News on Skeena

Skeena Closes Second Tranche of Financing
Vancouver, BC (July 18, 2016)

http://www.kitco.com/pr/1845/article_07182016163606.pdf

B – I understand what the word ongoing means. Like the ongoing research that other 3rd party firms have conducted showing how stellar their Human Rights initiatives have been.

“Nevsun will say anything to show their innocence. Why would I believe them?”

B – Do you know what 3rd party means? It means you don’t have to believe Nevsun, and you can spend the time to go through the research that another independent party has done. Clearly that escaped you keen insights.

If they’ve really broken the law, then the appropriate people responsible should be punished accordingly. What I have been pointing out is the huge swath of research available on just how the Human rights situation has been the last few years. There is also plenty of evidence available for any to pull up on the many ways that Nevsun has improved the lives of people in Eritrea, in a tough jurisdiction, with a terrible government environment. So maybe rounding up all the executives and jailing them is a bit over the top? Just maybe??

B – Last week you posted articles that doubted the Bisha mine has the ore reserves they claimed in 2013/2014, and then used that smear article are your reasoning for not believing them on anything else. If you really had a shred of clue, then you’d realize Nevsun has continued to crank exploration and development over the last few years that shows it is one of the most well-endowed and profitable Copper/Zinc/Precious Metals poly metallic mines on the planet. So yeah I’d call that an “old” and I’d clarify “wrong” opinion piece from a few years ago….. but thanks for posting it for laughs. 🙂

Again, don’t let their drill results, ore processing recovery rates, annual ounces produced or free cash flow FACTS get in the way of your 2014 smear article doubting their economics.

Just a word to the all-wise B – You may want to pull up their quarterly press releases from the last few years and get your fact straight before posting asinine and inaccurate articles from several years ago.

Lastly there are the obvious improvements for so many that people in Eritrea have directly experienced. Of course, you’d have to watch the videos, interviews,and read the research in the many reports over the last few years to gleam any of that. I know that would be work, and it is easier to cast stones and beat on your chest about what a defender of the righteous you are. Get real….

Sounds to me like you are taking this way too personally Shad. What gives anyway? Why the big effort at defending when B has merely stated he won’t invest in a company that he has more questions than answers about and a company which has a current Human Rights Complaint lodged against it? And who are you to decide if an article is genuine or a “smear” as you call it? Eritrea is a cesspool of rights abuses. There are more people fleeing that country than almost any other excluding those in a current war. You think maybe something is wrong when a part of the population risks life and limb to cross ocean borders as refugees and get to Yemen of all bloody places? I am sorry to say I have to side with B on this one. Especially knowing a little of the politics over there. With luck the Ethiopian Army will march in to Asmara in the next few years and set things right and kick that lunatic class who run that country out on their arses. They could probably do the job in a week with good planning. Just an opinion of course but if there was a country in need of liberation this is a pretty good example. And by the way…..all that stuff you are posting is just words on paper and it means spit. If you are foolish enough to believe it there’s a bridge in Brooklyn I could sell you………..

Hooray, somebody does understand what Im saying.

I was gonna say…”methinks you doth protest too much”
doth? is that right? lol

I couldnt look myself in the mirror owning Nevsun Bird.
Obviously Im in the minority.

Birdman – I don’t care which companies B invests in, but it’s getting REALLY stale every time others on this board have discussed the business merits of Nevsun Resources for the last year, that B starts in with this slave labor crap and ignores all the other reasearch.

– Last week Marty simply posted about his returns in Nevsun and B started it again

– When Jayant Bhandari, a guest on the show this weekend, brought up the very wise business combination of Nevsun and Reservoir minerals B went back into it.

– When we discussed Zinc miners a few months back, and most educated investors agreed Nevsun was sitting with one of the best Zinc deposits in the world, B got into it

– When we posted videos from the Metals Investment Forum, where Joe Mazumdar, (another guest on the show), highlighted the financial strength and high grade assets of Nevsun, and backed the business combination, B brought up this 2014 case.

– When I posted a number of months back that Nevsun was one of Eric Coffin’s main picks in 2015 for mining stocks ….. then B got into again.

