The Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) is gravely concerned by the inclusion
of Ivanhoe Mines founder and Executive Chairman Robert Friedland as a
featured speaker at the Inaugural Asia Pacific Forum on Mining and Minerals
in Vancouver BC on Oct 1st 2007. A forum whose "founding partner" is the BC
government.
In the press release announcing Mr. Friedland's luncheon speech he is
heralded as an individual who is "in the vanguard of North American
natural-resource sector leaders who have pioneered business links in Greater
China and the Asia Pacific region during the past 20 years." The press
release neglected to mention that Friedland's business links included a
50/50 partnership with Burma's military dictatorship. The very same group
of generals presently massacring peaceful demonstrators in Rangoon and
across Burma.
As monks, journalists and students are gunned down at point blank range
Ivanhoe continues to profit from a copper mine located in Monywa, Sagaing
Division operated in a fifty-fifty partnership with the Burmese military
junta.
Since February this year, Ivanhoe has claimed that it is in the process of
relieving its self of its 50 percent stake in Monywa. At present they have
yet to find a buyer for their share of the mine. In preparation for an
eventual sale the firm has sold its stake to an "Independent Trust" in
return for a guarantee that when the "Independent Trust" sells the stake
Ivanhoe will then be paid. While this agreement may give the impression
that Ivanhoe is no longer in Burma, the firm continues to accrue profits
from the mine and will do so until the "Independent Trust" sells their
stake. Ivanhoe refuses to say who operates the "Independent Trust" but
asserts that the operators are independent of Ivanhoe.
Reports from the Monywa area are that the mine has caused a great deal of
environmental problems and has severely affected nearby farmers. An
independent environmental study commissioned by Ivanhoe reveals a
considerable portion of the land used by the operation is severely
contaminated. Yet Ivanhoe's cleanup plan is vague and relies heavily on the
involvement of their joint venture partner, a state owned enterprise of the
Burmese Junta.
Burma's mining and environmental regulations are some the weakest in the
entire world. Furthermore Burma's extremely repressive dictatorship does
not allow for the kind of climate where those living near the mine can
openly state their concerns about its operation or its cleanup. It is our
believe that long after Ivanhoe has left Burma, the environmental problems
caused by the Monywa mine will remain.
The Canadian Friends of Burma and other organizations that are concerned
with the plight of Burma's people voiced their opposition to the Monywa mine
when Mr. Friedland's firm first announced their interest in the area. Little
that Ivanhoe has done in the ensuing years has reassured us.
Mr. Friedland often stated that Ivanhoe's operations in Burma would do good
for the country, : "I am firmly convinced that Canadian companies going to a
country like Myanmar [Burma] to engage in business will help the average person
there. I will tell you there is no country in Asia that is a perfect
democracy....... And I have no doubt that the true situation in Myanmar is
improving and we can go and engage in business there, subject to following
our own code of conduct."
In reality Ivanhoe's involvement in Burma only served to enrich a brutal
regime and give it more money to buy weapons to use against Burma's
population. Those risking their lives in Rangoon's blood soaked streets
would certainly prefer that Mr. Friedland had pioneered somewhere else.
Contact the Canadian Friends of Burma
Ottawa office 613-237-8056 Cell 613-297-6835 BC 250-507-5655
Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB)
145 Spruce St. Suite 206
