British mining company Anglo American is profiting from a pattern of global abuse and brutality against poor people, including the murder of opponents who say the firm’s mining operations threaten their livelihoods.
Anglo American is the world’s second largest mining company and one of the 10 largest British companies, with net profits of over $6 billion in 2006.
In countries suffering from civil war such as Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Anglo American continues to profit from the conflict and associated human rights abuses which condemn local communities to insecurity and terror. In the Philippines and South Africa, local communities threatened with Anglo American mines have faced severe repression in their fight to stay on their land. In Ghana and Mali, local communities see little of the huge profits being made by AngloGold Ashanti but suffer from fear and intimidation and from the damaging impact of its mines on their environment, health and livelihoods.
In order to promote itself as a responsible player in the global economy Anglo American has made much of its ‘good citizenship business principles.’ For communities living with the impacts of Anglo American’s activities, such voluntary initiatives mean very little.
War on Want is calling for UK government regulation to prevent companies such as Anglo American from fuelling conflict situations and human rights abuses. This would include providing those harmed by the overseas activities of UK multinationals with the right to seek legal redress in Britain.
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