I guess I’m just sick of listening to this continuous garbage from him, when there has been so much information that has come out since that allegation and from before that allegation showing how well Nevsun has done operating in such a difficult jurisdiction. If he would spend time reading the Human Rights studies other companies have conducted, or read any of the community studies that have been put out in 2014, 2015, or 2016, he wouldn’t be parading around articles from 2014.

As I mentioned it doesn’t take much to file a lawsuit, so big deal that they have a complaint against them. Almost all the mining companies on planet Earth have somebody bitching about the mine.

Then B posted an article last week, from jaded editorial in 2014 that doubted the grade or integrity of the resource and geologists at Nevsun. If he had done any real research he would realize the Bisha mine has extremely high grades and is one of the most profitable mines in any jurisdiction.

In my opinion, the team at Nevsun have been trailblazers in Eritrea about how to turn things around for that godforsaken country , and have done far more good than bad for the people of Eritrea, but that doesn’t stop B from casting stones.

Then B has stated a number of times he like to round up all the management of Nevsun and throw them in jail, with shaky evidence from 3 people that attacked Nevsun because they don’t like their mine, and there were lib-tard media people that jumped at the chance to paint the mining company as the bad guys.

I posted the article with *** hoping maybe he could read their statement in 2014, that discounts the claims of that B has been propagating. You can read the full responses below but I’d start with these statements:

“During 2014, we did not receive any formal human rights grievances or identify any issues of non-compliance in respect to the use of national conscripts.”

“A lawsuit was filed against Nevsun in November 2014 in the B.C. Supreme Court by three individuals who claim to have once worked with a local subcontractor at the Bisha Mine. The lawsuit makes human rights allegations against Nevsun and its local subcontractor. Nevsun denies the allegations and will vigorously defend itself against the claim.”

“All of our recruitment procedures conform with Eritrean Law. As such the BMSC Human Resources and Employment Plan (the “HRE Plan”) has policies and procedures in place to protect against underage workers at its operations and only employs persons that are 18 years of age and older. Additionally, a formal identification card, a prerequisite for employment at the Bisha Mine, can only be granted once an Eritrean citizen reaches the age of 18.”

“Specific to our Bisha operation, and in accordance with Eritrean Law, the HRE Plan also mandates that all applicants hired must demonstrate that they have been cleared from the Eritrean National Service Program. Both our contractors and subcontractors are in compliance with this documentation process, which is audited on a regular basis.”

Like I said several times over the last few weeks:

_________________________________________________________________________

On July 12, 2016 at 4:42 pm,
Excelsior says:

I’m not trying to defend Eritrea…. it’s a terrible country with a horrific track record.

However, threatening to jail the executives of Nevsun when they’ve repeatedly done their damnedest to improve the lives of the people they touch directly, and really be a light in the area for how to conduct business ethically, is a bit much.
I initially felt the same way about Nevsun until I really did some research, because I didn’t want to invest in a company accused of “slave labor” either, when there are so many other choices. However, I’d see them speak at Eric Coffin’s show, and then watch a video of their management discussing everything they are doing to influence human rights and affect the government in a positive way.

Then I started reconsidering the affect they were having over there. Now there are 2 more mines opening from other companies now that the government is realizing it can bring in good money off their resources legally and ethically, without resorting to crime. I only hope the other companies that set up shop do as good of a job keeping the community in mind as Nevsun has done. They’ve had a hard road, and tons of disinformation attacks trying to smear them, but if you spend some time on it, you just may start to realize they are one of the good guys over there, and while far from perfect, it’s better than things were when the mine wasn’t there.

The government has used the proceeds for bad things (no doubt), but there is a ton of money generated at the Bisha mine going into infrastructure, power/roads/clean water/medical supplies, and securing food supply sources all over the country.

That’s more than most people I know have ever done for the people of Eritrea. In fact, miners are usually picked on, and criticized, but they do more cumulative good for communities than 90% of businesses ever will.”

________________________________________________________________________

I’m not a shareholder in Nevsun, but I’d like to be able to have a discussion about a clearly top notch mining company and would like for multiple guests that have visited the show to be able to discuss the merger of Nevsun and Reservoir minerals without this unproved slave labor crap coming up every time.

