Monterrico Metals pays for its violent past

With thanks due to regular reader 'MH' for the headsup, this report from the Peru Support Group brings news on how Monterrico Metals, widely featured on this blog in earlier times for its violence and general nastiness in treating Peru locals, has reached an out of court settlement with the people it terrorized and has been hit where it hurts a capitalist the most. Here's a past-out of proceedings.

Legal Proceedings Against Monterrico Metals Settled

20 July 2011

Legal proceedings against UK-based Monterrico Metals PLC by 33 members of a peasant community in northern Peru were settled earlier today by compensation payments, without admission of liability. The claimants allege torture by the Peruvian police after protesting at Monterrico's Rio Blanco copper mine in Piura in August 2005 (for a video outlining the allegations and background to the case please click here). The settlement means a hearing at the UK High Court, scheduled for October this year, will no longer go ahead. One consequence of this is that the full details of the events of August 2005 are unlikely ever to be established or publicly disclosed. Nevertheless, the Peru Support Group welcomes the payment of compensation to those who allegedly suffered mistreatment.
The Rio Blanco mine has been a key focal point for our organisation since March 2006 when we sponsored a meeting in the Houses of Parliament in which the project was debated. During the meeting, local citizens’ organisations and representatives from Monterrico Metals expressed radically different analyses of both the events of August 2005 and of the wider effects of the firm’s operations on development in Piura. To establish the veracity of their claims, PSG President Lord Avebury suggested we send an independent delegation to the region to visit the sites in question and discuss the project with local organisations and experts. With Monterrico Metals’s assent, the delegation travelled to Piura in October 2006 and its conclusions were subsequently published in our report entitled ‘Mining and Development in Peru, With Special Reference to the Rio Blanco Project, Piura’ (March 2007). We have also supported the legal proceedings subsequent to the report by providing UK law firm Leigh Day, who represented the claimants, with political context to the case, facilitating contact with Peruvian organisations and helping to coordinate translations of witness statements.
Today’s settlement represents a significant achievement for the claimants and communities affected by the events of 2005. However, it has not resolved all the outstanding issues related to the Rio Blanco project. Domestic attempts to prosecute police and private security officers who allegedly committed the abuses are yet to make much headway. Many in Piura also express concern over the likely environmental impact of the Rio Blanco project (now owned by Chinese firm Zijn) when it begins production later this year. As such, further tensions between the local communities and the mine operator cannot be ruled out.
Consequently, the PSG will continue to closely monitor developments around the project in Piura for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, we encourage the mine’s new owner to engage in regular, participatory dialogue with the local communities in an effort to minimise the risk of renewed social conflict.

Monterrico Metals/Zijin at Majaz: The deadly trainwreck continues

Here's Reuters with the news of more deaths at the Rio Blanco/Majaz copper project in northern Peru. There's more to this story than meets the eye.

LIMA, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Two people were killed and eight were injured on Wednesday as Peruvian police sought to apprehend a suspect in the November attack on a controversial mining camp owned by Chinese miner Zijin, police said on Thursday.

Authorities said they arrested two suspects for the assault last month that killed three workers at the Rio Blanco copper project, which has locked local communities and foreign investors in an environmental dispute marred by violence CONTINUES HERE.

What part of "This will never, ever be a mine" do you not understand?

The Monterrico Metals Torture Case: Brits decide to speak to the company in a language that moneygrabbing shits understand

Your private placement dollars in
junior mining companies at work

Remember the story of the tortures and death at the Monterrico Metals Majaz (now called Rio Blanco) copper project in northern Peru? Yeah, sure you do, cos IKN ran this post with the scandalous photos when the story hit in January and followed it up with a dozen or so reports about the aftermath, including how diplo douchebag Richard Ralph was profiting from the threats and torture tactics used by the mining world and in cahoots with the Toledo government of the time.

So today The UK Guardian reports that the company is getting its ass sued in a British court of law for multimillions. Here's the link (got a video embedded) and here's an extract:

Richard Meeran, of Leigh Day, the London law firm bringing the high court case, said the evidence of torture was incontrovertible and that it was inconceivable the company could have been unaware of what was happening on its site.

