05 04 12 NGOs ‘ Complain About George Forrest International’s Illegal Demolition of Houses in the DR Congo

supposedly to remove illegal artisanal miners (creuseurs), in reality affected
villagers who earn their living mainly through subsistence farming or making
charcoal. In the twelve months prior to this operation, several violent
incidents were reported in which mine security and police guarding the mine
allegedly injured or killed artisanal miners that were inside the concession,
and fired live ammunition at the village. On 9 November, one Kawama resident,
Boniface Mudjani Tumba, was hit in the chest by a stray bullet while he was
taking a bath in his home.

“The
actions of the Forrest Group are in flagrant contradiction with the
responsibility of companies to respect human rights” said
Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH President.  “The OECD Guidelines make clear
that the corporate duty to respect human rights exists even when States fail to
uphold their international human rights obligations” she
added.

To date, the legal proceedings
initiated locally and attempts at mediation have not progressed and the victims
of CMSK’s actions have not received any compensation. On several occasions, the
NGOs have asked the Forrest Group to recognise its responsibilities for these
violations and to enter into a negotiation with the victims’ representatives. 
Unfortunately, the Forrest Group has not been willing to follow this course of
action.

For this reason, RAID, ACIDH and FIDH
and its member organisations in Belgium and the DRC have taken yesterday the
case to the Belgian National Contact Point. “We expect the Belgian NCP to
confirm that the OECD Guidelines have been violated and to arrange without
further delay an independent mediation so that the victims, who have been
injured or lost their homes or their livelihoods, can be
compensated” said Patricia Feeney of Rights and Accountability in
Development (RAID).

“It’s
time for the EGMF to change its behaviour in the
Congo” remarked Emmanuel Umpula of ACIDH.
“We hope that the
National Contact Point can have a positive influence over the Forrest Group so
that in future it takes into account the human rights of local
communities.”