It would be the same thing if we brought up a CEO we respected, and some ass-clown called the person a racist or rapist every time we mentioned the name on some unfounded hearsay. It would get old after the 5th or 6th time, just like B’s articles have gotten old.

It also pisses me off when people go off calling names and make accusations, and don’t thoroughly look into before soiling other people’s names or taking a look at all the information.

Holy Crow Shad, don’t you think B has a right to his own viewpoint? Whats up with the hostile posts just because he disagrees with you? In fairness to Nevsun, I have never been there and don’t personally know anyone working at the mine although its pretty nearby geographically speaking.

I cannot take sides on the issue of the Nevsun Management though except to say I don’t put much stock in their claim their has not been any Human Rights complaints brought forward.

And here’s why…..there is no rule of law in Eritrea as we all know it. The judiciary is known to be corrupt and any complainant bringing a case would be seen to be against the government which has a clear interest in the company.

You would be insane to lodge that kind of action over there because it would amount to a direct challenge on the government. It might just get you thrown in jail and maybe it could even get you killed. That’s why the case has been launched in British Columbia. So I would not be too hasty in discounting its merits based on internal notes and company press releases.

There is not much credibility in the claim that no complaints have been launched recently based on the above. That’s just propaganda. The Eritrean government btw shoots its own citizens in the back as they attempt to flee to freedom across the border into Ethiopia.

Kind of has the flavour of the Berlin Wall and Russian border guards killing East Germans escapees who only wanted to reunite with family in West Germany and maybe have a shot at a better life. But I suppose I am getting off track now.

Getting back to the company, just keep in mind that the complaint was actually against a sub contractor of which there would be many and those are not entirely under the control of the company other than by agreements in good faith as is usual practice.

You know that old saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Its probably applicable here. It does not matter how virtuous you might be or how high your idealism is when first coming to a developing nation but there are going to be compromises made that would be unthinkable back home.

Basically wages are low over here. Ungodly low. And working hours are very long in a lot of cases. 24 hour shifts are not unheard of and overtime pay is just a Western fantasy. There are no labour unions to speak of and unemployment rates can be very high especially in rural areas where mines are often found. On top of that regulation is thin and monitoring and enforcement are weak as so many of the countries are already stretched with development goals.

So all those things conspire in lowering working standards and you see things that would not be acceptable or allowed back home. Like I say, I can’t take sides. Nevsun management could be the picture of Angels for all I know and trying their best but they would be up against culturally accepted practices that would be quite foreign otherwise but also very difficult to work around.

That’s not the reason I would not own that stock right now though. There are others.

You might recall not long ago that Nevsun management claimed the Ethiopian Air Force had bombed the mine and you might also be aware that hostilities are again on the rise in the border region.

I think everyone wants the situation to settle peacefully but there are obvious problems brewing with a refugee crisis and Eritreans flowing across the border into neighboring countries and recently the UN has essentially sanctioned Eritrea for its many human rights abuses.

The Eritrean leadership does not seem to be getting much support at the UN and is essentially out of favour in the global community. Nobody knows what will happen next but that small country was actually part of Ethiopia not so long ago and I suspect its destiny is to be reunited under one flag again.

That is strictly my opinion of course but if you follow Martin Armstrong and his war cycles you will have a good idea why I would think that way. Martin sees the cycle turning up into a peak near 2020 or so and much of the world is already in some kind of conflict if not a direct war with its neighbors or suffering internal conflicts.

Anyway, Nevsun has already been bombed according to the press I saw and that makes it a risk as an investment if hostilities increase because they have already come under fire. Who the hell really knows what will happen but there just might be a management change at the top in Asmara in the next few years.

Ethiopia meanwhile has the largest shipping fleet in Africa and its currently homeless and residing in Djibouti where that port has been recently expanded to give the country better access to the sea. You think maybe they would not like to have their old port back…….

I do.

My posts were not hostile, but since you didn’t read them, then it doesn’t surprise me that you would say something like that.