"The company must have been aware of the inhuman treatment of the victims during their three-day ordeal at the Rio Blanco mine," he said. "Yet there is no evidence of it taking any steps to prevent the harm. On the contrary, it would appear that the company was working in cahoots with the police. It is vital that multinationals are held legally accountable for human rights violations occurring at their overseas operations."

Monterrico Metals moves into Ecuador?

Public relations Monterrico Metals style, coming
to an Andean nation near you soon

Once upon a time when Aurelian was top of the agenda, Otto got quite a lot of useful info out of Ecuador's mining ministry via his own little garganta profunda. All has been kinda quiet on that front recently, but then suddenly in the last couple of days the weirdest message appeared over the World-Wide-Ottoscope.

Apparently, the thugs and human rights tramplers at Monterrico Metals (MNA.L), including the odious liar Andrew Bristow (gives kiwis a bad name) aren't satisfied with torturing and beating up Peruvian locals (see all the coverage on Majaz for full details) and want to expand their bullyboy activities into the nascent Ecuadorian mining industry, too. Word is that MNA.L has put out feelers in the Mining Ministry and wants to know if there are any good copper projects going on their side of the border.

IKN's advice to Studmuffin: Don't do it, Rafa....these dudes bring seriously nasty baggage with them and will screw up your metallic plans bigtime. Just say no to Bristow, Ecuador.

Peru: Monterrico, Majaz and the putrid stench of impunity

A sickening development has come to my attention today.

Remember the case of the torture of 29 indigenous locals at the Monterrico Metals mining camp at Majaz (now re-named 'Rio Blanco' to protect the image of the scum involved)?

This week CNR Peru reports that the fiscal (public prosecutor) that was present and was an eyewitness to the events, even taking part himself, has had all charges against him dropped by the Peruvian judiciary (in the parlance, his case has been 'archived'). It all happened very quietly two weeks ago and has only come to light this week. The reason given by the putrid, corrupt judge in charge is that there "is not sufficient evidence that he was aware of the torture suffered by the members of the community".

So please note that the corrupt judge in charge, Sofia Milla of Piura, recognizes that the 29 people were in fact tortured. However she refuses to recognize that the fiscal present, Felix Toledo Leiva, knew about the torture even though;

• all 29 victims testified he was there

• all 29 victims said he was an eyewitness to the brutality

• there is photographic evidence that shows, without a shadow of a doubt, that he saw what was going on

• the photos show him in the presence of injured and tortured individuals

• various of the tortured individuals, including the women victims, testify that he shouted insults, made physical threats and even violently pulled the hair of one of the women

So due to the bribed judge Sofia Milla and the corrupt, money-at-all-costs APRA government of Twobreakfasts, a man who should rot in jail as an example to all walks away without a care in the world. This is the Peru that those blind morons at Fitch think is worthy of your money as investment grade.

Hat Tip to the excellent blog, Huanca York Times

The Monterrico Metal Torturers: They're after you in Sweden now, bitches

Thought we'd forgotten about you, Bristow?

Check out the following, kindly sent along earlier by reader MH. Straight pastes of the two reports about how Sweden's Securitas are investigating the torture of locals in Peru. They're coming at you from all sides now, Bristow. Run and hide and don't tell anyone! Great PR tactics so far, idiot!

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Unofficial translation provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre:

Company owned by Securitas accused of torture

Ove Gustavsson, GT-Expressen, 10 Feb 2009

http://www.gt.se/Nyheter/1.1462069/securitasagt-bolag-anklagas-for-tortyr

The Peruvian company Forza, owned by Swedish Securitas, is accused of having tied and beaten demonstrators – one to death. The abuses are said to have occurred at a demonstration against a mining operation in Rio Blanco, in Peru, 2005. According to Reuters, photographs representing the alleged incident have been published by a Peruvian human rights association.

- If this is true we have to take action, says Gisela Lindstrand, [Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications] at Securitas AB to Expressen.se.

