Aug 18, 2016 - according to a mission report authored by the commander of the 3rd military region in. Kankan, 210 men we
DECLARATION ON THE INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT OF AFFECTED COMMUNITIES OF "AREA ONE" BY THE ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI COMPANY OF GUINEA (SAG) We, as defenders of the rights of communities and as members of the Guinean civil society organizations the Center for International Commerce for Development (Centre de Commerce International pour le Développement, or CECIDE) and Equal Rights for All (Mêmes Droits pour Tous or MDT), express our grave concerns regarding the use of violence by the military in the conflict between the people of Kintinian and the AngloGold Ashanti Company of Guinea (Société AngloGold Ashanti de Guinée S.A., or SAG) over the company’s claim to a zone known as “Area One” for the purpose of expanding its mining operations. In fact, during the month of August 2016, SAG – a Guinean company of which 85% of the shares are held by the South African company Anglo Gold Ashanti Limited and 15% by the Republic of Guinea – intends to start a crucial step of the involuntary resettlement process involving approximately 377 households in the District of Kintinian 2 in the Rural Commune of Kintinian in Siguiri Prefecture, located roughly 770 km from Conakry. This step involves moving people into 19 out of an estimated 60 houses and 200 huts initially planned. CLAIMS There are numerous indications that communities’ rights have been violated over the course of the resettlement process, including: Physical violence by military forces against affected communities. In November 2015, according to a mission report authored by the commander of the 3rd military region in Kankan, 210 men were appointed by a requisition from the Governor of the city of Kankan in order to clear out Burkinabe and Malian foreigners who were present in the area engaged in semi-industrial exploitation of gold without authorization. Unexpectedly, the force proceeded to attack the people of Kintinian with clubs, tear gas, and even live ammunition. These attacks resulted in the wounding of a woman who was struck in the chest. The force also carried out mass arrests. In truth, the purpose of this mission was not only to allow an inventory of the household goods, but ultimately to force eviction of communities from "Area One." Consent obtained through violence. Several heads of household surveyed indicated that their consent to the terms of the resettlement agreements was obtained as a result of violence and intimidation, including fear of possible physical or emotional harm. For example, one head of household from Area One said: “The former Prefect called me to his home late at night. I was so scared. He told me that he had been directed by the government to arrest me if I continued to oppose the cession of Area One along with other affected people. He also told me that no one can oppose the cession of Area One to SAG, that it was an irreversible decision and I had to submit, whether willingly or by force. But if I stopped opposing SAG’s access to the area, he would not arrest me. I had no choice and I agreed.” Another head of household added: “We are really afraid of the use of force in case we refuse to cede our land. The army is capable of using violence against us again. That is why we signed this agreement, even though we did not really want to. The military officers,
gendarmes and police steal from us here. They stole our bikes, phones, large amounts of money, machinery, etc.” Consent by error. Other heads of household from Area One said they signed the resettlement agreement in error. They say they learned of the content of the resettlement and compensation agreements only after having signed them in May and April. What is more, the pressure coming from the Prefect of Siguiri, the Kankan Governor, and other various Ministers including the President of the Republic since 2015, who have all traveled to Kintinian, has been exerted with the intent to coerce the people of Kintinian to consent to the cession of “Area One” without taking into account the conditions of the cession or even the protections of the law. Failure to consult affected communities on the involuntary resettlement plan, despite legal requirements. SAG has not consulted the people of Area One on the development in 2013 of the terms of the Resettlement Action Plan (Plan d’action pour les relocalisations et les compensations, or PARC), as required by national law and international standards. According to the PARC, the villages of Kintinian and Sétiguia were “excluded” from the consultations. The consultancy carrying out the study only consulted a few neighboring villages, “given the impossibility of conducting consultations in the villages of Kintinian and Sétiguia: which constitutes a serious violation of the law. Failure to make public and fully implement the involuntary resettlement