International NGOs criticize Newmont

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