The photographs, distributed by an anonymous source, show men covered in blood with their hands tied behind their backs and plastic bags over their heads. One of the men is later seen dead in another photograph. In the photographs one can also see men wearing vests with the text Forza.

The photos clearly show that personnel of Forza played an active role in the repression and torture, said Javier Jahncke at the human rights organisation Fedepaz to Reuters.

The tortured men are said to be demonstrators against the mining operation which was about to start in Rio Blanco in 2005.

Local police accused

The company Forza was responsible for the mining venture’s security.

Also local police are accused of having helped put down the demonstration.

After receiving the allegations, Peru’s congress is initiating an investigation of the incident.

- We have contacted our subsidiary and we are investigating this in peace and quiet, says Gisela Lindstrand [Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications] at the international section of Securitas AB.

According to her, Securitas bought Forza in 2007, two years after the alleged events.

- If this is true and these persons remain at the company we have to take action.

Distancing itself

Gisela Lindstrand explains that Securitas asked Forza if they comply with laws and regulations when it bought the company.

Securitas distances itself from the behavior shown in the photographs.

- It is not conceivable that we would act this way. We are a serious security company, says Gisela Lindstrand.

Reuters have been in touch with Forza, but they decline to comment.

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Unofficial translation provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre:

Company owned by Securitas investigated for torture

Norrlänska Socialdemokraten, 10 Feb 2009

http://www.nsd.se/nyheter/artikel.aspx?ArticleID=4425926

A company which is today owned by the Swedish security group Securitas will be investigated in Peru concerning suspected torture and abuse of the local population in relation to surveillance of mines in the country.

- We are trying to find out what has happened. It will take a while to investigate, says Gisela Lindstrand, Securitas Group [Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications], to TT [Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå].

Peru’s congress has said that suspected crimes by police and private security firms in 2005 will be investigated. Prosecutors are allegedly already working on it.

Last month, a human rights organization published photographs of men and women protesting against mining in Rio Blanco, in Peru.

The victims bled heavily and some had their hands tied behind their backs and plastic bags over their heads. One photograph shows a man bleeding heavily from his neck, and another photograph shows the same man dead one day later, according to Reuters.

“Want to investigate”

In one photograph, an armed guard from the company Forza, can be seen. Forza was bought by the multinational Securitas in 2007.

The photos clearly show that personnel of Forza played an active role in the repression and torture, said Javier Jahncke at the human rights organization to Reuters.

Lindstrand reports that she contacted Peru on Tuesday.

- I have spoken with our country manager and said that I want an investigation into what happened.

In Rio Blanco, Forza is working for the mining company Moterrico, which was bought by the Chinese Group Zijin in 2007. The mining company states that the allegations are one in a sequence of “resistance activities” against mining activity.

The police force in Peru is under-funded. Security at the country’s remote mines is contracted out to private security companies, which in turn hire former policemen and soldiers. They often face local protests against the social and environmental downsides of mining.

Trained security guards

According to human rights organizations, private companies often go way beyond the limits of the law in their assignments.

Lindstrand points out that the company [Forza] was bought after the suspected abuse, and that all Securitas Group’s security guards are trained in human rights.

- If this has happened, it is something which could never happen today, because now Securitas’ rules apply.

- TT: Can you guarantee that even in remote locations in Peru?

- Yes, actually I can, replies Lindstrand.

Peru: Join the campaign against death threats suffered by the Monterrico Metals whistleblower journalist

As mentioned in this post last Sunday, Julio Vásquez Calle has been receiving continued death threats via anonymous phone calls (to his home telephone and private cellular number). He is the journalist who went public with the now infamous photos that showed the extent of the torture suffered by himself and 28 others at the Monterrico (MNA.L) mining camp at Majaz, now re-named Rio Blanco. Anyone that has basic knowledge of Peru's modern history understands that death threats there are no joke at all.

