{"id":24709,"date":"2013-01-30T23:07:13","date_gmt":"2013-01-30T22:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/?guid=fcbedd74389a564ecd015446105ff741"},"modified":"2013-01-31T10:48:09","modified_gmt":"2013-01-31T09:48:09","slug":"rape-victims-must-sign-away-rights-to-get-remedy-from-barrick-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/latest-news\/rape-victims-must-sign-away-rights-to-get-remedy-from-barrick-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"Rape Victims Must Sign Away Rights to Get Remedy from Barrick Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"justice<\/p>\n

Ottawa \u2014 Washington, D.C. \u2014 Oxford \u2014 January 30, 2013. Following years of denial, Barrick Gold is implementing a remedy program for victims of rape by employees of its Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) mine in Papua New Guinea (PNG).<\/p>\n

In order to receive a remedy package, women must enter into an agreement in which \u201cthe claimant agrees that she will not pursue or participate in any legal action against PJV, PRFA [Porgera Remediation Framework Association Inc.] or Barrick in or outside of PNG. PRFA and Barrick will be able to rely on the agreement as a bar to any legal proceedings which may be brought by the claimant in breach of the agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Included in the remedy options offered to women are \u201caccess to psycho-social\/trauma counseling\u201d and \u201caccess to health care.\u201d \u201cWe do not believe women should have to sign away rights to possible future legal action in order to access the types of remedy Barrick is offering these victims of rape and gang rape,\u201d says Catherine Coumans of MiningWatch Canada, \u201cthis requirement is not best practice in cases of non-judicial remedy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are also concerned that Barrick is not offering remedy to those women who have been raped and gang raped by members of police Mobile Squads who are being housed, fed and supported by PJV on PJV property\u201d says Tricia Feeney, Executive Director of Rights & Accountability in Development.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarrick appears to be rushing women through the claims process,\u201d says Rick Herz, Litigation Coordinator for EarthRights International, which has brought several transnational lawsuits in U.S. courts against extractive companies for similar abuses. \u201cWomen should not be coerced into giving up their legal rights and, at a minimum, Barrick should allow women to keep the remedial offers made to them open long enough for them to seek legal counsel and evaluate their options.\u201d<\/p>\n

MiningWatch Canada, Rights & Accountability in Development and EarthRights International are currently engaged in mediated discussions with Barrick Gold as a result of a complaint filed with the Canadian National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines. The information and related documents provided in this release were obtained outside of that process.<\/p>\n

For more information contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Catherine Coumans, MiningWatch Canada, catherine@miningwatch.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

Patricia Feeney, Rights & Accountability in Development,,tricia.feeney@raid-uk.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Rick Herz, Litigation Coordinator for EarthRights International, rick@earthrights.org<\/a><\/p>\n

The following related documents are available at<\/strong>: www.miningwatch.ca<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n