by Pamela Powers Hannley
"There is no more heinous crime one human being can commit against another than domination."
—Sara of South Bisbee
"The greatest crimes against humanity are perpetrated by people just doing their jobs."
– Chris Hedges.
International mining company Freeport-McMoRan is shutting down South Bisbee. Here is the story from Bisbee Video Blogger Alison McLeod.
No doubt Richard Ducote, Community Affairs Manager for Freeport-McMoRan, was doing his job when he informed the lifelong residents of South Bisbee, Arizona, that they would be paid $50 a square foot for their homes, and had five months to move out.
Like the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries, some homes have already been destroyed before the homeowners had time to remove their belongings.
Although it seems a local issue, the plight of these residents is as global as it is timeless. It is the story of every person robbed of life savings by financial corporations, of every home foreclosed, of every indigenous people exploited and poisoned by the oil corporations.
Here are four stories, including that of 63-year resident Mabel Farley, whose husband worked all his life for "Phillip Dodge," who raised her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in her house in South Bisbee, and who cannot conceive of the multinational Freeport-McMoRan Mining Corporation except as a person, who "must be a very mean man."
Videos after the jump…
South Bisbee Sara's Story
In June the international mining company Freeport McMoran notified South Bisbee residents that they had five months to leave, and offered them $50 per square foot for their houses. Several homeowners said they felt pressured to sign documents agreeing to the terms, or they would receive zero compensation. Most notably, part of the package required residents to relinquish all medical legal claims against the mining company for any related health issues, present or future. As the mining company reclaims and covers soil contaminated by years of heavy metal poisoning, here is one fearless voice from the heart of our community. Sara speaks, and what she had to say will haunt me forever.
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I wrote to the Dept of the Interior. This is what they wrote back to me.
Dear *****
Members of my staff at the Western Region’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement(OSMRE) a bureau within the US Dept of Interior, received your email stating your concerns regarding the hardrock mining operation in southern Arizona.
OSMRE, formed under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) is authorized to regulate coal mining and reclamation operations, ie. OSM does not have the authority to regulate hard rock mining operations. (Information about SMCRA’S requirements, by either state or by OSM, on active coal mine operations can be found at http://www.osmre.gov/rcm/rcm.shtm.) However,within the state of Arizona, the office of the State Mine Inspector does regulate this type of operation. The State Mine Inspector can be reached at 602-543-5971 and is located at 1700 W Washington, in Phoenix. (http://www.asmi.state.az.us/agency info/default.asp) Your concerns about the referenced mine should be addressed to the state. Documents relating to this mine, as well as the state agency’s review and approval of the mining plans, should be publically available for review.
I hope this information provides you a better source for expressing your concerns for hardrock mining in Arizona.
Respectfully,
Rick L. Williamson
Program Support Division
Indian Programs Branch Manager
so there you have it…wonder how much they paid the state mine inspector to let this travesty happen to the people of S. Bisbee? I was happy to see that the Dept of Interior got back with me so quickly. I wrote my email last Friday very late at night…
Here’s the link to “The Hero of South Bisbee” -on Vimeo this time due to copyright on the music: http://vimeo.com/47106223
Below is the ‘letter to the editor’ that appeared in both the Bisbee Observer and the SV/ Bisbee Review/Herald. I petitioned the Bisbee City Council to address the issue of a letter of ‘support’ for the South Bisbee lessees, for an extension of lease termination for 6 months, until June 2013. The letter would be sent to Freeport-McMoRan.The petition mentioned in the newspapers gained almost 700 signatures and were presented to FMI (I have been told by South Bisbee residents).
This coming Tuesday (August 7, at 7pm) the issue is on the agenda.
Thanks for the interest, Gerry
To the Editor:
In consideration of South Bisbee residents’ lease terminations with Freeport-McMoran (FMI), many of the residents have lived there for decades. Yes, they long ago signed leases with Phelps Dodge (PD) that gave them only 30 days to leave if asked. However, through the years residents received assurances from PD that there was no cause for worry; that if it were necessary to relocate plenty of time would be given, such as a year or two. This I remember from conversations that I had with PD personnel when I lived in South Bisbee in the 1970s.
The hasty schedule the lessees were given doesn’t reflect the needs of these elder folks (some with disabilities), particularly when the extreme heat (with possible rains) of the summer season is upon us. The lessees are not temporary renters being asked to move to another apartment. They have to relocate their whole lives and accumulations, after hopefully finding a place to relocate to. Having been lulled into a false sense of security (through time and/or assurances) some residents made costly improvements over the last few years. That won’t bother the bulldozers.
