African refugees alleging rights abuses get go-ahead to sue Canadian mining firm
VANCOUVER — Foreign workers who have accused a Vancouver-based company of human rights abuses at an African mine will have their case heard in the Canadian legal system.
In a judgment released Thursday, the Supreme Court of British Columbia gave the go-ahead for three refugees to proceed with a civil lawsuit against Nevsun Resources (TSX:NSU), which owns a controlling interest in the Bisha gold mine in the tiny East African country of Eritrea.
Joe Fiorante, one of the lawyers representing the group, said this is the first time foreign claimants have been able to file a lawsuit in Canada against a Canadian company over allegations of human rights abuses that took place abroad.
“From the plaintiffs’ perspective, it is a big victory,” he said in an interview.