KI says no to De Beers

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug has decided not to allow De Beers to conduct mineral exploration on its traditional lands.
KI Chief Donny Morris and council said in a Dec. 6 letter to De Beers that they “have to make it clear that we will not and cannot consent to any mineral exploration in our traditional territory at this stage.”
The letter was copied to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the United Nations.
De Beers, which operates a diamond mine near Attawapiskat First Nation, had written to KI this past September proposing to carry out exploration for diamonds in an area to the north of the community. The area is directly next to the KI reserve and covers much of KI’s territory.
“I cannot overemphasize the real clear danger that my people see when confronted with the threat of mining activity on our territory,” Morris said. “KI stopped Platinex exploration in our territory because it would have destroyed the watershed that our people depend on.”
Tom Ormsby, De Beers’ director of External and Corporate Affairs, said De Beers had been looking to begin a dialogue with KI about conducting exploration on the community’s traditional territory.
“Obviously, we are disappointed we were unable to put together a program at this time, but we certainly respect the decision of the community,” Ormsby said. “We understand there are a number of protocols and policies to make about the use of their land and we will respect that.”
Ormsby said De Beers wants to keep the dialogue open in the future.
“We’ve been in dialogue in various stages of formal and informal discussion with KI for quite some time, so we hope to keep that dialogue open,” Ormsby said. “The key for us is to keep that dialogue open as we continue to develop our plans across Canada in the future.”
KI laid out a number of issues, which said must be recognized before mining exploration can be contemplated.
Companies must respect decision
These include the community having jurisdiction and control over its territory and having final decision making power; inherent, Aboriginal and treaty rights having to be respected and KI indigenous laws being followed; KI studies on land use and occupancy, traditional ecological knowledge and land use plans must being completed; and full protection for the full Big Trout Lake watershed must be implemented and respected.
Other issues the community would want addressed include a full contaminants study, PCB source determination, clean up and healing being completed; and free prior and informed consent, conventions on biodiversity and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples being respected.
“Our work here will continue to promote the preservation and protection of KI homelands completely,” said Jacob Ostaman, KI director of lands and environment. “Our antagonists will have to respect our position of complete reverence to our natural world and that their destructive ways must stop.”
KI had prevented mining exploration company Platinex from exploring their traditional lands in 2007. That led to a $10 billion lawsuit by Platinex against the community and the March 2008 six-month jail sentence for Morris, Deputy Chief Jack McKay, Head Coun. Cecilia Begg, councillors Sam McKay and Darryl Sainnawap and band employee Bruce Sakakeep. The group was charged with contempt of court for breaking an October 2007 court order that would have allowed Platinex to begin exploratory drilling near the community.
The KI 6, as the imprisoned KI leaders became to be known, were released in May 2008 after serving more than two months of their six-month sentences.
Ontario bought out Platinex’s claim in late 2009.