UK Court orders Barrick Gold to Submit Papers on North Mara Goldmine Killings in Tanzania

The UK High Court orders Barrick Gold to disclose 120,000 Internal Company documents relating to serious cases of violence and killings reportedly executed by the Tanzania Police Force in the North Mara Goldmine.

Barrick Gold operates the North Mara Gold Mine which is a combined open pit and underground gold mine quarries located in the Tarime District of the Mara Region. The facility has for years been an arena of violence against local villagers.

The UK High Court has started to consider a case filed against a Barrick Gold subsidiary over allegations of unlawful killings and assaults at a mine in Tanzania between 2014 and 2019.

Ten Tanzanians filed the case in February 2020 against Barrick Tanzania Limited, which was previously called Acacia Mining. Barrick, which took over the operation of the North Mara Gold Mine in September 2019, denies any liability.

A Tanzanian government inquiry was told in 2016 that police had killed 65 people and injured 270 during clashes with villagers near the mine.

Cases of violence often resulted from villagers entering the site looking for rocks from which they could extract gold. Some villagers claimed that they were barred by police, while others were allowed access in return for bribes.

In a recent human rights report, Barrick claims to have had “radically repaired” its community relations at North Mara. It said it had established “clear boundaries” with the local police, prohibiting them from entering the mine site except when requested by senior management for criminal matters.