The reports posted have been represent information in the public record that pertains to the accusations B keeps making, and he keeps mentioning my name every time he posts. I enjoy posting the facts around the case and all the work done up until this point in time.

If you recall, B is the one that wants to round up the executives at Nevsun and throw them all in jail remember, and it was that very hostility I was responding to.

I was fine dropping the discussion last week, (and mentioned that) but B has continually called out my name every time he posts something else. Personally, there are 3 different guest that came on this program discussing Nevsun & Reservoir (Jayant Bhandari, Joe Mazumdar, and John Kaiser). I’ve posted content from Eric Coffin where he is positive on Nevsun. There are a few different contributors on the blog here on the KER that also have discussed Nevsun. Each time B decides to take a dump on the conversation with his posts about slavery and seems to feel the case is closed. It’s pretty annoying.

He seems to think because their was a lawsuit filed, that suddenly they are guilty of these accusations, when in fact it is still in progress, but what has been completed are numbers of studies and audits each year, and they’ve done exceedingly well for the mining industry, and for businesses worldwide in human rights and social responsibility.

As for the article B posted last week from the editorial about the questionable grades at the Bisha mine, it isn’t about having a point of view, it is all clearly laid out in their quarterly reports and it was wrong. That didn’t stop B as using that as further rationale not to believe anything they say or report. (pretty convenient way to just block out any new information or studies that have been release, and yes, close-minded).

Birdman, I’m not sure what you think you’re achieving with the Eritrea information.

Like I’ve said a dozen times……. Eritrea is a complete mess and that has never been what the posts or discussion was about. The point was that Nevsun has done an exceedingly good job at making the lives of people in Eritrea better, all the human impact studies show a job well done, there are strict standards they use in hiring workers, and they are audited regularly. What can be seen is the infrastructure, power, water, job training, and community support, as well as the money the government gets that is used for securing food and further infrastructure spending.

I’ve challenged him and you to read the 76 page report, watch the videos, and read their internal commissioned reports and review all the community and 3rd party companies input that they have incorporated. Look at their hiring practices, wages, training, etc…

You response was bla bla bla and that I don’t know the value of anything.

Very insightful.

I’m done discussing this with you Tweedle Brothers…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1uQZhQzQAI

“I couldn’t look myself in the mirror owning Nevsun Bird” —– B.
————————

Just to be clear b, I have no criticism of Nevsun at all. They might be stand up guys for all I know. But they are operating in an environment where intimidation and State sanctioned corruption is rampant if not epidemic so I suspect they will be compromised as part of their day to day business activities. Honestly, I think its better to stay invested in such companies if you want to take a moral position because so many of these developing African nations are desperately in need of the infusions of technology, training and foreign ideas that come part and parcel with foreign investment. If everyone sold off such companies because of a bad local government the poverty trap would just get deeper for the people there. So we need to sometimes hold our nose but buy anyway. You cannot change the situation of the people there by abandonment after all and if Nevsun is making a difference then all the power to them. How else will countries like Eritrea escape from such low development levels if not for the influence of outside companies? Think about it that way instead and you will find it easier to participate in the shares. On that basis I would endorse Nevsun because they are a critical part of the growth process in a very tough region that still suffers abysmally low education and income levels and anything reasonable that helps them catch up cannot be a bad thing despite some obvious problems we cannot ignore.

“My posts were not hostile” ———- Excelsior
————————-

Sure they were Shad. You called them garbage and a smear plus other assorted name calling like “tweedle”. Its the only reason I started answering them in the first place because you were kind of over the top with B when he was just expressing a personal opinion based on his own moral reasoning.

Governance and CSR Management
Oversight of Corporate Social Responsibility Practices at Nevsun Resources

Enterprise Risk Management
Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption
Commitments to External Initiatives
Human Rights
Stakeholder Engagement

We continually refine our activities to meet the highest ethical standards, including the proper treatment of all stakeholders associated with our operations and will persist in updating our policies and procedures to reflect this commitment.

Nevsun integrates the respect for human rights into its Code of Ethics, its operational policies and procedures, and in its operations. Our approach to human rights is evolving and ongoing and we are committed to international principles and guidance, as well as integrating the recommendations from our recently completed Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA).

