The plaintiffs in the suit filed against the
"We alleged it is Barrick and especially the senior management and board in
Barrick took operational control of the
They say Barrick should have known the police had a long history of using "excessive force" because several civil society groups have reported that at least 77 people have been killed by police or security around the mine since 2006.
Barrick spokesperson
"It also attempts to advance claims against
"We intend to vigorously defend against these allegations in the appropriate forum."
Barrick, which the statement of claim calls the second largest gold mining company in the world, has owned the mine that is at the heart of the allegations through subsidiaries since 2016.
The statement of claim said it is located in the middle of seven villages and in one of the poorest regions of
Locals in search of a livelihood have resorted to visiting waste rock areas of the mine to retrieve rocks containing trace amounts of gold.
"Despite the fact that the rocks are waste product and have little or no commercial value to Barrick, security at the
"The violence has extended to bystanders in the local community as well as people outside the mine site who are merely suspected of having entered the waste rock area."
The document added that the use of lethal force against those killed or injured was "arbitrary" and "not necessary."
Those who survived the attacks say they now face a range of medical complications including numbness in their limbs and fingers and trouble moving these parts of their body.
Some have wounds that have not fully healed and have left them unable to stand, run long distances or flex their foot.
They are seeking unspecified damages linked to loss of income and pain and suffering from the personal injuries and wrongful deaths.
In a press release, corporate watchdog Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) executive director
"This case is an important test of whether
RAID said its research shows police are an important part of the North Mara mine's security, though it noted Barrick says the mine doesn't employ or control the police assigned to it.
"Whether Barrick may be held responsible under the law for the harm caused in these cases is a question Canadian courts are now being asked to rule on," the press release stated.
The Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability urged the federal government to legislatively crack down on human rights violations involving Canadian multinationals in a press release Wednesday.
"This is what UN human rights experts, legal scholars, rights-holders around the globe, and the dozens of civil society groups within our network are calling for," said the organization's policy director
This report by The Canadian Press was first published
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