War on Want have published a damning indictment of Anglo American. The report and related materials can be read here. The summary of the report says:

Anglo American is the world's second largest mining company.A UK-based corporation listed on the London Stock Exchange, Anglo American operates in 60 countries,most of them in the global South. Its subsidiaries include AngloGold Ashanti (one of the world's largest gold producers), De Beers (the world's largest diamonds producer), and Anglo Platinum (the world's largest platinum producer). It also owns businesses in coal, base and ferrous metals, industrial minerals and paper.Anglo American's global operations bring the company massive profits: its net profits rose by 76% in 2006 to $6.2 billion, up from $3.5 billion the previous year.

Anglo American prides itself not only on its profits and "market-beating returns" to shareholders but also on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) record.The company and its subsidiaries have received considerable negative publicity over recent years for their activities in war-torn countries, and it now wants to be seen to be cleaning up its act. To this end,Anglo American has made much of its 'good citizenship business principles' and its involvement in various voluntary CSR schemes:

"As a Group,we have become signatories to a number of international initiatives which,we believe,make a major contribution to building more sustainable futures.These include the Global Compact and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development."

For communities living with the impacts of Anglo American's activities, such voluntary initiatives mean very little. In countries scarred by civil war such as Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),Anglo American continues to profit from the conflict and associated human rights abuses which condemn local communities to insecurity and terror.Trade unionists who have stood up against AngloGold Ashanti mining operations in Colombia have been murdered by military units assigned to protect the company,while the company's links with armed groups responsible for human rights abuses in the DRC have raised serious questions over its continuing presence there.

In the Philippines and South Africa, local communities threatened with Anglo American mines have faced severe repression in their fight to stay on their land. In Ghana and Mali, local communities see little of the huge profits being made by AngloGold Ashanti but suffer from fear and intimidation and from the damaging impact of its mines on their environment, health and livelihoods. In Ghana, mining operations have devastated the environment and polluted vital water resources.

I know how much work goes into this sort of work, and the care that is taken in their preparation. It's time for Anglo to justify their actions. Murder's a big accusation to live down.

And next time you here about corruption in developing countries do ask who is doing it.