Mining Conflicts are a Great Challenge Facing Humala’s Government

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Ruth Green

Last month UK-based company Monterrico Metals agreed to an out-of-court settlement to 33 Peruvian farmers over claims of abuse during protests in Rio Blanco in northern Peru in 2005. As incoming President Ollanta Humala lines up his cabinet, there are still many questions hanging over the exploitation of Amazon territory and the treatment of indigenous communities.

As with many other Latin American countries, Peru is no stranger to protests over mineral exploitation or other energy-related projects. Yet as a country which has some of the most sought after mineral resources in the world, the recent case with Monterrico has exposed the ugly side of foreign investment in Peru. In August 2005, 33 farmers were taking part in a protest over human rights when they were detained and tortured at a copper mine owned by Monterrico in Rio Blanco. Five protesters were shot and two female protesters were sexually abused in the attack. Although the exact amount of compensation has not been disclosed, the settlement marks a significant milestone in accountability and corporate social responsibility for mining companies in the country. Richard Meeran, a partner at UK firm Leigh Day & Company that represented the farmers, said “This constitutes a salutary lesson for multinationals operating in developing countries.”

Published on 08-08-11. Read on here

The Struggle for Africa – The fight to establish law and justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Ruth Green

Here is my latest article published in IBA Global Insight:

While the Democratic Republic of Congo is among the world’s most resource-rich countries, it has also been crippled by war and corruption. IBA Global Insight assesses the ongoing fight to establish law and justice in the heart of Africa.

In June last year, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) celebrated 50 years of independence from Belgium. Despite the festivities, the country had little to celebrate. The DRC has been characterised by brutality for over a decade and an estimated 5.4 million people have died from the effects of the country’s two recent wars. Although the 2006 election – the country’s first free elections for four decades – suggested progress, the country has seen the rape of more than 200,000 women and children over the past 12 years. The eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, which share a border with Rwanda, have been two of the areas most affected by violence, displacement and insecurity due to continuous clashes between rebel groups, pro-government militia and the armed forces.

Published on 03-08-11. Read on here

On the record

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Ruth Green

Here is my latest article published in Prospect:

Through Wikileaks, phone-hacking, and the obstacles facing journalists across the Middle East, the traditional practices of the media industry have come up against many challenges over the past year. According to Reporters Without Borders, around 57 journalists were killed last year in connection with their work. This month a new play On the Record arrives at London’s Arcola Theatre, dramatizing the dangers faced by the world’s independent journalists.

Stories about journalists are usually reported either in print or in documentaries, so it is rather novel that Christine Bacon and Noah Birksted-Breen have decided to bring the stories of six real-life journalists to the stage. As Birksted-Breen notes, “it has been a challenge, as obviously the relationship between the actors and the audience is quite different in documentary theatre compared with film documentaries. There isn’t a lot of theatre about journalism and when there is, it’s usually satirising journalism. We really wanted to show how big a difference there is between independent journalism and mainstream media.”

Published on 26-07-11. Read on here

The Belarusian 'Clapping' Revolution

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Ruth Green

My first blog for Huffington Post UK:

While strikes and protests the world over have dominated much of the news this year, the Belarusians are adopting a rather unusual form of anti-government protest: clapping.

In what has now become a weekly ritual that has steadily gathered momentum, on Wednesday hundreds of people once again lined the streets and clapped in silence. Why clapping you might ask? Well in June, Russian news agency Ria-Novosti reported that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had placed a ban on all forms of protest. So the Belarusians are getting their own back now and instead of chanting or holding banners and placards, they merely stand in silence and clap their hands in a taunting gesture to protest against Lukashenko’s government.

Published on 12-07-11. Read on here

An interview with… Santiago Roncagliolo

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Ruth Green

Here is my interview with Santiago Roncagliolo for Booktrust:

In the busy hub of Foyle’s cafe, I meet the winner of this year’s Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, Santiago Roncagliolo. In spite of the building publicity surrounding the Prize over the past few weeks, it is unlikely that any of the other cafe goers would think twice to look at Roncagliolo. A Peruvian-born writer, he moved to Spain ten years ago and his political thriller Abril Rojo (Red April) was awarded the prestigious Spanish literary prize the Premio Alfaguara de Novela in 2006. However, until last Thursday, he has remained, relatively unknown elsewhere in Europe. Now at the age of just 36, he has triumphed once again and has become the youngest ever recipient of the IFFP for Red April.

Published on 31-05-11. Read on here