Our work with communities
Dora Usca in front of the Tintaya mine in Peru. Representatives from local communities, NGOs and the mining company have worked together to resolve community concerns. Photo Credit: Brendan Ross/OxfamAUS
Oxfam Australia ensures that people who are negatively impacted by the effects of Australian mining activity overseas are able to have their grievances heard. Through this work we ensure that companies are called to account for their actions, and that Australians are given the chance to demand better from our companies operating overseas.
For fisherman Perfecto Banaynal, life changed the day cyanide waste from the Rapu Rapu mine spilled into the sea.
“I am 41 and have been fishing for 20 years. Before when I would go to sea I would always have a catch but since the mine, sometimes there is no catch.”
Perfecto lives on the island of Rapu Rapu in the Philippines and is one of many locals who made a living from fishing before two cyanide-laden spillages from an open-pit mine threatened his livelihood.
He tells the all too familiar story of profits over people and their environment; a story we are working to change by:
- Working to ensure that Australian mining companies operating overseas respect human rights through improved policy and practice
- Demanding that the Australian Government, multilateral organisations, and other key policy makers do more to require responsible mining practice by Australian mining companies
- Demanding that the Australian Government establish an independent complaints mechanism to resolve community grievances including those that allege serious harm by Australian mining companies
- Working with mine affected communities to build their capacity in advocacy, private sector engagement, and use of grievance and corporate accountability mechanisms.
Communities we work with
Oxfam has been working with mine affected communities for many years — this work was formerly under the guise of the Mining Ombudsmen Project. Here are some communities we have been working with recently:
“The people were living on their own, a simple lifestyle … but now the mining came, our [villages] are complaining of the destruction of our forests, our ocean, our people.” – Antonio Casitas, Rapu Rapu elder
“Can you show me one instance where mining and agriculture can exist happily side by side?” – Antonio Dincog, Didipio village captain
Marinduque Island, Philippines
“Our internal waters, river, lakes have become polluted because of large scale mining for 30 years.” – Adeline Angeles, Chair of the Committee on Environment, Marinduque provincial legislative body
“The company are here today and gone tomorrow – we are here to stay for generation after generation …” – villager (name withheld)
“The sulphur affects us all – every week or so when the wind changes the sulphur clouds come down … we see the cassava leaves burn and start to die off from the sulphur.” – villager (name withheld)
“The Dialogue table is positive in that we can discuss things on equal terms … it is now the responsibility of each community to put forward solutions for each community.” – name withheld