The press release 614 of June 2011 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration of Ecuador, which states that “delegates of the Ministry of Non-Renewable Natural Resources and directors of InvestEcuador…, concluded a visit to South Africa (and) fulfilled an agenda with mining companies such as Mponeng, property of AngloGold Ashanti” would sound like interesting news for those who defend large-scale mining in Ecuador; especially if, upon continuing to read the news, we find that: “The Vice Minister, Federico Auquilla, assured that (during) the visit of the Ecuadorian delegation “we have identified technological solutions for medium and artisanal mining as well as for the reduction of environmental impacts in small, medium and large-scale mining processes.” This before mentioning AngloGold Ashanti again and 21 other companies in the sector.
However, when cross-checking information, it turned out that only months earlier, the company had been awarded the “discreditable” 2011 “Ojo Público” Award for “Worst Company in the World” for its responsibility in the poisoning of land and rivers during its gold mining processes in Ghana. During the awards ceremony, the Director of the Ghana Association of Victims of Poisoning, Owusu Koranteng, denounced that AngloGold/Ashanti has done nothing to prevent the recurring spills of toxic substances, which have contaminated the sources of drinking water in vast regions; and that several people have been victims of torture at the hands of security agents employed by the mining company.
Meanwhile in neighbouring Colombia, where AngloGold/Ashanti has a presence with Regarding the La Colosa gold mine project in Cajamarca (in the Andean region), the Latin American Mining Conflicts Observatory describes that: «International organizations have documented AngloGold Ashantí's (AGA) involvement with armed structures and crimes committed in different countries, in order to ensure its entry and the development of large-scale operations. Various complaints from social and human rights organizations in Colombia have shown that the situation in the country, especially in southern Bolívar, seems to respond to similar patterns.»
The MRECI (Ecuador) newsletter ends by announcing the "good news" that in this last semester, through South African visits to the country, progress would be made "in the commercial order" with companies in the sector.
The Ojo Público Awards brought together more than 50,000 people who voted online and mark a critical counterpoint to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Organised since 2000 by the Bern Declaration and Friends of the Earth (replaced by Greenpeace in 2009), the Ojo Público Awards remind the world's corporations that their omissions in social and environmental matters have consequences for the people affected and their territories, but also for the reputation of the offender.
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