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development initiatives, as well as more generally to take a rolein the whole resettlement process. Whilst such an investigationis likely to have revealed a lack of capacity (as admitted by localGovernment officials interviewed), such knowledge would haveenabled AP to either engage in suitable skills enhancement activitiesor to have found alternative capacity to meet the post-resettlementrequirements of the Ga Pila village to ensure development.Another constraining factor in the implementation of successfuldevelopment programmes is the psycho-social conditions withinthe receiving environment and, in particular, the current perceptionsof community members about the future. The climate at the timeof undertaking this review was characterised by deep mistrust felttowards AP as well as high expectations for a renegotiation of theresettlement terms. This is not conducive to the uptake of newdevelopment programmes. Such initiatives are likely to be furtherconstrained by weak capacity and poor educational standardsamongst the community. There is an acute need for capacitybuilding and empowerment, particularly amongst the youngermembers of these communities, in order to facilitate effective, andappropriate sustainable development interventions. Conversationswith some young community respondents indicated a willingnessto participate in capacity building initiatives, should they be madeavailable.A.7 SUMMARY OFALIGNMENT FINDINGSERM has categorised the IFC Performance Standards pertaining toresettlement into nine topics related to key chronological phases ofactivity important in any IFC aligned relocation process. The topicsare:• Topic 1: Avoid or Minimise Resettlement;• Topic 2: Land Acquisition and Land Rights;• Topic 3: Identifying Affected People, Assessing Eligibilityand Establishing Cut-Off Dates;• Topic 4: Effective Consultation and InformedParticipation;• Topic 5: Compensation;• Topic 6: Grievance Management;• Topic 7: Provide Relocation Assistance and TransitionSupport;• Topic 8: Improve / Restore Living Conditions andLivelihoods, and Address Post-Resettlement DevelopmentNeeds;• Topic 9: Implementation Planning, Ensuring InstitutionalCapacity and Transparency.The table below provides a summary of the alignment ratings against these IFC requirements:Table 1.1 Summary of Performance Assessment FindingsIFCPerformanceStandard &Section (#)IFC Performance StandardRequirementPerformanceAssessmentComments (if partial or non-alignment)Topic 1: Avoid or Minimise ResettlementPS 5, Section 7A project should consider feasiblealternative project designs to avoidor at least minimise physical oreconomic displacement.Topic 2: Land Acquisition and Land RightsNon-alignmentInadequate prior identification of safety risks and impactsof mining and design of appropriate measures tomitigate these, e.g. relocation.No evidence or consideration of alternatives to avoidor minimise resettlement prior to commencement ofmining activities.PS 5, Section 3Projects are encouraged to acquireland rights through negotiatedsettlements whenever possible.Partial alignmentTraditional protocols were followed. The land acquisitionnegotiation process did however, exclude the broadercommunity.PS 5, Section 12Document all transactions to acquireland rights.Non-alignmentNot formally documenting the decision’s historically‘unique’ sub-lease arrangement was a critical omissionon the part of the legal advisors, AP and the DLA giventhe significance of the issues at hand.xii