BRITISH-REGISTERED MINING COMPANIES AT EL CERREJON IN COLOMBIA

That this House notes that the Cerrejon coal mine continues to have negative impacts on communities in the Colombian department of La Guajira; further notes that the mine is owned by three companies listed on theLondon Stock Exchange, namely Anglo American, BHPBilliton and Xstrata; supports the demands of the federation of communities affected by the mine, FECODEMIGUA; and thereforecalls on the Government to insist that the UK companies involved acceptFECODEMIGUA as a negotiating partner, negotiate compensation and relocation agreements with communities forcibly displaced before the current owners bought into the mine in 2000 as well as with those currently being displaced, take proactive measuresto remedy the grave social, health and environmental damage inflicted upon the inhabitants of the region and undertake not to implement the proposed diversion of the river Rancheria, opposed by FECODEMIGUA as a potential social and ecological disaster.