Environmentalism

An Irish ex-foreign correspondent for the Financial Times uncovers a campaign by Western environmentalists against a mine proposed by a Canadian mining company at Rosia Montana in the Transylvania region of Romania.

http://www.mineyourownbusiness.org/index.htm

He writes:

"Hundreds of years after we have become rich and comfortable by removing our forests and exploiting our natural resources such as coal, oil, and gold we are now going to the poorest countries on the planet to prevent them from doing what we did and having what we have."

"Mine Your Own Business demolishes the cosy consensus that environmentalists are well meaning, agenda free, activists and shows them to be anti-development ideologues who think the poor are happy being poor and don't want the development that we, in the west, take for granted."

"Environmenalists are against growth."

"The documentary hacks away at the cosy image of environmentalists' as well meaning, harmless activists."

It appears that Phelim McAleer, with funding from Canadian mining company, Gabriel Resources, has exposed the true face of environmentalism.

"When a representative of Gabriel Resources asked me to write a brochure about the project I declined, but I did suggest that if they did not interfere editorially I would make a documentary."

http://insidedenver.com/drmn/speak_out/article

And the Blog:

http://mineyourownbusiness.blogspot.com/

A news report on today's RTE 6 O'Clock news 'discussed' the new film. The story resonates quite loudly, with the same criticisms being leveled at protesters here. With the Shell to Sea campaign, the media have attempted, at times, to portray the environmental aspect of the protest as one that is opposed to development, opposed to progress, opposed to profit etc etc. i.e. against the interests of the country.

This report again, 4 substantial minutes, was uncritical and acted merely as a movie preview. There was no reference to the fact the documentary was apparently funded by the mining company attempting to secure the venture.

"Stop development at the expense of the poor."

I left these questions on their blog:

Out of interest, how much does Gabriel Resources stand to gain from this venture?

I understand there is something like 500,000 ounces of Gold to be harvested. What percentage of these profits are likely to filter down to the state and the local people?

Is the project aimed at allowing the poor of the region to exploit their natural resources or allowing foreign investors to eploit their resources? Essentially repeating the same process the director refers to; "Hundreds of years after we have become rich and comfortable by removing our forests and exploiting our natural resources."

Who funded this documentary? It appears from the Rocky Mountain News article that the mining company may have funded it. Is there any conflict of interest?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/1101/6news.html