It should be obvious to all that FMI had to have known for a number of years that the reclamation work they were doing would involve moving residents out of South Bisbee, given permitting requirements, etc. The decent thing would have been to personally alert the residents a year or two ahead of time. Yes, FMI has the legal right to request that the lessees vacate. The manner in which they do it is the issue.
As the larger Bisbee community learns, through local news media and word of mouth, about the South Bisbee situation, concern and dismay is being voiced at the apparent careless treatment of these neighbors in our community. A petition is in circulation that reflects that dismay and concern. The petition asks Freeport-McMoran for an extension of time until June 2, 2013. To my mind that is reasonable, and I signed it. I encourage others who care, to sign it.
To their credit, we know that this multi-billion dollar corporation (FMI) has given money to various worthwhile community causes. Yet, money isn’t everything. How the residents of South Bisbee are treated during this period of change will show the true character of Freeport-McMoran.
Respectfully submitted,
Gerry Doud Bisbee
Read in my weekly Bisbee Observer August 2, an article noting that 12 of 13 home owners have signed agreements. As requested by residents, a 3rd party provided independent square footage assessments of the homes “which increased the total prices of many of the homes”. Leroy Brockbank “a Bisbee resident and real estate professional” has been hired by Freeport and is working with the residents individually. We’re pretty familiar with active local real estate agents, haven’t heard of him. His AZ real estate license expired in 2003 and he didn’t have a designated broker shown or company affiliation. Other links show him in Del Mar, CA.(?) He IS a Class of ’58 grad from Bisbee High, but you wonder what kind of ‘representation’ he has given or can give to these elderly residents? Stay tuned . . .
Thank you so much for making these painful stories come to life for the rest of us that had no idea…my thoughts go out to all these families that are being effected by this entire travesty. I hope that Steve contacts you. Please continue doing what you do.
I would love to videotape your house and your story…also am trying to get in touch with Hida. My cell is 249-0558.
Oh, Steve:) What a heartwarming story…I want you to know that I didn’t stop after I read this story and watched these videos. I wrote to the Feds…dept of Interior and Mining and Reclamation..I will call on Monday to see if they are doing anything to address this. My heart goes out to all of the families that have been put in this position. Just please let others there know that people like me, hear them…calls should be made by the residents there…don’t take “NO” for an answer!!
Here’s the info you need to pass along!
If you have a question, comment or concern, please let us know. Here are a few ways you can contact the U.S. Department of the Interior, Secretary Salazar and our bureaus:
Mailing Address:
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
Phone: (202) 208-3100
E-Mail: feedback@ios.doi.gov
Web: Feedback form
People and Bureaus:
Employee Directory – available by phone (202) 208-3100
National Park Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Land Management
Office of Surface Mining
Minerals Management Service
U.S. Geological Survey
Bureau of Reclamation
Good luck to all of you! I will make my voice heard, I promise you…we ALL need to raise our voices against this injustice…pass these contact numbers around
My family and I live in South Bisbee. I call this our “Miracle House”. My wife and I were living at my mom’s in 1986 because I couldn’t find work. We wanted our own place so bad. My wife & I went down to the altar for prayer at our church to be able to somehow buy a house. The very next day my brother, sister & I were painting my mom’s neighbor’s house. She was old & couldn’t afford to have it painted so we were doing it free. A gentleman came by who was the old woman’s nephew & asked if I would give him an estimate to do some painting on a house. I said sure, so he took me to South Bisbee to look at the house. As I was doing the estimate, he asked me if I knew anybody who wanted to buy a house. I said, my wife and I do but there’s no way we could ever buy this one. The house was very nice you see. But he said, I’ll sell it to U for 15K and carry it for 15 years. Though I wasn’t working, we bought that house! That was in August of 1986. We’ll miss this place very much, but we know that God has a plan for us. It is a very difficult mountain to climb, especially with the time restraint, but I know that we’ll get it done. Steve Willhite :O)
I hope the pushback gets more intense and that people start paying attention. Their very lives depend on it.
I really didn’t expect that either one of our Senators would intervein in this matter. Be nice if the local politicions would take this up. The town of Bisbee had a working relationship with Phelps Dodge. Freeport has been spreading money around town trying to buy a good name, then they turn around and just f–k over people. Corporations have no feelings and sure as hell don’t care about ours. Maybe the pushback against corporate power has started here in Bisbee. Hope it spreads rapidly.
