Amnesty report re mining & human rights in Senegal - 2014
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Amnesty International published a report in May 2014:
"Mining and human rights in Senegal: Closing the gaps in protection" [PDF]
- press release: "Senegal: Human rights of communities trampled in 'Gold Rush'"
The report "focuses on the following human rights issues:
- Issues that arise when moving communities from their land in order to allow mining operations, focusing on security of tenure and forced evictions.
- Issues that arise as a result of moving communities from their land, focusing on the rights to work and to an adequate standard of living (in particular the rights to food and water)."
The report refers to Bassari Resources, Goldstone Resources, Iamgold Corp., Randgold Resources, Teranga Gold, and Toro Gold. It concludes with recommendations to the Govt. of Senegal and to the companies.
Teranga Gold response
The report includes a 3-page section (pp. 16-18) on the relocation of Dambankhoto village for Teranga Gold's mining project.
Teranga Gold sent two letters to Amnesty Intl. in response to drafts of the report:
- letter regarding land acquisition, 14 Apr 2014 [PDF]
- letter regarding Dambankhoto Village, May 2014 [PDF]
Teranga Gold also sent to Business & Human Rights Resource Centre the following documents in response to the report:
- "Livelihood Restoration & Resettlement Policy" [PDF], Teranga Gold, 11 Jul 2012
- "Teranga Development Strategy" [PDF], Feb 2014
Media coverage & govt. response
"Zones minières: tous les droits des communautés ont été respectés (ministère)", Agence de Presse Sénégalaise, 2 juin 2014
includes statement by Ministry of Industry & Mines contesting report's findings
"Activités minières à Kédougou : Les populations locales à la merci des multinationales", Ngoundji Dieng, Le Quotidien, 31 mai 2014
"Seydi Gassama « accuse » l’Etat d’affamer la population", Ousmane Demba Kane, Le Sud Quotidien, 31 mai 2014
"Sénégal : Amnesty international dénonce l’accaparement des terres agricoles par les sociétés minières", APA, 30 mai 2014
Other companies
Amnesty Intl. sent letters "to the companies named in this report, seeking their comments on Amnesty International’s findings and asking them to share their approach on preventing human rights abuses." The report includes information about the responses from Toro Gold, Randgold Resources and Bassari Resources, as well as Teranga Gold (see p. 5).