Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
they may feel or be seen as inadequate by their community who realize they are not
knowledgeable about these new issues. Suddenly a whole bunch of unknown people with
more power than the local chief or leader can appear on the scene who were unknown or
not interested before - national government bureaucrats, politicians, and company man-
agement, etc; these all erode the chief's status. Providing the mining company is aware of
these matters, it is a relatively straightforward matter to ensure that company personnel do
not undermine the authority of indigenous leaders; e.g. ofi cial business with indigenous
leaders should be transacted only by the most senior mine personnel.
Offi cial business with indigenous
leaders should be transacted
only by the most senior mine
personnel.
Creating a Dependent Community
There is a very real risk that mining companies, in their attempts to provide benei ts for
Indigenous Peoples, will create a dependent community. The community may become
totally dependent on the mining operation, not only for its means of subsistence but for
its decision-making and management. When the operation ceases, the society, having sur-
rendered its original means of livelihood, loses its ability to meet these basic needs. In the
case of communities traditionally reliant on subsistence agriculture, ways have to be found
to revive old skills or the people must move away from their traditional homelands. In
mining operations where previously farmed land becomes unavailable (e.g. through bur-
ial under tailings impoundments), the old ways may simply be impossible to re-establish.
Dependency on the mining operation has other disadvantages such as reducing coni dence,
self-reliance, and self-respect of individuals and entire communities.
To avoid creating dependency, companies should refrain from making decisions on
behalf of a community, provide assistance which promotes self-help rather than handouts,
and do everything possible to encourage the continuation of traditional activities and the
maintenance of existing organizational structure and hierarchies.
There is a very real risk that
mining companies, in their
attempts to provide benefi ts for
Indigenous Peoples, will create a
dependent community.
16.5 STRATEGIES FOR INTERACTION WITH INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES
Getting It Right from the Start
Impressions formed during initial contact can affect relations between a mining company
and an indigenous community for many years. In particular, any adverse impressions may
be very difi cult to overcome. As the adage says, 'you never get a second chance at a i rst
impression'. Before contacting indigenous communities a company needs to be prepared.
This involves recognizing cultural differences, developing appropriate corporate values,
information gathering, and planning an approach to community contact.
'You never get a second chance
at a fi rst impression'.
Partnering with Indigenous Peoples
Rather than approach relations with Indigenous Peoples as primarily a 'problem' to be
dealt with, companies would do well to consider that for this group of people affected by
the construction and operation of a mining project, their lives, livelihoods, and futures
may hang in the balance. What Indigenous Peoples want in such a situation - more than
the size of a compensation package or the dimensions of a benei ts-deal - is the respect of
 
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