. We take the allegations of bribery extremely seriously and, as noted in their report, Cafod acknowledge they have no evidence to suggest BHP Billiton has been involved in such activity. As also acknowledged in the report, BHP Billiton is in dispute with Amcor and until this issue is resolved we are not in a position to further address the allegations in the report.
This is a disturbing report although the ongoing dispute between the joint venture partners clearly isn’t helping matters. As CAFOD says, modern industrial societies “could not function without metals and therefore without mining”. But mining may be posing an unacceptable risk to local communities and the environment in some cases.