All of our recruitment procedures conform with Eritrean Law. As such the BMSC Human Resources and Employment Plan (the “HRE Plan”) has policies and procedures in place to protect against underage workers at its operations and only employs persons that are 18 years of age and older. Additionally, a formal identification card, a prerequisite for employment at the Bisha Mine, can only be granted once an Eritrean citizen reaches the age of 18.

——> Specific to our Bisha operation, and in accordance with Eritrean Law, the HRE Plan also mandates that all applicants hired must demonstrate that they have been cleared from the Eritrean National Service Program. Both our contractors and subcontractors are in compliance with this documentation process, which is audited on a regular basis.

A small number of Government of Eritrea and student demobilized workers are given the opportunity each year to take on a secondment at the Bisha Mine. This provides an opportunity for them to acquire real world operator experience in the mining sector and to work for a private organization at a much higher rate of pay over a period of six months before returning back to their regular employer. Those electing to select this option must freely sign-off on their willingness to join our workforce at their choosing for a specified period of time.

*********During 2014, we did not receive any formal human rights grievances or identify any issues of non-compliance in respect to the use of national conscripts.***

******A lawsuit was filed against Nevsun in November 2014 in the B.C. Supreme Court by three individuals who claim to have once worked with a local subcontractor at the Bisha Mine. The lawsuit makes human rights allegations against Nevsun and its local subcontractor. Nevsun denies the allegations and will vigorously defend itself against the claim.*********

The security standard at Nevsun’s operation is designed to assess risks and protect the Company’s people and assets in a manner which minimizes conflict and respects the human rights of its stakeholders. We ensure our security is managed in a way that respects and protects human rights, avoids creating and or escalating conflict, and addresses security threats in as peaceful a way as possible. Our security services are provided by a local Eritrean contractor and 100% of its employees are required to receive regular training in security protocols and procedures, which includes aspects of human rights including harassment, discrimination, and cultural awareness. We have adopted the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and implemented numerous policies to ensure all employees, contractors, and subcontractors are treated with dignity and respect at all times. In conjunction with the HRIA, Nevsun has embarked on a program to ensure its security contractor and relevant BMSC managers will meet on an annual basis to discuss the Company’s obligations with respect to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

http://nevsuncsr.com/governance/human-rights/

Here is a review all the way back to 2014 when the aforementioned suit was placed:

The Bisha Mine Human Rights Impact Assessment

In mid-2013/early 2014, Nevsun commissioned its first independent HRIA at its Bisha Mine to better understand strengths and identify areas where human rights best practices can be embedded in Eritrea and wherever it operates. To implement the HRIA, an independent international human rights lawyer undertook two field missions to Eritrea (October 2013 and January 2014) to gather information, review documentation, and visit the Bisha Mine. The assessment team conducted interviews and focus groups with a wide range of stakeholders, including Nevsun and ENAMCO’s senior management; Eritrean government officials; BMSC employees and managers; local community leaders; and employees and managers of Eritrean contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.

A broad and comprehensive mandate was given for the HRIA to examine the full spectrum of human and labour rights through a review of the policies and management systems in place at the Bisha Mine and engagement with stakeholders in Eritrea. Specifically, Nevsun wished to better understand where there may be risks, associated with their operations, of human rights impacts on workers and local communities.
The HRIA prioritized the following:

Labour rights, including freedom from forced labour, freedom of association, working conditions, and training opportunities

Human rights related to the environment, including the human right to water and sanitation

Community development and stakeholder engagement with local communities
Security and human rights

Human rights due diligence with respect to business partners and supply chain
Grievance mechanisms at the operational level

The recommendations to support ongoing due diligence for human rights at the Bisha Mine resulting from the assessment include:

Adopting and embedding a more explicit human rights policy

Conducting further human rights training at Bisha

Integrating human rights considerations into the implementation of the 2012 IFC Performance Standards at the Bisha Mine

Engaging on human rights with suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors

Developing a framework and protocols to ensure the effective implementation and coordination of all grievance mechanisms

Continuing discussions surrounding the implementation of the Community Assistance Programme (CAP)

Upon completion of the HRIA, Nevsun published and made publicly available a summary of the report, and also committed to providing a public response to the HRIA, developing and sharing an action plan resulting from the HRIA process, and continuing to report on human rights in its annual CSR Report. In 2014, Nevsun representatives met in person with interested stakeholder groups to review the full report, its recommendations, and planned Company follow-up.

Nevsun has received constructive feedback regarding the commitment to the principles of accountability and transparency, and that our actions to date have represented good practice in the emerging field of impact assessment related to human rights.

Human rights are integral to Nevsun’s corporate values and shape the expectations of many of its stakeholders. Most importantly, human rights are fundamental to the ongoing dignity, safety, and well-being of the individuals and groups that are affected by the Company’s operations. For our commitment regarding the continued implementation of human rights best practices, please read the Bisha Mine Human Rights Work Plan 2016

Blah blah blah…more copy and paste but no context to make it real. As they say, you are one of those who knows the price of everything (stocks) but the value of nothing.

Stick to your guns B. You are closer to the truth than even you know.

Thx Bird, isnt it funny the only person that understands what Im sayin, voices support, is the guy that so many people get upset with.

Your a stand up guy Bird, world needs more of that.

No context to make it real (WTF??) Those are the real reports and Human Impact studies.

Yes, I cut and pasted the articles because I didn’t friggin’ write them Einstein. They are in the public record, but don’t let those facts get in the way of your opinions.

I would have just referred B or anyone to them, but most are too lazy to do any real research, so I made it easy. Just click on the links and read the reports.

If you and B are not intelligent enough or too lazy to read them then that’s on you.

**I wouldn’t call a 76 page “Human Rights Impact Assement of the Bisha Mine” that was prepared by LKL International Consulting just a bunch of “Bla Bla Bla”. In contrast, I would consider most of what you and B post on KER a bunch of Bla Bla Bla.

Why don’t you watch the videos, read that 76 page study, read the other printed material posted (anticipating your laziness) and then get back to us with more stellar insights on a company you clearly know little about.

Shad, most of what I have seen on the topic that you published is just the usual wall of information that blocks the real view. You seem to have a lot of respect for those consultants but with all due respect lets keep in mind who they are working for and whose viewpoint they are expressing.

You think maybe they echo the position of Eritreans living on daily subsistence level incomes or maybe they are more likely to be persuaded by the companies that bankroll the reports?

I imagine you will be plenty surprised to read a similar report if one was ever issued by the workers on behalf of the workers. In other words, what you keep blathering on about only represents one side of a multi party relationship.

It is the company side. What B is talking about is a complaint lodged by the other side and you immediately shoot it down by using corporate and professional work produced by and for the company that is the subject of the complaint.

Please stop bullshitting us. Your self righteousness just gets so tiring.

If you would read the report, there are whole sections submitted by the workers, their wages, hours, conditions, training, continued education, job placement, advancement, and the effects of their quality of life, of the community, and some of the measurable things that have been done the last few years for people of Eritrea due to the presence of that Bisha mine.

It is not hard for me to wrap my head around it Birdman, because most mines improve the jobs, quality of living, health, water, roads, power, and education in the areas where they set up shop. Do you think it is different in Eritrea just because the country is a disaster.

They’ve already done much more good than how things were before the mine. They show before and after photos of the area, have interviews with the CEO on how things developed year by year, and what steps they have taken in the 2016 video posted. You’d have to watch it to see that though.

I’m done discussing this. I never wanted to in the first place.

What would be nice is to discuss the investment thesis in Nevsun on the KER without B posting all the unsubstantiated claims about slavery each time. It’s getting stale and it is not accurate.

Nuff said.

All right Shad, since you seem to rely on corporate literature as your case support I think its fair you should read a contrary viewpoint. This is obviously more general in nature and is not specifically about the company Nevsun but the picture it paints is totally contradictory to the one you are pressing and it should indicate to you why nobody is making complaints against the company.

Eritrea is a dictatorship. Punishment for standing up to the government can be swift and brutal. Here is an excerpt (below) from a recent report by the United Nations on conditions there but I suggest you read the entire report to inform yourself better so you might stop parroting the same, lame material day in and day out.

