re: freakme - and curious-er. The West Australian 20/6/05(more...

re: freakme - and curious-er. The West Australian 20/6/05
(more shoddy journalism - a regurgitated PR from the lawyer, no attempt at being objective or balanced with the companies view)

Congo massacre prompts call for Anvil role probe
FERGUS SHIEL


A Melbourne lawyer will ask the Australian Federal Police this week to investigate whether an Australian mining company had a role in the massacre of at least 100 people.

Richard Meeran will present the AFP with witness accounts of the slaying of scores of people, mostly civilians, including children, by soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Witnesses say Perth-based Anvil Mining provided vehicles and a plane to transport the troops into the remote town of Kilwa, the site of the bloodbath.

A UN investigation into the suppression of a small rebel uprising on October14 found that at least 28 of those killed might have been summarily executed.

Anvil, which says it did no more than co-operate with a lawful government, has a mine 50km from Kilwa, where rebels attacked the police station.

Australian, African, British and American human rights groups are calling on Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to authorise a full investigation into Anvil's conduct.

Mr Meeran, who works for law firm Slater & Gordon, said individuals who committed crimes against humanity or war crimes overseas could be prosecuted under Australian law.

"Anvil and its employees clearly didn't kill people but anyone who assists in the commission of those crimes who knows and intends that its assistance will have that consequence can also be guilty of an offence," he said.

"So that's what we want the Australian Federal Police to investigate. It's their role under these legal provisions to investigate and, if appropriate, prosecute."

Mr Meeran was asked by British-based group Rights & Accountability in Development (RAID) and a Congolese non-government organisation to help explain what happened. He said Anvil would have a case to answer if its knowledge of the army's likely conduct could be established.

"RAID and the local NGO asked us to advise on what avenues might be available," Mr Meeran said.