plan, as required by law: The people of Kintinian say they have not seen the Resettlement Action Plan (or PARC) developed by SAG. They are completely ignorant of its contents. According to one head of household: “The Community Relations Manager said that SAG has the PARC. The company has permission from the State not to apply it this time, and this is non-negotiable. That is where the conflict between us started.” SAG representatives did not provide a copy of the PARC when it was requested by a delegation from CECIDE, MDT and the press. It took the intervention of an international interlocutor to get even an incomplete copy, without annexes. What is more, it is unclear how gender issues have been taken into account throughout the resettlement process. These indications and the very rushed manner in which SAG is carrying out the different steps of the resettlement process show that the company is not fully respecting the obligations to which it committed itself in the PARC, let alone its obligations under law. Paltry compensation. The inventory of household assets was not done by experts. Affected communities in Area One are greatly angered by the under-valuation of several types of assets. For example, the value of the land identified was not properly considered in determining levels of compensation. For starters, the relocation land is inferior to the land currently occupied, according to the affected communities. In addition, the land SAG intends to take is being compensated at below market rates. Plots of 25m x 20m will be compensated at 6,000,000 Guinean francs (around 670 USD), whereas a plot of the same dimensions is sold privately for 15,000,000 Guinean francs (around 1,675 USD). Abusive clauses in the resettlement agreements. Several clauses in the resettlement and compensation agreements that were submitted to the residents of Area One are abusive. First, certain clauses make reference to the PARC – a document that is neither known nor accessible to affected households. Second, the clause on resolution of grievances constitutes an excessive limitation on the right of access to remedy: “All disagreements between the Affected Household or any one of its members … will be
registered and handled according to the grievance procedure established by the execution of the PARC.” The clause waiving all objections likewise constitutes a renunciation of rights that is excessive in scope.
DEMAND FOR CORRECTIVE MEASURES Considering the laws of Guinea (including Article 142 of the Mining Code and Articles 649 to 655 of the Civil Code); Considering Performance Standard 5 of the International Finance Corporation on Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement which SAG is obligated to respect in accordance with the AngloGold Ashanti policy, Management Standard: Land Access and Resettlement of October 19, 2011; Considering the AngloGold Ashanti policy on respect for human rights, AngloGold Ashanti Human Rights Policy of August 5, 2013; Considering the Action Plan for Resettlement and compensation: Project Seguelen, completed by the consultancy firm INSUCO for AngloGold Ashanti in October 2013; Considering the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights in which AngloGold Ashanti is a participant; We issue an urgent appeal to AngloGold Ashanti and, particularly, its subsidiary SAG in Guinea, to suspend any next steps for the planned relocations until: 1. SAG has made available to affected communities a complete copy of the PARC, including all annexes and any updates since 2013, as well as a summary version of the PARC translated in a language accessible to affected communities; 2. CECIDE and MDT have completed an independent fact-finding inquiry – with full cooperation from AngloGold Ashanti and its subsidiary SAG in Guinea – on the issues of consultation, consent to the resettlement agreements, and the compensation measures; 1. 3. Based on this inquiry, the affected communities – with the assistance of independent legal counsel – and the company have freely agreed on a constructive, rights-based roadmap, with the facilitation of a mediator chosen jointly by the two parties. This roadmap should include issues such as consent of the community to the terms of relocation and compensation, and a fixed timeline that defines the deadlines for relocation (i.e. which households will be moved and on what dates). We appeal to the Guinean state to ensure the full enjoyment of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Guinean Constitution, particularly the right to life, the right to freedom of expression, the right of access to public information, the right to petition, the right to demonstrate, and property rights. Issued at Conakry, August 18 2016 For CECIDE Mr. CISSE Kabinet Executive Director
For MDT Me LOUA FrédéricForomo President
For more information, please contact : CECIDE :
[email protected] Me LOUA Frédéric Foromo :
[email protected] ; Tel : +224 622 33 46 19
