http://www.mining.com/canadas-nevsun-denies-claims-of-human-rights-abuses-at-eritrea-mine/
Canada’s Nevsun denies claims of human rights abuses at Eritrea mine
Cecilia Jamasmie | September 4, 2015
Canada’s Nevsun Resources (TSX:NSU), which owns a majority share of
the Bisha copper and gold mine in Eritrea, has released an independent
report that found no evidence of forced labour or human rights
violations the miner was been accused of in a hard-hitting report
released by the United Nations last June.
One of the authors of the study, produced by LKL International
Consulting, told Canadian Press the UN allegations of forced labour
dealt with the construction phase of the mine, while his assessments
started after the mine was already operational in 2013.
"I've been able to validate what's been happening 2013 onwards, and I
have seen absolutely no evidence of national service workers being
used by the different Eritrean contractors," human rights lawyers and
co-author of the Nevsun report was quoted as saying.
The Vancouver-based miner has walked down a very rocky path to get its
Bisha project off the ground.
The Vancouver-based miner has walked down a very rocky path to get its
Bisha project off the ground. Back in 2004, Eritrea’s autocratic
government kicked all the mining companies out of the country for no
apparent reason. They were welcomed back a few months later, and
shortly after Nevsun was able to strike a development agreement.
But the company has repeatedly come under fire over the use of
conscripted labour since construction of the mine began in 2008.
Fingers have pointed mainly to state-owned contractor Segen
Construction, said to have used conscripts under harsh working
conditions. And while Nevsun was unable to confirm or deny the use of
such labour at the site, it did take measures to prevent it from
happening in the future.
The use of conscripted labour in Eritrea’s mining sector was first
reported by Human Rights Watch in 2013.
Eritrea’s weak economy has become dependent on revenues from its
resource sector, which has attracted foreign miners —mainly from
Australia, Canada and China— all looking to cash in on untapped
mineral reserves.
Received on Sun Sep 06 2015 - 17:45:36 EDT