The Try-Works

They’ve finally printed Tom Rowe’s letter. In a redacted form. With a biography that overlooks Mr. Rowe’s being a former dean of the department. But, hell, what’re you gonna do?

The University of Denver’s Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) tonight will award Wayne Murdy, chairman of Newmont Mining Corp., the International Bridge Builders Award. This conflicts with the school’s long-standing tradition of concern with advancing the rights of marginalized and oppressed individuals and groups.

Tom Farer, the dean of the school, has justified the award with the argument that Murdy has pushed Newmont toward greater social responsibility. In reality, however, Newmont’s operations on the ground do not measure up to the values to which the company claims to be committed.

The majority of the permanent faculty members at the GSIS have opposed the award on the grounds that the commitment to human rights and social responsibility seems to be mainly for public relations.

Since he served for years as CEO and chairman of Newmont, Murdy must bear responsibility for what the corporation does as well as what it says. We have had enough cases of senior leaders receiving awards while misbehavior is blamed on subordinates.

At Newmont’s Yanacocha mine in Peru, ongoing controversies have produced widespread violence and intimidation of critics of the company’s operations. Newmont could do much more to stop the violence. A recent publication from the World Resources Institute uses Newmont’s mine in Peru as a case study of what corporations should not do if they want to operate effectively and fairly within local communities.

In Indonesia, controversy continues to swirl around the environmental damage to Buyat Bay and the health consequences for local villagers. In Ghana, thousands of local farmers have been displaced and traditional livelihoods destroyed by Newmont’s mining operations, and local activists contend that Newmont works with local authorities to mistreat and imprison critics.

In North America, Newmont operates on Western Shoshone lands without their permission, damaging the environment and paying no royalties to the tribe for taking their resources.

In all of these cases, Newmont says it operates in accordance with local laws, which may be true. But evidence suggests a much too cozy relationship with local governments and officials. Moreover, if Newmont were really committed to behaving responsibly, it could simply do the right thing, whether legally required to do so or not.

It is at best premature for the GSIS to give any award to Murdy or Newmont. At Newmont’s shareholders’ meeting this spring, because of the controversies, it was decided there needed to be an independent study of Newmont’s operations and their impact on local communities. To advance the cause of corporate social responsibility, the GSIS ought at least to await the conclusions of that review before giving plaudits to anyone.

If the GSIS is truly concerned with advancing human rights, there are more appropriate people to honor than the chief executive of a huge corporation that has disrupted the lives of individuals and communities around the world.

One possibility might be Carrie Dann, the Western Shoshone activist who will be honored tonight by groups protesting the GSIS award to Murdy. She is a courageous woman who has fought for years for the rights of American Indians against the U.S. government and mining companies, including Newmont.

Another worthy honoree might be Mirtha Vasquez Chuquilin, who has been threatened with rape and murder for her work in Peru on behalf of communities protesting Newmont’s operations.

Still another might be Masnellyarti Hilman, the deputy minister of environment in Indonesia and Newmont’s nemesis there because of her accusations of terrible environmental damage at Buyat Bay. (She was educated at the Colorado School of Mines.)

These and other unsung activists who struggle on a daily basis for human rights and a decent environment, often at great sacrifice, are those who truly carry the burden of change and improvement. They may not be wealthy or individually powerful, but they should be recognized and honored for their attempts to build bridges to a better world.

Tom Rowe is an associate professor at DU’s Graduate School of International Studies.

Don’t forget, tonight’s the night. The fun will take place at the Denver Marriott, located at 17th and California, beginning at 6:00.