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Help Protect Community Rights in Ghana

Target: Tom Mair, CEO of Golden Star Resources
Sponsored by: Oxfam America

The communities adjacent the Prestea Mine in Southwest Ghana have suffered for years. As a result of its operations, the mine endangers their livelihood and quality of life. This threat includes two cyanide spills.

The mine's owners, Golden Star Resources, now plan to expand the Prestea Mine. This expansion involves leveling low-income housing and schools, and it's being done without adequate consideration of the community concerns.

The people of Prestea, Himan, and Dumase have a right to decide whether a mine can expand in their community. Their lives and livelihood depend on exercising that right, and you can help them. Tell Golden Star Resources to listen to the people whose lives they're affecting.

deadline: 4-21-2009
goal: 15,000

14,655
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Dear [CEO],

We are writing to express our deep concern for the communities of Prestea, Himan, and Dumase that neighbor the Bogoso/Prestea Mine in the Wassa West district of Ghana. Since 2001, these communities have endured threats to their lives and livelihoods related to the Bogoso/Prestea Mine. We urge you to fulfill their request for a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the first phase of the Bogoso/Prestea Project and for the right of free, prior, and informed consent regarding the planned Prestea South Project.

As you are aware, the relationship between Golden Star Resources and the communities of Prestea, Himan, and Dumase has been strained. Despite cyanide spills that contaminated local rivers and streams in 2004 and 2006, Golden Star Resources has yet to commission the independent health investigation requested by members of these communities. On June 13, 2005, seven people were shot by security personnel guarding one of the North Plant Mine's pits during a demonstration in Prestea. Still, no independent investigation of this incident has taken place.

We signed the “Help Protect Community Rights in Ghana” petition!

# 14,661:

7:05 am PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Iowa

# 14,660:

4:28 am PDT, Jun 25, Name not displayed, Texas
The greed of business should not supercede the right to a quality life. Golden Star Resources needs to act responsibly and function as a caring member of the community working with the people not exploiting them.

# 14,659:

2:44 am PDT, Jun 25, Rob Stradmeijer, Netherlands

# 14,658:

10:12 pm PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, Washington

# 14,657:

7:23 pm PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, Pennsylvania

# 14,656:

6:35 pm PDT, Jun 24, Michael Price, Wisconsin

# 14,655:

6:22 pm PDT, Jun 24, Donna Benjamin, Oregon

# 14,654:

4:44 pm PDT, Jun 24, Gertrude Caruso, Georgia
Do unto others asyou would have them do unto you.

# 14,653:

4:31 pm PDT, Jun 24, Tahera Mamdani, Minnesota

# 14,652:

4:28 pm PDT, Jun 24, Emmanuel Sogah, Maryland
Human life is all we have. Money can never compare with the pricelessness of human life. Please consider the well-being of the people of the Prestea area, and and take precautionary measures in your mining expedition. Thank you.

# 14,651:

2:19 pm PDT, Jun 24, Christina Lirette, Michigan

# 14,650:

2:06 pm PDT, Jun 24, Leonor Andrade E Silva, Brazil

# 14,649:

2:00 pm PDT, Jun 24, Norbert Gor, United Kingdom

# 14,648:

1:58 pm PDT, Jun 24, Marcia Luna, Mexico

# 14,647:

1:56 pm PDT, Jun 24, Sharon Newton, Arkansas

# 14,646:

1:49 pm PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, California

# 14,645:

1:43 pm PDT, Jun 24, Dulcey Simpkins, Michigan

# 14,644:

1:43 pm PDT, Jun 24, Jan Burrows, California

# 14,643:

1:40 pm PDT, Jun 24, CAROLYN MILLEN, North Carolina

# 14,642:

1:38 pm PDT, Jun 24, Susie Holman, United Kingdom

# 14,641:

1:30 pm PDT, Jun 24, Diane C. Dean, Illinois

# 14,640:

1:26 pm PDT, Jun 24, Lisa Kleemichen, Connecticut

# 14,639:

1:18 pm PDT, Jun 24, Lahela Parker-bailey, Hawaii

# 14,638:

1:10 pm PDT, Jun 24, Amy Beville, California

# 14,637:

12:47 pm PDT, Jun 24, Gary Alderette, California
The profits realized by a business should be balanced with the cost to it's workers and the community at large.Unfortunately,people without large financial resources tend to be no match for the huge resources of large businesses.You have the chance and the responsibility to see that your company respects the quality of life of all those impacted by your quest for profits.I urge you to accept this challenge.