————————————————————–
“Eritrea is an authoritarian State. There is no independent judiciary, no national assembly and there are no other democratic institutions in Eritrea. This has created a governance and rule of law vacuum, resulting in a climate of impunity for crimes against humanity to be perpetrated over a quarter of a century. These crimes are still occurring today,” Mike Smith, chair of the Commission of Inquiry, said in a press release”.
————————————————————-

Damning enough for you?

Well it just gets worse from there if you care to follow up the June 2016 report. Don’t you wonder why tens of thousands of Eritreans are fleeing the country? So basically, your whitewash reports don’t cut it with me because the facts are that there is no rule of law and no fair judiciary there as a basis from which to judge and the government has a vested interest in that mine operation and NOT telling you about problems that exist.

Actually….they were so threatened by the UN attention that they are now blocking them from interviewing people, doing onsite assessments or even entering the country! Its about as close to a North Korea type situation as you can get without stepping foot in Asia.

So this is not to specifically target the company or tar it with a bad brush but we need to take ongoing complaints about worker conditions seriously when abuse is obviously rampant and endemic in that nation.

That is why I agree with B. The company in question is operating in a jurisdiction that is so tainted it cannot possibly be clean given the widespread abuses noted in the report and the extent of corruption within the country.

I seriously doubt the consultants would say anything negative anyway because that would stand to harm the local business relationships of Nevsun and given the government is unhindered in its dangerous behaviors that would be very threatening from a corporate standpoint.

In other words, there would be tremendous pressure to paint the best picture possible and not inflame the leadership of the country in any way whatsoever. Any and all problems would be swept under the table as a function of business survival in a very difficult country.

What….did you really expect total honesty from a consultant or the company under such circumstances? Please stop being so naive.

Crimes against humanity committed in Eritrea, warns UN group
The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea – June 2016
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=54167

“Do you think it is different in Eritrea just because the country is a disaster?”
———————–

Yes Shad, I do think its different. Actually, I know its different. You quote bible and verse from those reports like they are gospel but let me ask you this………Have you ever had a job (that you wanted to keep) and gave them a glowing report as an employee despite your real objections because to do otherwise might result in being sanctioned, losing your job or being denied promotions?

Put yourself in the shoes of the workers. Do you think they would make vocal complaints when a consultant that is paid for by the company comes knocking and asks a lot of questions?

Why do you think we have anonymous complaint boxes inside companies even in the West? It is because workers are afraid to voice their real concerns, that’s why. And if your life was on the line you better believe the workers will be very careful saying anything negative at all.

The only reason you keep trying to end this conversation is because you have not had any push back from anyone else on the site and now that some has arrived you want to drop it. But I live over here buddy and I can assure you that I do have more insight than you do with your armchair information and long distant reports.

Knowing what I do I would take all such consultants reports with a grain of salt. B is right to be questioning the situation and more people should do the same. So stop trying to ram the same repetitive stuff down everyone’s throats every day.

Are you a major shareholder or something?

Birdman – apparently you can’t read or maybe you just have issues with comprehension. To complicate matters, you also seem to keep taking one line completely out of context and using it as a jump-off point for your amazing African insights. Spare me….

I’ve addressed all these comments and questions in the previous posts on this page and earlier in the week. I’m not spending a moment more of my time in this conversation because it is not fruitful to put up research that is discarded due to laziness under the cover of the reports and 3rd party research can’t possibly be true in Eritrea.

You both would rather side with the opinions of 2 inaccurate trashy tabloid pieces, and the accusations 3 politically motivated ex-workers with an ax to grind, instead of a 76 page full report, several independent audits, the official press releases related to the topic, or the corporate videos or corporate presentations posted. You disregard the comments, interviews, stakeholder meetings, company feedback, and initiatives acted on by hundreds of employees, and all the firms there on site and reviewing the progress regularly and in person.

Birdman, B’s opinions are fine for him to have, but repeatedly yelling “wolf” or “fire” doesn’t make it so. Let’s let the court decide if anything wrong was done, and until then lets use logic, research, the information that has been well documented for year, and the obvious improvements to the people of Eritrea that the Bisha mine has yielded.

