MINING KENYA

Gene Bernofsky
World Wide Film Expedition

The coastline of Kenya, from the port of Shimoni to the ancient village of Mambrui, is under severe environmental threat from irresponsible mining. The Kenyan coast is a stunning tropical paradise, with its 250 miles of palm-fringed beaches, blue lagoons and magnificent coral reef. Tourism, Kenya's largest industry, depends on its pristine beauty. More importantly, many endangered species-from the only bands of Colobus monkeys on the East African coast to Kenya's last remaining herds of Sable antelope-depend on the coastal area's fragile ecosystem, which is already stressed by the impacts of tourism.

Tiomin Resources of Canada has secured permission from the Kenyan government to strip mine for titanium at five coastal sites, with virtually no public input or media exposure. The extracted ore will be shipped out of the country via Shimoni harbor, an important tourist destination for whale and dolphin viewing. Kenya has no guidelines, regulations, or protections governing mining and, with international investment flagging, its government has welcomed Tiomin's extensive mining project despite the threat it poses to the environment and indigenous people.

The ancestral lands of the Digo people will be stripped of all vegetation during the mining process, as titanium rich sands are extracted at the rate of 1,500 tons per hour. These impoverished subsistence farmers have already begun to sign over the surface rights to Tiomin for paltry sums based on their land's current usage rather than the mineral wealth that lies below its surface. Following mining, the soil structure of their land will be lost, since revegetation of sands is difficult, extremely expensive and, in fact, has never been demonstrated to be feasible.

Most Kenyans are unaware of Tiomin's plans to mine their beautiful coast for titanium, used primarily as a whitener for paint, foods, plastics, paper and cosmetics. However, Africa, Ncha ya Uvumbuzi (ANU), a newly formed grassroots group, plans to change that. Organized by Dr. Kamau Gachigi, a materials engineer, and Mr. James Gethenji, a farmer and businessman, ANU held its first meeting in May 1999, which was attended by over 200 concerned Kenyans. At the organizers' invitation, Tiomin's Vice President of Corporate Development, Matthew Edler, also attended.

Mr. Edler confirmed Tiomin's plans to complete a feasibility study early in 2000, which is required to secure funding from the World Bank. Once this study is completed, Tiomin will be free to move forward quickly. It is therefore urgent that ANU receive immediate support to achieve its goal of publicizing Tiomin's plans, organizing a public response, and halting the almost certain destruction of Kenya's coast.

ANU has sought the assistance of World Wide Film Expedition (WWFE) as part of its campaign. WWFE, a non-profit environmental media production group, has been producing award-winning videos for grassroots campaigns since 1983.  We produce and distribute proactive videos at no charge to the activists who use them to document and publicize environmental problems. These videos enhance organizing and publicity efforts, as activists work closely with our video production team to create the story they want to tell, then use the video to educate and organize others.

Our videos have been central to numerous successful campaigns to halt potentially harmful mining practices. For example, we produced the first media piece about the Noranda gold mine that was proposed for the border of Yellowstone National Park. Undermining Yellowstone won two awards and propelled the public outcry which culminated in President Clinton's intervention to halt this mine. Our most recent video, the award-winning Trembling Waters, exposed DuPont's plans for a titanium mine on the boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. DuPont has since halted its plans. We have produced videos for groups as diverse as Native American activists working to halt the expansion of a cyanide heap leach gold mine on the Ft. Belknap Reservation in Montana, organizing miners in Troy, Montana, and ranchers fighting a zinc and copper mine in Montana's Big Snowy Mountains.

The video will advocate for the indigenous peoples of the Kenyan coast, the wildlife, and habitat of the region. Using original Kenyan music and dance, it will document the natural beauty of the area and highlight the proposed mines' impacts on tourism. Interviews will encompass a wide range of stakeholders including representatives of Tiomin Resources. The program will advocate for responsible mining and environmental guidelines.

It is important for developing countries such as Kenya to avoid the resource exploitation habits of the West, especially given the current global economic context. This will happen only if we can overcome the profit-driven resource development of the past with public awareness, participation and leadership. Kenya presents a unique opportunity, given its government's stated aim of democratic reforms. There is an activist base in Kenya-both environmental and human rights-which, if informed and supported, could shape Kenya's environmental practices in a positive manner. This base, in conjunction with Kenya's eco-tourist operators and their clients, will serve as the target audience for the video we plan to produce.

We intend to be on location in Kenya during February, 2000. We have contacted over 30 "progressive/environmental" Foundations to raise a $130,000 in grants for the project. We have had no success. The Foundations like the project but state that their guidelines and policies do not fund Africa.

We are writing you to ask for any suggestions you can make as to where we may apply for funding. Please help if you can. Thank you, most kindly.

Sincerely, Gene Bernofsky World Wide Film Expedition 243 Mount Avenue Missoula, Montana 59801 USA wwfe@ism.net www.ism.net/~wwfe/ 406.728.1341