# 14,636:

12:41 pm PDT, Jun 24, June Dean, California

# 14,635:

12:36 pm PDT, Jun 24, Beatrice Roderick, California

# 14,634:

12:33 pm PDT, Jun 24, Naya Gordon, California

# 14,633:

12:23 pm PDT, Jun 24, Marina Ohlsson, Sweden

# 14,632:

12:21 pm PDT, Jun 24, Victoria Pantages, California

# 14,631:

12:17 pm PDT, Jun 24, Clare Margason, Washington
Safe drinking water and keeping the communities of Prestea, Himan, and Dumase intact are much more important than the expansion of your mine. If you can write me back and explain how the Bogoso/Prestea Mine is benefitting the people of these communities in any way I will listen with open ears and possibly change my mind on this issue. BUT it seems to me you are only thinking of yourself and your company. DO NOT EXPAND!

# 14,630:

12:09 pm PDT, Jun 24, Kelly Sennhauser, Texas

# 14,629:

11:54 am PDT, Jun 24, Joyce Durkin, Pennsylvania

# 14,628:

11:53 am PDT, Jun 24, Helena Radonova, Czech Republic

# 14,627:

11:41 am PDT, Jun 24, Sandra Shivar, California

# 14,626:

11:37 am PDT, Jun 24, John Zarro, Michigan

# 14,625:

11:33 am PDT, Jun 24, Aaron Berkley, Colorado

# 14,624:

11:23 am PDT, Jun 24, Dorothy Serotta, Florida
Cyanide spills in Ghana are poisonous. Health examination commissions are urgentlhy needed. Government reprisals against demonstrations on this issue are a deplorable practice and should be stopped by legal means.

# 14,623:

11:22 am PDT, Jun 24, Mariavictoria Duron, Texas
This is outrageous. The ones responsible for contaminating these rivers and streams with cyanide should be brought out in the open and justice should be administered immediately!

# 14,622:

11:22 am PDT, Jun 24, Carla Johnson, Arizona

# 14,621:

11:14 am PDT, Jun 24, George Simich, Canada
If you won't stop voluntarily, then we'll stop you.

# 14,620:

11:08 am PDT, Jun 24, Name not displayed, California

# 14,619:

11:00 am PDT, Jun 24, Rashid Patch, California

# 14,618:

11:00 am PDT, Jun 24, Daniel Guevara, New Mexico

# 14,617:

10:39 am PDT, Jun 24, Emily Derks, Colorado

# 14,615:

10:30 am PDT, Jun 24, Julie Zimmermann, California

# 14,614:

10:26 am PDT, Jun 24, Nichole Serfass, Pennsylvania

# 14,613:

10:24 am PDT, Jun 24, Samuel Roland, California

# 14,612:

10:23 am PDT, Jun 24, Carolyn Tonahill, Louisiana

# 14,611:

10:22 am PDT, Jun 24, Alexandra Price, Georgia

# 14,609:

10:17 am PDT, Jun 24, Skyler McVaugh, Washington
This issue should not be about money, rather it should be about human welfare. These peoples lives are at stake and this should be taken into account before money enters the issue.

# 14,608:

10:16 am PDT, Jun 24, Stefanie Clay, New Jersey

# 14,610:

10:16 am PDT, Jun 24, Reese Provosty, Colorado

# 14,607:

10:16 am PDT, Jun 24, Tricia Glynn, Wisconsin

# 14,606:

9:56 am PDT, Jun 24, Lina Velez, Florida

# 14,605:

9:55 am PDT, Jun 24, L. Heye, Massachusetts
Dear Decision Maker, I strongly urge you to NOT expand the mine as you proposed. I strongly urge you to act as another caring, fair human being and first allow the people who live around your mining to voice their opinion(s) regarding that expansion. How can you humanely put that obnoxious profit motive above the health and welfare of the deserving peoples bordering on your commercial ventures? I urge you as another compassionate human being to allow those people the freedom to voice their thoughts and opinions AND then you as a responsible company following those views in your future commercial venture(s). Sincerely, A concerned, caring U.S. Citizen ):

# 14,603:

9:41 am PDT, Jun 24, Jennifer Jayroe, Tennessee

# 14,604:

9:41 am PDT, Jun 24, Diane Piraneo, New Jersey

# 14,602:

9:30 am PDT, Jun 24, Linda Bertaut, California

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Help Protect Community Rights in Ghana

This petition has been closed.