The good news is that now there's a mail-writing and petition campaign that is making people aware of the threats suffered by Vásquez, and you can join in (in either Spanish or English, as you prefer). Lillie over at Memory In Latin America has all the necessary details in this post right here, so please go over, spend five minutes of your time and write a mail that will promote free speech in Peru, protect a brave reporter and help put another nail into the coffin of the sordid junior mining company that gives the industry such a bad name.

Thank you in advance.

Update
Cool, the excellent UK blog Ten Percent has picked up the baton and is running with it. Great to get support for this issue in MNA.L's homeland. Thanks RB

Monterrico Metals: Death threats for the whistleblowing journalist

Surprise surprise. Thugs is as thugs do and all that stuff, the guy who dared to tell the truth about the torture suffered at the hands of Monterrico Metals is now getting death threats on his private cellular phone. Thanks to a headsup from the nice people at the Peruvian National Coordinator for Human Rights (gracias chicos), here below is their story put through the Ottotrans™, the original of which you can find here.

This story is not going away, Andrew Bristow, Richard Ralph and all the other corporate liars attached to MNA.L: You guys give the mining industry a bad name and thanks to the efforts of people like Julio Vasquez who are not cowed by threats you'll never mine an ounce of Peru's soil. The sooner you're out of business the better.

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Reporter for Radio Cutivalú threatened with Death for reporting Majaz Tortures

Actions are now being taken to protect the journalist from Piura, himself a victim of the torture.

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The journalist from Radio Cutivalú, Julio Vásquez Calle, reports having receivec constant death threats via anonymous phone calls made to his cellular phone. This is due to him being one of the victims who made public photos that testify to the kidnapping and torture he suffered along with 28 other villagers from the provinces of Ayabaca and Huancabamba (Piura) and Jaén and San Ignacio (Cajamarca) in the installations of the mining company Majaz (now Rio Blanco Copper S.A. in 2005. The incident involved high-ranking officers of the Peru National Police Force, the security firm Forza and functionaries of the Majaz Mining.

Due to this serious allegation made by Vásquez Calle, the Ecumenical Foundation for Development and Peace (FEDEPAZ) manifests its concern for the risk that the life of said journalist faces.

Because of this, FEDEPAZ, the legal advisor of the journalist, has reported to diverse international organisms concerned with the protection of Human Rights in order that they intercede with the current national administration to offer necessary protection in light of the constant threats that put his life in danger.

At the same time, reports are being presented to the National Fiscal Office to demand an exhaustive investigation and to the Defender of the People's Office (ombudsman) so that they, in compliance with their function, intercede with the relevant organisms in order to protect and safeguard his personal intergrity.

Finally, it should be mentioned that the Vásquez case is a repeated one, as local Piura authorities as well as the Defenders of Human Rights and Environment that have taken up the defence of the communities of Ayabaca and Huancabamba, amongst then members of FEDEPAZ, have also been victims of threats, surveillance, phone-tapping and unfounded accusations.

Dear shareholder: Are your investment dollars paying for torture and thuggery in Peru?

Yesterday, security firm Forza (part of the Swiss Securitas Group) was highlighted in this report from Reuters as at least part of the band of thugs that tortured Peruvian locals at the Monterrico Metals (MNA.L) mining camp in North Peru. As regular readers will recall, the accusations against Monterrico are very serious and include murder on the list.

However, did you also know that Forza is used by a whole bunch of foreign companies in the length and breadth of Peru? The list is long and includes names such as

Newmont Mining
Yanacocha
Coca-Cola
Standard Bank
Duke Energy
Repsol
Eli Lilly

and surprise surprise Richard Ralph....The British Embassy in Peru!!

And plenty plenty others. In fact all the following all use Forza as security personnel, so if you think that the kind of brutality shown by this bunch of bastards is not right for your investment dollar, why not send a mail to your fave IR department and demand that they rescind their contract with Forza immediately?

Hit scum in the back pocket; it's where they feel it the most

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MINING

	Minera Yanacocha S.A. Web: www.yanacocha.com.pe
	Newmont Peru Limited Web: www.newmont.com
	Sociedad Nacional de Minería, Petróleo y Energía Web: www.snmpe.org.pe
	Mineria Peru Copper Sindicate S.A.
	Sociedad Minera Cambior S.A.

