Continental Minerals Corporation: No Business Being in Tibet

Students for a Free Tibet will take to the streets later this month to call for Continental Minerals Corporation to cease their mining operations in Tibet. A Canadian company and subsidiary of Hunter Dickinson Incorporated, Continental Minerals is one of the most advanced mining companies in the illegally-occupied Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Cooperating with the Chinese government, Continental Minerals is leading the effort to exploit Tibet’s natural resources without the consent of the Tibetan people who rightfully own the land.

Due to the troubling situation, Tibetans and their supporters will hold a demonstration in Vancouver on Saturday, June 20^th, on the eve of the Continental Minerals annual general meeting (AGM), with supporters coming from Victoria, Oregon, Washington State, and other surrounding areas.

SFT and other supporters will also make their voices heard on the day of the AGM, Wednesday, June 24^th, not only in Vancouver but globally as well. In Canada, SFT Toronto will hold a solidarity protest on the day of the AGM to shed light on the present situation and to put additional pressure on the Canadian company from across the country.

If you’re not going to be in the Vancouver or Toronto areas, no sweat; you can still take part in voicing your opinion! From Monday June 22^nd to Wednesday June 24^th, phone or fax Continental Minerals to let them know that what they’re doing is wrong! Let them know that they have no business being in Tibet and stealing resources from the Tibetan people. Tell them that as a company that prides itself on being ‘socially responsible’, you expect them to do the right thing and withdraw their operations from Tibet. Look out for SFT’s action alert closer to the AGM date for more information.

In light of the recent victory by Tibetans in Markham, Tibet (click here to read about it), we feel the need even more so to rise up and pressure Continental Minerals to pull out of Tibet. By blocking the road to the mining site considered sacred by residents, Ser Ngul Lo, the Tibetans in Markham risked their lives in the name of human rights and the environment. After about 3 months of hundreds of Tibetans protesting, which resulted in 6 Tibetan women being shot by Chinese police forces, the Tibetans and the Chinese authorities finally reached a settlement, with the Chinese promising to halt their mining operations in Markham. We hope this victory is one that will start a domino effect for other companies mining in Tibet, and one that will make Continental realize that they should pull out and cut its losses from a project that will otherwise result in global shame.

If you’re not already on our mailing list, you can subscribe at: http://actionnetwork.org/sft/join.html.

For more information, and details about protests in your area, please visit: www.stopminingtibet.com.