Accra, Nov. 14, GNA - The National Coalition on Mining on Wednesday said it had asked the Ghana Chamber of Mines to take appropriate steps to ensure that mining companies ceased further alleged violent acts and incidences of human rights abuses in communities in which they operated. Also, the Chamber must carry out an audit of its members regarding their behaviour and practices relating to alleged human rights abuses and ensure that appropriate payment of compensation was made to victims. Mr Abdulai Daramani, Environment Programme Officer of the Third World Network (TWN), told the press that the Coalition made the specific demands at a meeting with the Ghana Chamber of Mines to find lasting solutions to increases in alleged cases of violence and human rights abuses against people living in mining communities. The meeting, held at the instance of the Coalition, is part of on-going national campaign launched a year ago to stop violence in mining communities.

The group had already met with the Attorney-General and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). Mr Daramani said in addition the Coalition had asked the Chamber to ensure that members complied with due process of the laws of Ghana as well as international conventions on human rights by treating suspects with dignity and respect.

He said the meeting was held in a frank and cordial manner but he was unhappy that the Chamber was not willing to listen to real cases of abuses from some people from mining communities, who were present at the meeting.

Miss Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, was happy about the meeting, saying such acts of alleged violence called for action from all stakeholders.

She said the Chamber on her own had taken action on some of the alleged cases and said most of the demands being made by the Coalition were part of the Code of conduct of the members of the Chamber. The Coalition had listed violent, illegal arrest and detention, torture of persons arrested, assault and battery and harassment as the nature of human rights abuses commonly reported by the communities. Miss Aryee said the Chamber would study the report submitted by the Coalition and make the appropriate response in two weeks.