When corporations write the laws, of course whatever they do is perfectly legal. That does not mean that it is not cruel, immoral, and unjust
SO there IS a connection between these Senators and this company. Thanks.My question was more rhetorical than anything else. I wasn’t accusing either one of them of anything…but I’m so glad that you confirmed my suspicions for me.Appreciate that.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00006424&year=2010
doesn’t show any Freeport ownership evident by John McCain though
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00006424&cycle=2012
does show that Freeport has donated a sum of $29,650 to John McCain’s campaign committee over the last 5 years
http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00006406&year=2010
shows that Jon Kyl owns $2,401 worth of stock in Freeport
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00006406&cycle=2012
appears to show that Freeport hasn’t contibuted any money to Jon Kyl’s campaign committee over the last 5 years
It isn’t necessary to just throw around claims that may or may not be true. That would make a person like Harry Reid.
http://theothermccain.com/2012/08/02/harry-reids-financial-mccarthyism-i-dont-think-the-burden-should-be-on-me/
In any case I don’t see that there is anything illegal being described above. I also don’t see any actions that would be prohibited if corporations weren’t “people”.
McCain and Kyl probably own stock in the company for all we know. They have never done anything for the PEOPLE of AZ. More wasted tax dollars. In the mean time, I hope that my emails serve some purpose. The people of the surrounding community shouldn’t HAVE to be the ones to do this!! As long as “corporations are people” then this will continue to go on. And no one will care because it doesn’t effect THEM. We have lost our way.
Also there is going to be a benefit on Sept. 1st in Bisbee to raise money and awareness for the people in South Bisbee. The people are trying to help out but a strong influential voice is needed. McCain! Kyle! Anybody!
It will be interesting to see if any politicians speak out on the behalf of the South Bisbee people. So far no one is addressing this issue. It is on the agenda for the next Bisbee council meeting so something may happen there. These folks need to be payed a market rate for there homes so they will have enough money to relocate. They need more time to make this transition. Sara has serious health issues that need to be taken care of by Freeport. I do not hold out much hope because the corporations have become all powerful and all the politicions do is kow tow to them.
Well, this haunted me to my core, too. I just took the time to notify Ken Salazar at the Dept of Interior and also sent emails to two officials at the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement office.Something is very, very wrong here. I asked for a status report on what they will do to look into this and make those homeowners whole again.Will let you know. Time is of the essence.I will think of them always.
I see this is Ron Barber’s district. I think he should know about this…as well as Kyl and McCain. I can’t send an email to Barber, he only takes emails from people in his district.
This took my breath away.I was so touched by these stories…and heartbroken for these families that have lived their lives in this town…only to have them torn apart for the greed of a company. I looked at Wiki to find info about this company, and noticed that one page that had previously been there, has been deleted. The part that was deleted, said that this company adhered to the “Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights”. When I Googled that, I found this:http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/fs/2011/154204.htm
Established in 2000, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights—an initiative by governments, NGOs, and companies—provides guidance to extractives companies on maintaining the safety and security of their operations within an operating framework that ensures respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Voluntary Principles (VPs) are the only human rights guidelines designed specifically for oil, gas, and mining companies.
How the Voluntary Principles Help Companies The VPs are nonbinding and offer an operational approach to help companies function effectively. The VPs can help your company:
Conduct a comprehensive assessment of human rights risks associated with security, with a particular focus on complicity.
Engage appropriately with public and private security in conflictprone areas.
Institute proactive human rights screenings of and trainings for public and private security forces.
Ensure that the use of force is proportional and lawful.
Develop systems for reporting and investigating allegations of human rights abuses
Why Implement the Voluntary Principles? The obligation to uphold human rights principles rests with governments. But other actors in society—including business—have a moral responsibility to act in a way that does not negatively impact the enjoyment of human rights, particularly of those people directly affected by their operations. Extractives companies therefore have a unique opportunity in the countries where they operate to ensure high standards of conduct by the private security forces they employ, a positive impact on local governance, and peace and stability.
Doesn’t seem so now, does it? Then I see a list of the participants that have signed on to this agreement:
Participants
Participant Governments
Canada
Netherlands
Norway
United Kingdom
United States of America
Engaged Governments
Colombia
Switzerland
Corporations
AngloGold Ashanti
Anglo American plc
BG Group
BHP Billiton
BP
Chevron Corporation
ConocoPhillips
ExxonMobil
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold
Inc.
Who’s district is this? What legislators, senators or govt. agency has stepped in to help these people with their rights? This is horrifying, and if it can happen to them, it could happen to anyone, anywhere. Haunting is an understatement. I may never think of anything else for a long, long time.