RIO TINTO PLC AND WAR CRIMES

Summary

That this House is gravely concerned by the fact that the London-based Rio Tinto, the world's largest mining conglomerate, has been accused in a USA Class Action of War Crimes against the indigenous people of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, that in order to force the re-opening of its Panguna Copper Mine, Rio Tinto encouraged or pressurised the PNG Government to take military action and to mount a naval blockade against its own people, that Rio Tinto provided vehicles and helicopters for military use, that Rio Tinto exhorted the PNG to 'Starve the Bastards out', that such actions were in breach of the Geneva Convention, the ensuing war crimes leading to the deaths of an estimated 15,000 civilians; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to instigate a criminal investigation into those allegations and to report back to this House.

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Timeline

1. 12 December 2000

   Early Day Motion

   That this House is gravely concerned by the fact that the London-based Rio Tinto, the world's largest mining conglomerate, has been accused in a USA Class Action of War Crimes against the indigenous people of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, that in order to force the re-opening of its Panguna Copper Mine, Rio Tinto encouraged or pressurised the PNG Government to take military action and to mount a naval blockade against its own people, that Rio Tinto provided vehicles and helicopters for military use, that Rio Tinto exhorted the PNG to 'Starve the Bastards out', that such actions were in breach of the Geneva Convention, the ensuing war crimes leading to the deaths of an estimated 15,000 civilians; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to instigate a criminal investigation into those allegations and to report back to this House.

   Source: Early Day Motion

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Sponsors

• Mr Michael Clapham · Labour · Primary sponsor

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