Mining Activities in Fort Dauphin: SEED’s Perspective and Role as a Local NGO
It is nearly a year on from when a letter of claim (a document sent by a claimant before the beginning of a formal lawsuit) was first raised against Rio Tinto, the mining company and its operating subsidiary in Fort Dauphin, QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM). Local communities have reported concerns that waterways used for drinking and domestic purposes may have been contaminated with harmful levels of pollution due to nearby mining activities.
With the mine’s proximity to Fort Dauphin and the proposed expansion into Sainte Luce, this is a challenging time for those living in and around the mining sites. The expansion would also have a profound impact on the conservation and rural livelihoods work we do there.
As we talk with people, their concerns and hopes will continue to guide the conversations that we have and the projects we develop over the coming years. However, with strongly held but differing views on the positives and negatives that the mine could bring to communities and the natural world, this can be a difficult and confusing area to navigate.
SEED has always been transparent about our relationships with communities, Rio Tinto, and QMM. However, with the growing attention this topic is likely to receive in the coming years, we want to take this opportunity to reaffirm our position on the mine, our relationships with all stakeholders, and our commitment to supporting both communities and biodiversity.
Our relationship with community and biodiversity:
As a leading organisation in the country’s southeast, we have worked hard to build the trusted relationships we have locally. The majority of our staff are Malagasy and live here, allowing us to engage daily with communities. We listen to their concerns, support them in voicing these issues, and work together to implement projects that help mitigate the future impacts of mining.
SEED’s primary focus is to support both local communities and the environment in building resilience against future shocks, including those that may arise from the proposed mining activities. We actively advocate for the interests of both the community and the environment, believing that the most effective approach is to engage with a wide range of community groups, local leaders, and NGOs. This ensures that local concerns are amplified and reach audiences both here in Madagascar and internationally. This is particularly true for those livelihoods such as fishing and reed weaving which depend solely on the natural resources from the area - vital income sources that our Project Mahampy and Project Oratsimba work closely to protect.
Our relationship with Rio Tinto/QMM:
SEED is, and has always been, financially independent from both Rio Tinto and QMM and will never take funding for projects from them. We believe both real and perceived independence from the mine is essential to our ability to maintain trust and effectively support communities. We also recognise, however, that open and frank dialogue with Rio Tinto and QMM is the best way of achieving positive results for the community. We therefore engage with local and international representatives from the mining group, participate in working groups, and share conservation research findings and insights with the QMM Biodiversity team in Fort Dauphin.
Our Conservation team has completed cross-visits with the QMM team, gaining insight into their reforestation efforts and the steps being taken to address long-term community and environmental impacts. Visits have also provided an opportunity to share lessons from our own conservation initiatives, such as the Ala Programme in Sainte Luce. Additionally, we maintain an ongoing dialogue with Rio Tinto and QMM representatives in both the UK and Madagascar to advocate for improved outcomes for communities and biodiversity.
With our biodiversity research now in its 15th year, we aim to leverage the invaluable data generated through our projects to help inform decision-making and mitigate the risks that future mining poses to both biodiversity and livelihoods.
The wider landscape, in Madagascar and beyond:
There are a number of other key stakeholders both here in Madagascar and abroad, each playing a different role in the protection of biodiversity and community, and dissemination of information relating to the mine. Key players include the Andrew Lees Trust, a UK-based advocacy group with a local partner here in Fort Dauphin, and Leigh Day, the law firm responsible for many high-profile human rights cases, including this one being brought on behalf of the local community here in Madagascar’s southeast.
It is important to distinguish between the different roles we all play. SEED, as mentioned, is not responsible for seeking to bring about the ending of mining activities here. Instead, we are here to represent community views and relay our research findings to all stakeholders, advising on the potential long-term impacts mining could have on the environment and community.
Conclusion
We continue to keep a close eye on all unfolding developments surrounding the likely legal action and the progress of the future mine, frequently discussing as a team our approach and the wider part our projects can play in vocalising the needs of the community and unique environment. We are in regular discussions with people locally and internationally to ensure the outcomes for the region we love, live and work in are prioritised.