Category Archives: Uncategorized

DR Congo: Mine Workers at Risk During Covid-19

(Lubumbashi, June 11, 2020) – Multinational copper and cobalt mining companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo should take immediate steps to protect the rights of thousands of Congolese workers’ during the Covid-19 pandemic, a group of 11 international and Congolese human rights groups said today in a letter to 13 mining companies.

When Will Prosecutors Identify and Compensate Overseas Victims of Corruption?

Identifying and compensating overseas victims of corruption is a major challenge that prosecutors have yet to adequately address. As Jeffrey Kaplan recently discussed in a post for the FCPA Blog, when corruption is treated as victimless, it may allow those involved in the crime to “feel comfortable with their participation.”

Landmark UK Judgment in Favour of a Whistleblower Exposes Auditing Firms

Top accounting firms are increasingly under scrutiny for being too cosy with their clients and acting as “enablers” of financial misconduct. A recent ground-breaking judgment issued on April 17th by the British High Court against “Big Four” accounting firm EY (formerly Ernst & Young) bolsters such criticism. EY was found liable for covering up evidence of money laundering and forcing out a whistleblower. It was ordered to pay approximately US$11 million in damages.

Rights Groups Request UK Supreme Court to Hear Case On Corporate Abuses

RAID and the UK Corporate Responsibility Coalition (CORE) have officially lodged a letter with the UK Supreme Court requesting it to hear a case involving corporate human rights abuses by a British-based company, African Minerals Ltd, at its iron-ore mine in Sierra Leone. The letter was filed under Rule 15 of the Supreme Court Rules, which permits civil society groups to make submissions in the public interest to the Court.

Glencore Ignored Injuries After Spill at Chad Oilfield

Glencore ignored reports of serious injuries to local residents in Chad living near its Badila oilfield following a September 2018 wastewater spill and oil pipe leak, a new report published today reveals. The Badila oilfield is operated by PetroChad Mangara Ltd, a 100%-owned subsidiary of Glencore Plc, one of the largest natural resource companies in the world.

Civil Society Call on DRC President to Freeze Assets of Dan Gertler

Dear Mr. President,

We are a group of civil society organizations associated with the campaign “Congo is not for sale”. We are writing to congratulate you on the special attention you recently gave to US sanctioned entities accused of questionable financial transactions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We write to request precautionary measures against other entities also under US sanctions, in order to limit the risk of unlawful practices that could harm the country’s public finances. 

North Mara Police Security Human Rights Abuses

Tanzanian Victims Commence Legal Action in UK against Barrick

The claim was issued against Barrick Tz Limited, formerly known as Acacia Mining, of which Barrick was the majority shareholder. Majority owned subsidiaries of Barrick have operated the troubled Tanzanian gold mine from 2010 until 2019. In 2019 Barrick bought out the minority shareholders of Acacia, delisted the company from the London and Dar es Salaam Stock Exchanges and took it back under its control. 

DR Congo Residents Come Forward as Potential Victims in SFO Corruption Investigation into ENRC

Today, a first group of 16 residents from the Democratic Republic of Congo stepped forward as potential victims in the Serious Fraud Office’s corruption investigation into Kazakh multinational mining company, Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC). UK corporate watchdog, RAID, said it expected more to join.