Newsletter 08: Winter/Spring 2002

Negotiating for the planet

"At the moment, one large negotiation process is underway about how the world can achieve sustainable development. Rio+10, also known as the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, will discuss this issue and take into account the results that come out of regional, national and international consultations and multi-stakeholder dialogues.

In late March, MiningWatch Canada and other NGOs sent an international fact-finding mission hoping to visit the villages at Bulyanhulu, listen to the stories of the people, observe the general living conditions and small-scale mining sites, and gain first-hand information about the 1996 evictions. Paula Butler represented MiningWatch Canada on the mission. The other Canadians were Rights and Democracy Chair Kathleen Mahoney and Steve Kerr of the Varsity.

The visit was at the invitation of the Lawyers Environmental Action Team in Tanzania.

On February 4th, 2002 the French government released INCO's Installation Classee (IC), which includes the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Goro project, for a one month public consultation period. The 800+ page document was not publicly available until the evening of the 7th, and then only in French. Scientific reviewers that MiningWatch Canada had lined up at the request of our partners in New Caledonia were not able to work in French.