Canadian aluminium multinational Alcan has introduced an indigenous peoples policy at its 440 sites worldwide.
The document, covering just two pages, states principles rather than
specifics, promising to develop ‘relationships with indigenous
communities based on trust, respect and meaningful interaction’.
However, the company has promised concrete action to back up the
policy, including staff education and training, greater employment
opportunities for indigenous people working near its sites,
partnerships with community groups, better community relations
projects, and more consultation when sites are developed. All 65,000
Alcan employees, across 61 countries, are expected to ‘support, uphold
and act in line with’ the principles of the policy.
Although Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton have executives specifically
charged with looking after aboriginal rights, such overarching policies
are still fairly rare. ANZ bank is expected to finalize a
‘reconciliation action plan’ to improve its relationship with
Australian aboriginal people by the end of this year.
In the past Alcan has been criticized for its impact on indigenous
groups in Canada, and has recently been attacked over its proposals for
a huge bauxite extraction and alumina refining project in Kashipur, in
India’s eastern state of Orissa, which activists claim could displace
up to 22,000 mainly indigenous, or Adivasi, people in 24 villages. A
pressure group called ‘Alcan’t in India’ has organized protests against
the project, which is being put forward by Utkal Alumina International,
a joint venture owned by Alcan and its Indian partner Hindalco.
Both companies say they have offered a rehabilitation and resettlement
programme for any villagers displaced, as well as education, health and
infrastructure improvements. They claim to have the agreement of all
but one of the affected villages, but campaigners say this has been
gained through local politicians who do not represent the majority view.
The new policy will dovetail with memorandums of understanding and
other agreements already signed by Alcan and indigenous communities
over the past two years. These include a deal to create a Regional
Industrial Development Centre in Kitimat, British Columbia, to
encourage economic growth, and a course in ‘cross-cultural awareness’
at its alumina operations in Gove in the Northern Territory of
Australia, which has been attended by 1000 Alcan employees, 1200
members of the local and Yolgnu population, and 1500 project workers
from across the country.
John Tackaberry of Amnesty International Canada told EP the policy was
‘a hopeful sign’ but said it ‘contains little substance’ and
makes no reference to the right of indigenous people to have ‘secure
access to the lands and natural resources necessary to maintain their
way of life’.
He added that Amnesty would be ‘in touch’ with Alcan to find out how it proposes to put the policy into practice.
