Canada may be one of the world’s largest gold mining nations, but both its overseas and domestic mining activities are controversial.
In this Earth Focus report:
1) Human Rights Watch looks at the allegations of gang rapes and other violent abuses at the Porgera Mine in Papua New Guinea, which is operated and 95 percent-owned by Barrick Gold — a Canadian company that is the world’s largest gold producer.
2) The Tsilhqot’in and Xeni Gwet’in people of British Columbia, Canada are struggling to stop the construction of Prosperity Mine, a gold and copper mine proposed by Taseko Mines Ltd., which would destroy Fish Lake (Teztan Biny), a sacred-held body of water.
More Information
If you want to learn more about the Porgera Mine or the Porgera mine, be sure to check out the following resources:
Porgera Mine
- Detailed Background on Barrick Gold in Papua New Guinea
- Impacted Community Confronts Barrick Gold On Human Rights Abuses, Company Lies, And Cultural Slurs
- Surviving Rape in Papua New Guinea
- Life in Porgera Valley, Papua New Guinea
- Porgera Alliance Letter to Peter Munk regarding his statement: “Gang Rape is a Cultural Habit”
- Indigenous Landowners release report demanding urgent resettlement
Websites: Peter Munk OUT of UofT – Porgera Alliance – Protest Barrick
Prosperity Mine
- Latest News: Hearings get underway for another controversial B.C. project: Prosperity mine
- Deja-vu on Taseko’s destructive mining project
- The Fight for Fish Lake (another episode of Earth Focus!)
- Xeni Gwit’in Elder on protecting Fish Lake
- Tsilhqot’in rejoice over decision to block Taseko mining exploration
- Background: Teztan Biny (Fish Lake)
Websites: Teztan Biny Newswire – Save Fish Lake Facebook Group – RAVEN Trust