5. Engage the traditional authority structures about how Newmont can improve its
approach to community engagement, without undermining traditional authority
structures. Ideally this engagement would be:
a. broad-based, inclusive, and considerate of the needs of sub-groups of the
community, including women and youth
b. comprehensive, including information about:
i. human rights and the company’s human rights responsibilities and
commitments
ii. agreement processes, terms and outcomes
iii. impacts of Merian and future project developments on the Maroon
and their individual and collective rights
iv. cumulative impacts of mining, including the environmental and health
risks associated with informal mining.
6. Ensure that company decision-makers have access to relevant information and
resources to engage the Maroons in a manner that supports the principles of FPIC.
This includes:
a. social data and information about indigenous and tribal land and resource
rights
b. a comprehensive understanding of the human rights impacts of the Merian
mine, including impacts on land and resource use, and differential impacts on
women, girls, and other community members that face multiple forms of
marginalization
c. a knowledge management system that enables the collection, monitoring
and use of social data to support rights-respectful planning, decision-making
and remedy processes.
7. Ensure that social baseline and impact assessment studies that may be
commissioned are not for exclusive use by the company. Parties should negotiate
joint access to studies as a basis for future engagements and negotiations. The Panel
encourages Newmont to work with Maroon traditional authorities to agree on
shared processes for the collection of information pertaining to land tenure systems
and associated resource rights.
8. Ensure that Newmont and Surgold personnel understand the relevance and
significance of the company’s policy commitments, the international human rights
framework, and relevant case law.
28