US state dept. empowering #diamond miners or just securing resources - you decide!

A recent article by the US department of state talks about their "true impact and power" in the Central African Republic by supporting a program that is supposed to help artisanal diamond miners.

The program is called PRADD (Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development) It focuses on clarifying and securing the land tenure/property rights of individual miners as a means of making artisanal mining a meaningful economic activity, independent of pernicious relationships with traders further up the chain.

PRADD is funded by the US Government and managed by Tetratech ARD, a subsidiary of Tetratech.

Now what do we know about Tetratech?

It appears that many of the directors/presidents have/had ties with the CIA, US military, Nuclear energy lobby etc etc etc. Its all on their website..

Lets review some of their board members and executives:

Mr A.Smith, a former CIA official, vice president of Lockheed Martin, member of the Secretary of Defense Science board;

Mr J.Critchfield a “Powerful CIA operative who as a spymaster, soldier and diplomat was at the heart of a half century of historic moments, who did everything from recruiting former Third Reich members to spy on the Soviets, to supporting the political party that put Saddam Hussein in power." - yes we are quoting...

And some more:

Tetra Tech is a private research company and also a former subsidiary of Honeywell and in many occasions hired by the US military as a private research company. 
The company was hired to secure the area after the 9/11 attacks and their are numerous conspiracy sites linking it to the "alleged" (lets put that between brackets for arguments sake) 9/11 cover up.

Many directors in Tetra Tech hold ties to private held companies and investment firms.

JT:
Now how should we relate all this to their sudden interest in "helping" artisanal miners?
Is this program funded by the US Dept. of State or by Corporate Business (lets use Capitals)? 
Is this about helping artisanal miners or about securing resource?
Sure, ASM'ers now have property rights where none existed before but with what objectives?
They talk about "ring fencing" the rough diamond supply chain to prevent "blood diamonds" (that nonsense term again!) from entering the market.
How about ring fencing the arms trade instead of focusing on diamonds?!

WAKE UP

US DoS article:

Tetra Tech:

more links:

Unconstitutional Lithium mining in Argentina

Affecting ecological mercury free goldmining communities!   

Eco Andina, one of the projects that is working towards Jeweltree Certification on small scale gold mining, is located close to Jujuy in the Puna of Argentina. The area is known for its ecological and mercury free gold mining and just across the border there are silver tailings from the old Bolivian silver mines for which a rehabilitation program was set up by Eco Andina.

As to today the area is one of the only providers of community mined ecological and mercuryfree gold and fair traded silver! 

The area also holds vast lithium resources. Lithium being the main ingredient for our cell phone battery consumption.

Advisor of the Jeweltree Foundation board and member of their management team, Thomas Siepelmeyer, has recently brought to our attention an important development.  Thomas is an accredited auditor and a competent person according to National Instrument NI 43-101 for mineral resources classification (Canada).   He is able to document  reports on mineral reserves and resources in the valuation of mining companies quoted on the Stock Exchanges.  He was asked to review a report about a company that wished to proceed with Lithium mining in the Jujuy province, close the area where eco gold mining was taking place and other lithium exploration sites in the south of the Puna; Salar Cauchari and Salar Olaroz (salt pans).

Mr. Siepelmeyer's made an excellent comprehensive hydrological and hydrogeological study plus an environmental aspect report that turned out negatively for the company that wished to proceed with the lithium mining.

 If they wished to proceed, Mr. Siepelmeyer told us, they had to make certain changes in their mining program.  They refused to make these changes


The company (
Lithium Americas (TSE:LAC) ) however managed to find another auditor who was a bit more flexible in their review of their mining operations. The result is that Lithium Americas now has an approved environmental aspect report that totally neglects the communities rights and will have a devastating effect on the environment they live in. 


The local communities turned to the UN for help as their constitutional right to their land is denied and they where not consulted in the case.

 

To do something about this you can sign our petition and if you please you can also make a donation (all proceedings will go to the affected communities)

Sign the petition:

http://www.jeweltreefoundation.org/act-now.htm 

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more:

(google translation below)

 

Miércoles 13 de Julio de 2011 08:24

 

Juj_comunidad_de_santa_ana_litio120
12 de julio de 2011. En el día de hoy arribaron a Ginebra, representantes de 33 comunidades indígenas de la Puna Jujeña y Salteña,  donde expondrán  ante el Mecanismo de Expertos sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas de la ONU la grave situación que provocan las actividades mineras desde principios de 2010 y continúan en la actualidad.

 

Integran la Delegación Rodrigo Solá, abogado de las comunidades y Clemente Flores, representante indígena, quien afirmó: "vamos a plantear la defensa del territorio de las comunidades de las Salinas Grandes, del medio ambiente y el uso del agua. Contarle que no se respetan los derechos de las comunidades, que el Estado no cumple con la Constitución y los tratados, que nos sigue marginando, excluyendo del derecho a la tierra, y a plantear el caso que hemos presentado ante la Corte Suprema por la explotación del litio sin consultarnos a las comunidades. La demanda surge por la intrusión de las empresas en nuestro territorio, nos juntamos para ver como se podía defender la cuenca. Logramos reunirnos y acordar 33 comunidades, todas desconocían que era el litio, que agua se iba a utilizar, con qué métodos"

 

