"Re: Call for Prompt and Appropriate Action to Urge Vale to Take Measures to Protect the Basic Human Rights of Local Communities Surrounding Sorowako Nickel Project", 18 August 2023

We are civil society organizations that address the environmental, social, and human rights issues with the local communities affected by PT Vale Indonesia’s (PTVI) Sorowako Nickel Project in East Luwu, South Sulawesi, Indonesia (the Project). Today we are sending this call for engagement to you as one of the major investors in Vale, a parent company of PTVI, or as one of the major investors in PTVI, so that you can prevent yourself from being complicit in human rights violations in the Project [...].

[...]

In light of the above, we request that your company take prompt and appropriate action to ensure that PTVI takes the following actions;

1. To exclude the entire Tanamalia block from the concession, as the area is consist of the farmland, where the local communities depend for their livelihood, and rainforest ecosystem / landscape as endemic Sulawesi fauna and flora;
2. To exclude farmland, where local communities depend on for their livelihoods, and adequate buffer zones from the area to be mined (including the Tanamalia block currently under exploration);
3. To take immediate and appropriate remedial measures to ensure clean and safe water access for the local communities. Also, develop and make public a plan to prevent recurrence of problems related to water access;
4. To stop nickel mining activities in essential ecosystem areas, such as forests and river areas, especially upstream, and in community water sources area, in order to prevent toxic pollution in the future;
5. To restore the environment in river areas and community water sources areas;
6. To respect the local community’s human rights to health and living, including access
   to clean and safe water;
7. To respect the freedom of expression of the community affected by its nickel projects.

[...]