BTW – jumping into a conversation and missing 80% of the content, and grabbing certain lines willy-nilly as launching point for your African views is not only unhelpful, but is shows you don’t know jack squat about this company, their track record, the economics and grade of the Bisha mine, and you both seem to think your crusaders for injustice, but it is more like the blind leading the blind (only with bad attitudes and a contempt for real data and research).

I have no interest in your amazing insights on Africa or your pontificating about the country of Eritrea. The conversation was on Nevsun, and their investing thesis, their grades and economics and a mine, their trustworthiness in disseminating information, their human rights record, and their social responsibility initiatives.

For the record it has repeatedly (to the point of annoyance) been your toadie B that kept jumping in with his slavery and crimes against humanity propaganda, or articles about how Nevsun may not have the grades of ore that they claim.

The bummer is that every time we started addressing Nevsun on the KER regarding share price, in the context of Zinc/Copper miners with promise, or regarding the merger with Reservoir, B has come along and stirred the pot with his collection 2014 misplaced quotes and old editorial pieces meant to smear and slander the company with unproven accusations.

In addition B felt the need to keep naming me personally with a few snide remarks each time he tried to reopen the discussion. That and the desire to present a holistic collection of documented research, is what caused me to respond (as I am not a shareholder). After repeated attempts, both B and you Birdman, have made every excuse in the book about you don’t want to spend the time and roll up your sleeves and read the 76 page 3rd party report, the company releases, the independent audits, and their hiring practices or that Nevsun denies the allegations and will vigorously defend itself against the claim.

Here’s a clue Birdman:

1) go back and reread the thread from last Tuesday’s market wrap where this resurfaced again (from the last 2-3 time B has started the slavery talk),

2) then go read the comments on the Weekend show

3) then really read the rest of this thread above and click on all the links.

Unless you want to stick to the conversation at hand (since you just jumped in at the tail end to defend your little buddy), then I have no interest in your point of view.

You guys have skirted every issue but their actual track record, their initiatives, their employee training, their wage discovery, their work hours, standards, or any of the audited processes and legally binding onboarding processes that Nevsun has and does employ.

If you really do read and watch all that information posted, it will be clear as day how the Bisha mine has directly impacted the people in Eritrea much more than if the mine didn’t exist, and their social responsibility is top notch.

Until that day comes (when pigs fly)…… then I have no interest in anything you have to say.

B has made his slavery opinions known, and even though there are 0 documented cases of it with Nevsun, we get his perspective. I’d appreciate him leaving it alone and let the rest of us investors review it on it’s merits and fundamentals, without him crapping all over the blog with half truths and supposition.

Birdman, you just keep wowing us with incorrect calls on the direction of Gold, Oil, and the dollar. Remember you let us know for sure that we are not in a new bull market and that DUST was the place to be the last few months. How did that work out by the way?

“Birdman – apparently you can’t read or maybe you just have issues with comprehension. To complicate matters, you also seem to keep taking one line completely out of context and using it as a jump-off point for your amazing African insights. Spare me….” — Shad
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That’s where I stopped reading.

Maybe its you who has the reading comprehension problem. Go back to my posts. They were reasonable and and informed. I am also quite sure you have no idea how business is really conducted in these parts either. You need to get out of your bunker.

For an old guy you strike me as quite naive.

Forum Uranium Commences Drill Program at Its 100% Owned Karpinka Property Near the Key Lake Mine, Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan
VANCOUVER, BC–(Marketwired – July 18, 2016)

http://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/junior-miner-news/press-releases/769-tsx-venture/fdc/22409-forum-uranium-commences-drill-program-at-its-100-owned-karpinka-property-near-the-key-lake-mine-athabasca-basin-saskatchewan.html

Paladin Energy Provides Quarterly Activities Report for Period Ending 30 June 2016
PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA–(Marketwired – July 18, 2016)

http://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/junior-miner-news/press-releases/331-tsx/pdn/22392-paladin-energy-provides-quarterly-activities-report-for-period-ending-30-june-2016.html