El 24 de Noviembre de 2010 fue presentada la Acción de Amparo ante la Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina por incumplimiento de la obligación de consulta y participación en pedimentos de exploración y explotación de litio de conformidad con el art. 75 inc. 17 de la Constitución Nacional, Convenio 169 de OIT y Declaración de los Derechos Indígenas de la ONU. Respecto de esta acción, el líder indígena manifestó "Con esfuerzo presentamos la demanda ante la Corte suprema, tanto de las comunidades como el equipo técnico de apoyo. El gobierno sigue sordo a todo esto. En Jujuy por ejemplo sacando una ley que declara al litio como mineral estratégico, esto es una burla a las comunidades. Los medios de comunicación locales tratan de confundir a las comunidades, dicen que es una gran fuente de trabajo y no es así"

La idea de acceder a instancias internacionales se concreta luego de agotar las instancias en Argentina, donde según declaraciones de los propios comuneros: "no nos están dando respuesta, hicimos los pasos nacionales, pedimos información en la provincia y no nos contestaron, presentamos el recurso en la Corte y tampoco está resolviendo todavía, así que ahora intentaremos desde lo internacional. Los problemas en el territorio siguen, las perforaciones siguen, el agua dulce subterránea sigue saliendo a la superficie y eso nos preocupa. No tenemos tanto tiempo para esperar a que la Corte resuelva, sabemos que tienen muchos casos pero nosotros necesitamos una respuesta urgente porque las empresas avanza en los territorios y nos van a provocar daños para siempre"

La delegación estará en Ginebra hasta el viernes 15 de Julio.Se adjunta informe ampliado de situación.

Agradecemos a las organizaciones que hicieron posible este viaje: ENDEPA, ASesoría Jurídica de ENDEPA, Prelatura de Humahuaca, AVINA, RED PUNA, Autoconvocados de Tilcara, Red de Asistencia Jurídica contra la Mega Minería, Maestría de Derechos Humanos de la UNSA, y SERPAJ.

Spanish to English translation (google)

Today arrived in Geneva representatives of 33 indigenous communities from the Jujuy and Salta Puna, where they will present their grievances to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the UN caused by serious mining activities since early 2010 and continuing til today.
Rodrigo Sola, member of the delegation, an attorney for communities and Clemente Flores, indigenous representative, who said: "We will raise the defense of the territory of the communities of Salinas Grandes, the environment and water use. Tell a lack of respect rights of communities, the State does not comply with the Constitution and treaties, we are still marginalized, excluded from the right to land, and make the case that we filed with the Supreme Court for the exploitation of lithium without consulting the communities. The demand arises from the intrusion of the companies in our territory, we got together to see how they could defend the basin. We do meet and agree on 33 communities, all unaware that it was lithium, which water would be used, what methods "

 

On November 24, 2010 was presented the writ of amparo before the Supreme Court of Argentina for breach of the duty of consultation and participation in exploration and motions of lithium in accordance with Art. 75 inc. 17 of the Constitution, ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous Rights Declaration of the UN. For this action, the Indian leader said "With effort we present the case before the Supreme Court, both the communities and the technical support team. The government remains deaf to all this. In Jujuy such a law declaring taking lithium as a strategic mineral that is an insult to the communities. The media try to confuse local communities say it is a great source of work and not so "

The idea of ​​accessing international bodies after exhausting specific instances in Argentina, where according to statements by the villagers themselves: "we are responding, we made the national steps, ask for information in the province and we answered, we present the resource the Court and not being resolved yet, so far from the international try. The problems in the territory continue, drilling continues, the fresh groundwater is rising to the surface and that worries us. We do not have long to wait the Court decides, we know we have many cases but we need an urgent response because the companies moving in the territories and will damage us forever "

The delegation will be in Geneva until Friday 15 Julio. See full report attached sheet.

We thank the organizations that made this trip possible: ENDEPA, Legal Advice ENDEPA, Prelature of Humahuaca, AVINA, RED PUNA, Autoconvocados Tilcara Legal Assistance Network against Mega Mining, Master of Human Rights of the UNSA and SERPAJ.

Oppenheimer Helicopter Recruited for Medical Emergencies

Dr_laubscher-oppenheimer-in_fr
(...)
South Africans in the remotest regions of the country will have access to an emergency helicopter service without equal. [This] is the brainchild of Oppenheimer, Chairman of De Beers and an intrepid young doctor, Dr Anchen Laubscher, Medical Director of Netcare 911.

The philanthropic businessman who did not hesitate to make his long-ranged twin-engined helicopter available. Oppenheimer went a step further by reconfiguring the aircraft so that it could transport three patients and a medical team of eight.

Oppenheimer purchased the helicopter in Ital in September 2006. Wishing to ‘Africanize’ it, he commissioned artist Pippa Skotnes to decorate it. It is now adorned with the images of a dream of a Bushman spirit.

JT: It is a cool looking helicopter!

Morning the death of Mr Beller, President Antwerp Diamond Bourse

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We regret the death of Mr Artur Beller, President of the Antwerp Diamond Bourse and the Belgian Federation of Diamond bourses.

November last year Mr Beller and Mr Paz appointed the arbiters to settle a dispute between an Israelian firm and a Brazilian diamond cooperative to reclaim over 200ct in rough diamonds.
The arbiters ruled in favor of the Brazilian coop and fined the Israelian company with 180.000 usd.

Today we also received notice that the Brazilians where finally able to sell their reclaimed diamonds after a long and bureaucratic process to get them back to Brazil.

Due to the high price increases for rough in the last few months they where able to fetch a really good price and not loose any money on this horrible experience.

Without the assistance of mr Beller and mr Paz, Jeweltree Foundation would not have been able to help the 90 coop members and bring the dispute to such a favorable ending.

We give our condolences to his family and friends.


Further information:
http://www.antwerpfacetsonline.be/articles/single/article/awdc-mourning-death...[referer]=antwerpfacetsnewsletter&cHash=dc5f060ff634987b0e36ea3dfc51fd47