•
5.2
While Newmont has a policy at the corporate level, Surgold has not developed a
clear strategy for operationalizing its recognition of indigenous and tribal peoples’
human rights, including land and resource rights.
Working at the interface of large and small-scale mining
Newmont is actively engaged on several complex issues associated with the widespread
occurrence of informal mining in the region. At the time of writing, the company was
finalizing a comprehensive strategy on artisanal and small-scale mining, and updating its
environmental baseline to assess the impact of informal mining on the local ecosystem,
including water quality and the prevalence of mercury. The company is working with a local
expert to develop mercury-free small-scale mining technologies. The company is also in
discussion with a civil society group and an international agency to help address these
issues. 43
While Newmont is engaged on the environmental dimensions of informal mining, the Panel
notes a number of gaps in the company’s understanding of the social and human rights
dimensions of these activities. These gaps are contemplated below and primarily relate to
land and resource rights, and the Pamaka’s status as customary landowners. Landowners in
Suriname are entitled to compensation and restoration for loss of land for resource
development. As Maroon and indigenous peoples are not formally recognized by the state
as holding collective property rights, the Pamaka were not compensated for the economic
loss associated with restricting their access to informal mining areas when the government
dispossessed them of their land. Nor were individuals compensated for the economic loss
that they may have suffered when they were involuntarily displaced.
The company’s incomplete knowledge about land relations and associated livelihoods has a
significant bearing on its understanding of the social impact of land dispossession and
displacement of the Pamaka, and others, from Gowtu Bergi and other customary land
holdings. For example, Newmont does not hold comprehensive data on:
•
•
•
•
•
how many of those evicted in 2011 were Maroon, and from which tribe
which groups held customary ownership over Gowtu Bergi at the time of the eviction
who was exercising traditional land use rights at the time of the eviction
the nature of those rights including lease arrangements, rents and remittance
arrangements
the nature of the relationships established between landowners and in-migrants
43
Surgold stated that it is working with Stiching UNASAT on mercury-free technology, as well as
engaging with the Artisanal Gold Council to explore opportunities to pilot different approaches in
this context. The company also indicated that work is ongoing with Conservation International to
consider biodiversity offset options to regenerate growth in areas disturbed and contaminated by
artisanal and small-scale mining.
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