22 January 2010
BHP BILLITON PULLS OUT, BUT CONTROVERSIAL PHILIPINNES MINING PROJECT STILL GOING AHEAD.
The Anglo-Australian mining company BHP Billiton has pulled out of a nickel mining project in the Philippines and has reportedly sold its 40 percent stake in the A$24.7 billion project to its local joint-venture partner AMCOR.
The withdrawal follows a campaign by the English Caritas agency CAFOD over allegations of bribery by AMCOR.
As part of its Unearth Justice campaign, CAFOD claimed that local people were kept in the dark about the project which, it said, could lead to soil erosion, landslides, flash floods and pollution that could affect the livelihoods of 65,000 people.
CAFOD has claimed that government officials and AMCOR had offered bribes to gain support for the mine and to silence criticism.
CAFOD is continuing its call for a new consent process before work starts on the mine at Macambol in Davao Oriental province.
More than 6,000 cards, emails and protest letters were sent to BHP Billiton again demonstrating the power of ordinary people to make a difference.
The withdrawal follows a campaign by the English Caritas agency CAFOD over allegations of bribery by AMCOR.
As part of its Unearth Justice campaign, CAFOD claimed that local people were kept in the dark about the project which, it said, could lead to soil erosion, landslides, flash floods and pollution that could affect the livelihoods of 65,000 people.
CAFOD has claimed that government officials and AMCOR had offered bribes to gain support for the mine and to silence criticism.
CAFOD is continuing its call for a new consent process before work starts on the mine at Macambol in Davao Oriental province.
More than 6,000 cards, emails and protest letters were sent to BHP Billiton again demonstrating the power of ordinary people to make a difference.
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