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Challenges at Shetongmon
TibetInfoNet Update 21 October 2006
Three incidents that have occurred during the summer of 2006 in Shetongmon
(Chin: Xietongmen) county, close to Shigatse, where the Canadian company
Continental Minerals operates a copper-gold exploration project (see
TibetInfoNet’s report 5 July 2006), provide a unique insight into how rural
Tibetans strive to balance the desire for economic opportunities and an
equitable share in Tibet’s development, with the wish to preserve the
integrity
of their local social fabric and cultural identity. Although incidents
such as
those described here are daily occurrences at numerous mining projects all
over
Tibet, they mostly escape direct public attention. In the case of the
Shetongmon
project however, the presence of foreign investors inevitably creates a high
level of international awareness. While foreign investors with Western
stakeholders are bound to international standards of socially and
environmentally responsible mineral exploitation, the Chinese authorities
must
juggle their all-determining concern for ‘stability’ with the need to
create a
conducive environment that will attract further foreign investment into
Tibet.
Key issues for both parties’ success appear to rely on a respectful
handling of
Tibetan culture and sensitivities, a more direct grass-root involvement of
the
local Tibetan population at all decision-making levels and a development
model
that provides direct and measurable benefits to Tibetans ahead of economic
migrants. However, implementing these within the politically highly sensitive
environment of the TAR continues to be challenging.
The initial incident happened on 19 June 2006, when a team from
Continental was
sent to assess the potential of establishing a site for tailings near a
village
situated about 3km east from the actual area under exploration. Up until that
point, no work had taken place at that location. Local leaders had verbally
agreed to this and an acceptable level of compensation, as prescribed by
Chinese
law, was established. However, the team began their work before any
compensation
was paid and some villagers objected to what their leaders had agreed. They
insisted, during the course of heated discussions, that payment should be
made
before any work commenced. They then blocked the road in order to make
sure that
the team could not leave before the issue was resolved. Responding to this,
Continental’s representatives(1) agreed to defer any test work until all
arrangements were clearly established and agreed upon. They also altered
their
plans for drawing local water for their drilling, in acknowledgement of the
worries of some villagers that their water supply might be affected. This
settlement ensured that work could continue. In order to prevent incidents
like
this happening in the future, a mechanism was put in place through which the
villagers would receive regular updates on the work programme from the
community
relations team(2), so that they could voice their concerns and have them
addressed in advance.
The second incident occurred in mid-August 2006. At the site under
exploration
there were three drilling companies working: a Chinese company, a company
from
the Philippines and the Australian arm of a Canadian drill company all
hired by
Continental. Personnel from the latter drilling company brought
prostitutes into
their camp, thus breaching the policies of both Continental and the drill
company. Following protestations from the local villagers, the drill workers
were dismissed and the drill company withdrew from the project. Additional
measures were also taken, including more frequent inspections, to enforce
this
policy more rigorously. However, with the drill company’s withdrawal from the
site, some Tibetan workers, who were being paid reasonable rates by the
company,
also lost employment opportunities, thus creating some discontent.
The third and most recent incident occurred on the exploration site
between 09
and 12 October 2006. It involved four drill workers from the Chinese company
contracted by Continental. On the evening of 09 October, the workers, who are
ethnic Chinese, were observed by local villagers near the Tsangpo River pump
station hunting for wild pigeons. The villagers, who were probably upset
by the
hunting(3), believed that the workers from the drilling company were
attempting
to steal the pumps from the station. They seized and beat the workers and
subsequently handed them over to the local authorities in neighbouring
Rongma.
The authorities in turn handed over the four workers to the county police who
detained them at Shetongmon police station and launched their own
investigation.
On 10 October, before releasing the suspects, the county police and county
government officials told the locals that they had found no evidence that the
mine workers had attempted to steal the water pumps. This enraged some of the
locals who refused to accept the conclusion of the investigation. They
pointed
out that when pumps had disappeared in the past, the police had been
unable to
find the culprits, and because of this they prevented the county government
officials and police from leaving the village. On the following day, Tibetan
county officials went to the village in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
The
villagers refused to listen to their explanations, claiming that the county
government had been bribed. The situation then deteriorated into a verbal and
physical altercation between the villagers and the government officials and
police, in the course of which some locals shouted: “All Chinese out of
Tibet”.
Eventually, under the protection of local government officials, the county
delegation managed to leave the village. However, on the same evening (11
October), an emergency meeting was held between Shigatse prefecture and
Shetongmon county government on which a decision was made to involve the
prefecture government in further proceedings and, if necessary, to bring in
armed police to calm the situation down. According to sources, the government
authorities felt that it was unlikely that the villagers would have
reacted so
strongly to the theft of water pumps and that that demands, such as: "All
Chinese out of Tibet", would more likely originate from someone with
‘overseas
connections’. According to Continental, on the same evening, their site
manager
made clear that the company would favour a peaceful solution to the
incident, as
this would be in the best interests of all involved parties. The site manager
made it particularly clear that the company did not wish to see any locals
taken
away by police.
On 12 October, the prefecture and county officials met the villagers
again, but
after half a day of discussion some locals still disputed the fact that
they had
overreacted over the issue, and that the police investigation was fair and
transparent. Another heated argument ensued, involving some senior local
government officials, and police were called in to isolate 4-5 individuals
who
government officials regarded as being particularly vocal. However, once
local
leaders assured that such incidents would not happen again, the police
eventually withdrew from the village without any arrests.
Continental Minerals dismissed all four of the workers involved from the
project, and gave the drilling company a written warning for breaching their
code of conduct at the site and imposed a fine of 40,000RMB on them. The
drilling company’s general manager arrived at the site on the 13 October,
endorsed Continental decisions and the fine was paid the following day.
On 14 October, the county government sent in a work team to start a 5-day
‘law
education programme’ in the villages on the site and its vicinity.
According to
sources, the declared purpose of the programme is to advise the villagers on
respect for law and order, police process, as well as the importance of the
project for the local economy.
On 15 October, the fine paid by the drill company was handed over to
Shetongmon
county government. A staff meeting, including all contractors at the site,
was
held on the same day to reinforce the site’s official policies and
regulations.
It was also decided that Continental would intensify consultations with all
villagers after the county government work team’s departure in order to
receive
feedback from the communities and prevent similar incidents occurring in the
future. An additional community meeting with all three villages involved
is also
scheduled prior to the demobilization of the drilling teams at the end of
October. Other activities, like the environmental assessment process and the
community engagement program etc, are scheduled to continue over the winter
months.
1: The operating company in Tibet is actually Tibet Tianyuan Minerals
Exploration Ltd, a company 100% owned by Continental Minerals, Vancouver.
However, for the sake of clarity, the company is simply referred to as
‘Continental’.
2: According to information provided by Continental, their community
relations
team is composed of six Tibetans (a community liaison officer for each of the
three villages concerned, a community relations manager, and an environmental
manager, both from the area).
3: The hunting of small animals, a popular pastime for Chinese immigrants in
Tibet, is often regarded by Tibetans as running against their religious
feelings. In many cases, ethnic clashes in different parts of Tibet between
Tibetans and Chinese started from Tibetans objecting to such activities.
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