John et al. v. Barrick Gold Corporation

In November 2022, 21 Tanzanians filed an action in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against Canadian mining company Barrick Gold Corporation. The plaintiffs allege that police operating in and around the company’s North Mara gold mine in Tanzania have committed extensive violence against local residents, including the killing of five residents and the injury of nine others.

The action claims that Barrick is liable for damages due to its “reckless and negligent creation, direction, implementation and supervision” of the mine’s security strategy and human rights policy that have allegedly led to these deaths and injuries. It asserts among other details that Barrick pays, equips and directs police through agreements between the company and the Tanzanian Police Force, and has known about police use of excessive force in or near the mine since at least 2010.

The plaintiffs are Indigenous Kuria villagers who live in communities surrounding the mine. They include people allegedly injured by the police, as well as family members of those allegedly killed.

The action asserts that Barrick, a company incorporated in Ontario, is negligent under Ontario law. It also asserts that the company was complicit in extrajudicial killing and torture, both of which are violations of customary international law norms.