Corporate security practices and human rights in West Papua

Abstract

This article explores the intersections between large extractive companies, security governance and human rights. It contributes to understandings of how extractive companies can influence human rights protection in their areas of operation. Drawing on a case study of West Papua, the article argues that extractive companies have important opportunities to promote human rights through their security practices. However the power of extractive companies to determine human rights outcomes is limited by a variety of factors. Examples include: state narratives of nation-building, the financial interests of security personnel and the history of the company's involvement in the area.

Corporate community relations and development: engagement with indigenous peoples

“…As they became accustomed to external ideas, they staged protests, both peaceful and violent, took out lawsuits and appealed to foreign governments and supranational organisations for support. All these had unpleasant, often violent and sometimes fatal repercussions, which the company and Government justified in the name of security (McKenna, 2015a; Nakagawa, 2008; Perlez and Bonner, 2005).…”

“…The two have had ancestral ties since time immemorial to land now directly affected by mining, accumulation of overburden and ancillary operations [1]. Perhaps because of the mine’s remoteness and the difficulty of observing it or obtaining data about it which is regarded as reliable (Correa and Larrinaga, 2015; Paull et al , 2006; Ross, 2008), what has occurred is not general knowledge in the outside world, even though it is well documented (Amiruddin and de Jesus Soares, 2003; Ballard, 2001; Ballard and Banks, 2009; de Jesus Soares, 2004; Kyriakakis, 2005; Leith, 2002; McKenna, 2015a, 2015b; McKenna and Braithwaite, 2011; Muller, 2001; Nakagawa, 2008; O’Brien, 2010; Perlez and Bonner, 2005; Price, 2015; Rifai-Hasan, 2009; Sethi et al , 2011). The mining’s undesirable consequences range among environmental (e.g.…”

“…The two have had ancestral ties since time immemorial to land now directly affected by mining, accumulation of overburden and ancillary operations [1]. Perhaps because of the mine's remoteness and the difficulty of observing it or obtaining data about it which is regarded as reliable (Correa and Larrinaga, 2015;Paull et al, 2006;Ross, 2008), what has occurred is not general knowledge in the outside world, even though it is well documented (e.g., see Amiruddin and de Jesus Soares, 2003;Ballard, 2001;Ballard and Banks, 2009;de Jesus Soares, 2004;Kyriakakis, 2005;Leith, 2002;McKenna, 2015aMcKenna, , 2015bMcKenna and Braithwaite, 2011;Muller, 2001;Nakagawa, 2008;O'Brien, 2010;Perlez and Bonner, 2005;Price, 2015;Rifai-Hasan, 2009;Sethi et al, 2011). The mining's undesirable consequences range among environmental (e.g., landslides, land degradation, pollution), social (e.g., settlement displacement, illness and infirmity, diminution of local skills), economic (e.g., loss of natural resources and traditional livelihoods, underutilisation of local factors of production, inequitable distribution of benefits and costs, exploitation), cultural (e.g., change in conception of "self") and political (e.g., loss of de facto sovereignty, violent suppression).…”

Strategic Alliances in Firm-Centric and Collective Contexts: Implications for Indigenous Entrepreneurship

“…At the same time as Indigenous communities are pursuing their development goals, corporations (particularly those in the natural resource industry) have viewed these alliances with Indigenous and other communities as a means for engaging in CRS, enhancing the legitimacy of sustainability and resource management policies/decisions, and mitigating reputational risk and license-to-operate concerns (McKenna 2015;Belal et al 2013). Partnerships involving non-Indigenous communities and their institutions are fast becoming a tool that can address Indigenous development aspirations (Cornell and Kalt 2000;Coates and Crowley 2013;Swanson and Zhang 2015) and corporate CRS challenges.…”