Newmont Protest news roundup

Here are some media articles about the Stop Newmont protest.

Denver Post-Critics of Newmont Mining Corp. march Tuesday to the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center in Englewood, where the company held its annual shareholders meeting. CEO Wayne Murdy said nations could make better use of the taxes they collect. (Post / Jerry Cleveland)

CEO faults governments
By Tom McGhee
Denver Post Staff Writer

Some Third World governments collect taxes from gold producer Newmont Mining Corp. but don't spend the money to improve neighboring communities, the company's chairman and chief executive told shareholders Tuesday.

Newmont builds schools and clinics, improves infrastructure and helps train farmers to make better use of the land. But people who feel ignored by their governments expect the company to provide more of the services they lack, Wayne Murdy said.

"That's not our job. In many cases, they have governments that don't function very well, and people don't trust their governments," he said.

Murdy was questioned by activists who held proxies and were allowed into the company's annual meeting, and those from areas where the company operates painted a far different picture. full article


Glenn Morris holds a megaphone Tuesday for Carrie Dann, a Western Shoshone elder from Nevada, at the Inverness protest. "If they want to stay in business, they should clean it up," she said. Newmont has operations in Nevada. (Post / Jerry Cleveland)
Peaceful protests attack "ecocide"
By Beth Potter
Denver Post Staff Writer

Newmont Mining Corp. protesters had talked tough about civil disobedience but on Tuesday declared victory without breaking the law.

The protesters included local college students, members of the American Indian Movement, a Peruvian priest, a trade-union representative from Ghana and several members of the Western Shoshone tribe from Nevada.

Newmont has been accused of harming the environment and indigenous people with its gold-mining operations.

The protesters waved signs on the east side of Newmont Mining's corporate offices in downtown Denver on Sherman Street between 17th and 18th avenues.

"We're making a statement against genocide, ecocide and destruction of the environment," said Chako, 19, a protester who declined to give his last name. full article


Gabe Oner, left, Mac Liman, center, and Sarah Graves, all of Denver, protest Newmont Mining Corp. outside the Inverness Hotel on Tuesday. Newmont held its annual meeting at the hotel, where CEO Wayne Murdy discussed the gold mining company's strong financial results and defended its record in the communities around the world where it does business.

Crowd inside and out
Newmont meeting draws shareholders, protesters
Linda Mcconnell © News

ARAPAHOE COUNTY - Protesters outnumbered shareholders Tuesday at Newmont Mining Corp.'s annual meeting, but tight security kept most of the company's critics from getting close to the official event.
Company CEO Wayne Murdy, speaking before a standing-room-only gathering at the In- verness Hotel, spent a few minutes recounting the gold mining company's strong financial results.

He spent the rest of the meeting defending Newmont's record in the far-flung communities where it does business.

"It's all about balance," Murdy said in response. "Can we make everybody happy? No. We don't live in that kind of world."

Several shareholders or their proxies peppered Murdy with questions about everything from water quality to wages in some of the countries where the company operates its mines. Most of the concerns centered on operations in Nevada, Peru, Indonesia and Ghana. full article

DJ Newmont CEO: Will Work On Community Concerns Worldwide

(Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)ENGLEWOOD, Colorado, Apr 25, 2006 (Dow Jones Commodities News Select via Comtex) --As protesters beat drums outside and critics raised questions inside, Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM) CEO Wayne Murdy told the annual shareholders meeting Tuesday he would work with communities around the company's gold mining operations worldwide.

Marco Arana of Peru, speaking in Spanish, asked Murdy whether Newmont would pay its Peruvian workers salaries equivalent to its employees at its Denver headquarters.

Peru was the site of violent protests by local villagers last year against Newmont's plans to expand its giant Yanacocha mine in northern Peru, Dow Jones Newswires has reorted.

Daniel Owusu-Koranteng of Ghana asked him to commit to improving the water supply there.

Representatives of a Shoshone Indian group in Nevada asked Newmont to promise not to seek privatization of Indian lands that are targets for mining. full article