How a mining company violates human rights in bauxite mining in Guinea
The Federal Government guarantees in Guinea for the expansion of a mine for a million-dollar loan. 13 villages are affected by the negative effects of this mine: Hundreds of people are being resettled, losing fertile land and access to drinking water. Three rivers that supplied water to an adjacent village have dried up as a result of the Bauxitabbaus. People do not receive compensation. The Federal Government issued its loan guarantee, although it knew at an early stage about the human rights consequences of mining through a study by the Federal Environment Agency.
The bauxite from Guinea ends up in cars in Germany as aluminium. In 2017, 93 percent of German bauxite imports came from Guinea. The federal government has a special responsibility here. For the supply of raw materials to the German automotive industry, it must not disregard human rights. The federal government must comply with its human rights due diligence and link its credit guarantees much more closely to the observance of human rights.
