International NGOs criticize Newmont

JAKARTA: Representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Indonesia, Peru, Ghana, Romania, and the United States state of Nevada called on Wednesday Newmont Mining, the world's largest gold producer, to reform its environmental practices at its global operations.

Speaking at Newmont's annual shareholders meeting, the activists, was quoted as saying in a release sent by the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), urged Newmont to stop the practice of dumping its waste into the ocean and cancel all plans for new open-pit mines.

Newmont is facing multi-million dollar lawsuits in Indonesia and Peru. Indonesian police have accused the company's subsidiary, PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, of polluting Buyat Bay in South Sulawesi and causing severe ailments to local residents, while the environment ministry has lodged a civil suit of around US$100 million. -- JP