GPJA Forum Tonight 7.30pm Politics of Mining in the Third World

Tonight I am speaking at the Global Peace and Justice Aotearoa Forum, along with Maire Leadbeater. The topic is the politics of Mining in the Third World - we will look at the situation in West Papua and the Philippines. In short - its local communities verses the mining multinationals.

Where: Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
When: Monday 1 December 2008, 7.30

From GJPA newsletter.

GPJA FORUM – THE POLITICS OF THIRD WORLD MINING. Speakers include: Maire Leadbeater, human rights activist, will talk about the struggle for self-determination in West Papua and the impact of the Freeport mine operations, December 1st is the day the local people raise the West Papuan flag in defiance of their Indonesian occupiers who have banned the flag raising ceremonies in West Papua. Joe Hendren, New Zealand trade union activist recently returned from the Philippines and will talk will talk about the recent landslide at Itogon as an example of what damage mining can do and why people are concerned about the issue. He will then share some photos of the protest outside the Asia Pacific Mining Conference in Manila, where many speakers warned about the dangers of the Oceania Gold project. This will lead into an introduction of the campaign in the Philippines, the upcoming solidarity mission to the area and a discussion about what we might do in New Zealand in support. Oceania Gold Mining is an Australian NZ Gold Mining Company, with mines in NZ in Macrae and Reefton. It has members of the board of Directors in Auckland and is financed by the ANZ and the HSBC banks. There is currently a campaign lead by local indigenous communities to close the Mine and they are seeking assistance in doing so from activists here. We plan to discuss this at the meeting. Information and an online petition can be found here: