Rio Tinto partners with DIHR on Human Rights

Rio Tinto and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) have signed a three-year agreement to collaborate on developing and promoting human rights tools for international businesses and on further enhancing Rio Tinto's global human rights policies.

Post By : IJ News Service On 12 April 2011 12:23 PM
{{ANTWERP, BELGIUM}}, November 29, 2005 - {{Peter Meeus}}, the Managing Director of the HRD, has called for calm in what recently has been an acrimonious public debate among the leadership of the Antwerp diamond sector about the strategic direction that should be followed by the local industry. %% "Those who have been following events in Antwerp recently have been provided with the image of a sector that seems to be living on an island," Meeus said. "This perception is detrimental to our ability to attract business, and it erodes any goodwill that exists within Government to help our business community. Therefore, it is high time for a 'cease-fire' amongst the Antwerp leaders."
Keep Pace with Changing World:
Meeus was addressing participants at a farewell dinner in honor of {{Gary Ralfe}}, the outgoing Managing Director of De Beers, Meeus put the position of the Belgian industry into sharp perspective. "Today, the diamond market has become global. And there's nothing Gary, Jacky, Arthur, Chaim or a new messiah can do about it. So basically, the only choice we have is how to deal with this changing world. Our answer will determine whether our future is ahead or behind us."%% Referring to the negative atmosphere that has engulfed the HRD in the past months, Meeus called for an open and inclusive approach to be adopted. "Antwerp should embrace the producers-De Beers, Rio Tinto, BHP, Alrosa and the outsiders-as they and only they will decide whether this city will remain the world's first distribution centre for rough diamonds, or not. That means you take them on board, rather than to court. Antwerp should also embrace strong players in the market, including Indians, Lebanese and others, and attribute leadership positions on the basis of skill and merit, instead of excluding people because of how they are labeled, because of their color, because of their religion, or because they are Sightholders or not."
De Beers' Position Changed:
Meeus was also clear about the future relationship with De Beers, saying : 'We all know De Beers is not the grand uncle anymore that distributes cookies to the children every time they come and sit on his knee. Just as we do not want to go begging for cookies anymore, we want to receive them because we deserve them."
Coalition of Forces Advocated:
The HRD managing director called for an across-the-board coalition of forces in the industry. "Antwerp should embrace unity. In their wisdom, our ancestors most probably chose the expression {{'L'union fait la force'}} as Belgium's national motto, because they were sensitive that for centuries we have been ruled by foreign empires, and because they remembered the Fall of Antwerp in 1585, when a lack of unity between the Antwerp guilds allowed {{Alexander Farnese}} and his Spanish troops to defeat Marnix of {{St.-Aldegonde}}, the mayor of Antwerp, thereby closing down the River Scheldt for more than 100 years. Unity is the only weapon we require if we want to remain in control of our own destiny." (AFNS)

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