Indigenous Peoples Issues - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 671

In this sort of situation, a company can only seek to minimize problems by:

●

Disseminating, publicizing, and reinforcing the company's ethical values and any codes
of conduct in relation to Indigenous Peoples;

●

Ensuring that key individuals - those directly responsible for interaction with
Indigenous Peoples - share the company's ethical values;

●

Seeking to promote understanding through cultural awareness programmes;

●

Monitoring workforce relations to identify unfair treatment of Indigenous Peoples and
intervene accordingly;

●

Taking account of ethnic and cultural differences in the organization and deployment
of the workforce.

Communications, Relationships, and Trust

Communication is the key to interaction between mining companies and the community.
In dealings with Indigenous Peoples, the risks of miscommunication and misunderstand-
ing are much greater due to: (1) different languages; (2) different cultural values; and (3)
different perceptions.
Most indigenous societies have an extensive oral tradition but little or no written tra-
dition. Talking directly with Indigenous Peoples is preferable; however, a company will
wish to maintain written records of important communications.
Communication through interpreters is essential in many cases and desirable in others,
so that neither party is disadvantaged by language. The benei t of communicating com-
plex or unfamiliar concepts such as large-scale excavation, construction, and rehabilitation
by the use of images cannot be underestimated. Aerial, low level, and ground photography
are readily understood by Indigenous Peoples; computer modii ed images are powerful in
illustrating the impacts of mining, such that there is less likely to be surprise and dismay
felt by the local people when construction and mining are underway.
Another important ingredient in successful interaction between a company and an
indigenous community is the development of relationships between leaders and other
key people from both parties. Developing such relationships, based on mutual respect
and trust, usually requires multiple meetings over a considerable time. Relationships
exist between individuals, not organizations. It is important for a company to recognize
this fact because the regular turnover of key staff is a normal occurrence, particularly in
remote and off-shore sites. It is a relatively common occurrence that social misunder-
standings and other problems emerge soon after the departure of a key company repre-
sentative who had developed and maintained key relationships with leaders of the local
community. Relationships also need to be diligently maintained. Indigenous Peoples will
lose both respect and trust if relationships are not maintained once an agreement has been
negotiated.
A common scenario is for a rift to develop between a mining company and an indigenous
community as a project moves from exploration to construction. The community may have
been dealing with the same company representatives for several years during which strong
relationships were developed. Then, suddenly, everything changes with the arrival of the
construction workforce. At the time when the community needs reassurance from familiar
people, management changes and the new manager is completely preoccupied with meeting
construction deadlines. Such a situation should be avoided by the company, which should
strive to provide continuity in key positions and to maintain regular contact with the local
community. Alternatively, transition from one company representative to the next should
take place over an extended period, enabling new relationships to be developed.

Most indigenous societies have
an extensive oral tradition but
little or no written tradition.

Communication through
interpreters is essential in
many cases and desirable in
others, so that neither party is
disadvantaged by language.