Foreign investment

Joint briefing by WDM, LMN, WALHI, FoE Australia and DTE

October 2014

For centuries, the indigenous Dayak peoples of Indonesian Borneo lived from the abundant forests and rivers that blanketed the
region. Now, BHP Billiton is planning to build a series of massive coal mines that would destroy primary rainforest, deprive indigenous peoples of their customary land, and pollute water sources relied on by up to 1 million people.

Click on the link below for the full text.

Extract from a report by Richard Solly, Co-ordinator, London Mining Network, November 5th 2013

Go to full report on LMN's website

In the days when Don Argus was Chairman of BHP Billiton, the company’s critics could rely on getting a metaphorical kick in the throat from a man not noted for courtesy. Jac Nasser is as smooth as silk but his answers to the same criticisms are just as unsatisfactory.

DTE Briefing, 22nd February, 2013

Shareholders from Down to Earth, London Mining Network and War on Want attended Bumi plc's meeting in London yesterday to question the company about the devastating impacts of its coal-mining operations in Kalimantan.

The following is extracted from 'Killing me softly with his song: inside another BHP Billiton AGM', October 25, 2012. Reflection by Richard Solly, Co-ordinator, London Mining Network.

Andrew Hickman of Down to Earth spoke of the destructiveness of the company’s coal project in Kalimantan, Indonesia. He was told that the company was still studying possibilities and would not go ahead with any major project during the coming year...

DTE briefing in advance of the visit of President SBY to UK, October-November 2012

For the full briefing pack with contributions from DTE and other civil society organisations, click here.

Policies aimed at promoting economic growth in Indonesia are leading to more and more of the country’s land and resources being taken over by large businesses. The process is further marginalizing Indonesia’s indigenous peoples and local communities.

Civil society groups question UK-Indonesia ties

Briefing by NGO Forum for Indonesia and Timor-Leste
18 October 2012

Fourteen years ago, the downfall of President Suharto in 1998 set Indonesia on a course of reform and democratic transition that has impressively transformed the country from a harshly repressive
dictatorship to a chaotic yet functional democracy.

But many problems remain. The country’s overall record on human rights, the rule of law and religious freedoms, still falls far short of accepted international standards.