ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the sequence of events around two incidents typical of points of conflict concerning human rights and the operations of mining companies, in order to better understand and appreciate the complexities of the impact on human rights resulting from corporate behaviour. While the incidents are similar in that they encompass human rights abuses by state security forces in which mining companies were alleged to have been complicit, they are completely different in terms of the corporate responses. The cases presented, in Bolivia and Indonesia, concern different contexts for conflict, albeit both involving countries with weak, corrupt institutions. At that time Freeport had an internal, unarmed security force of some 200 men and the government security forces in the area were about equal in number. It is clear that Freeport’s management did not recognise its role to protect the human rights of the local population until after the accumulation of events in 1994–1996.