POWER INDUSTRY

Duke Energy International Egenor S.A. Web: www.duke-energy.com

OIL INDUSTRY

	The Maple Gas Corporation Web: www.maplecos.com
	Refinería La Pampilla
	Grupo Repsol del Perú S.A. Web: www.repsol-ypf.com
	Petróleos del Perú – PETROPERU S.A. Operaciones Oleoducto Piura

COMMUNICATIONS

	Nextel del Perú Web: www.nextel.com.pe
	Tim Perú S.A Web: www.tim.com.pe
	Millicom Perú S.A. Web: www.milicom.com
	Telmex Peru S.A
	Americatel Perú S.A.

AIRPORTS

	35-17 Cargo S.A.C.
	Lima Airport Partner Web: www.lap.com.pe

FACTORIES

	Industrial Papelera Atlas
	Asa Textil Sourcing S.A.
	Textil San Cristobal S.A.

WHOLESALERS

	Albis S.A.
	Cipa S.A.
	Coca Cola Servicio del Perú S.A. Web: www.coca-cola.com
	Corporación Inca Kola S.A.
	AGA S.A. Web: www.aga.se

CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES

HV S.A. Contratistas Web: www.hvsac.com

BANKS

	Standard Bank London Limited Web: www.standardbank.com
	Banco Interamericano De Desarrollo
	Banco Interamericano De Finanzas

Arriba

EMBASSIES

Embajada Británica Web: www.britemb.org.pe

HOTELS

	Compañía Inversiones Monte Urbano S.A.
	Hotelera Piura S.A.

ASSORTED

	Universidad Privada del Norte
	Universidad de Lima
	Universidad San Martín de Porres
	Edificoi Espaderos S.A.
	Cargill Américas S.A
	Knight Piesold consultores S.A
	Walsh Perú S.A. Web: www.walshp.com.pe
	Corporación Miyasato S.A.
	Geotec S.A.
	Asociación Educativa Davy
	Consorcio Transmantaro
	Iron Mountain
	Atlas Copco Peruana S.A.
	Antena 3 Perú
	British American Tobbaco del Perú S.A.
	Peruana De Moldeados S.A.
	Montana S.A.
	Administradora Panamericana S.A.
	Italmecan S.A.C.
	Hewlett Packard Perú S.R.L.
	Punto Visual S.A.
	Productos De Acero Cassado S.A. (PRODAC)
	Protisa Peru S.A.
	Forsac Peru S.A.
	Tecsur S.A.A.
	Laboratorios Roe S.C.R.L.
	El Rocio S.A.
	Tal S.A.
	Edpyme Raiz S.A.
	Red Electrica Del Sur S.A.
	Exploraciones Milenio S.A.
	Eldemira Doris Osorio De Dyer
	Armstrong S.R.L.
	Indura S.A
	Pack Solutions S.R.L
	MPG Comunicaciones E.I.R.L.
	Neuf S.A.
	Impsat Peru S.A.
	Asociación Deportiva Los Inkas Golf Club
	Corporacion Texpop S.A.
	B & W Master Service S.R.L.
	Centro Orientación Familiar
	Cli Almacenes S.A.
	Aeroinversiones Del Peru S.A.C.
	Nutra S.A.
	DHL International S.A.C.
	Mercantil Pizarro S.A. (MERPIZA)
	Sistema De Impresiones S.A.
	Inversiones La Carreta
	Coats Cadena S.A.
	MSA del Perú S.A.
	Cordillera De Las Minas S.A.
	Overseas Bechtel Incorp Suc. del Perú
	Boyles Bros Diamantina S.A.
	Sociedad Inmobiliaria Higuereta S.A.
	Paneles Napsa S.A.
	Supermercados Peruanos S.A.
	Gillat To Home Perú S.A.
	Formularios Peruanos S.A.C.
	Galitour S.A.
	Stracon S.A.C.
	Eli Lilly Interamericana Inc.