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03.06.2011– Members of the "Munk Out of UofT" campaign of the group EJ Toronto staged a banner drop this Sunday morning to bring attention to the man who wants to brand the University of Toronto's Foreign Affairs School. The banner, which reads "'Gang Rape is a Cultural Habit' - Peter Munk" makes reference to a dismissive comment Munk made recently to a Globe and Mail reporter in response to his company's security being implicated in the gang rape of many women near a Barrick Gold mine in Papua New Guinea. Barrick had denied allegations of gang rape at this mine for years, but recently supported an internal investigation when a Human Right Watch also confirmed these offenses.
Munk's comment comes at a time when he is under increased scrutiny due to recent controversy around a contract between his foundation and the University of Toronto, for the establishment of the Munk School of Global Affairs. The contract has been criticized because Munk has a vested interest in global policy, as his company has been repeatedly singled out as actively lobbying against the regulation of mining companies operating outside of Canada. Furthermore, the contract was approved in a shady, secretive process that was hidden even from members of the University's Governing Council.
Munk's company, Barrick Gold, has been accused of human rights abuses and environmental contamination in almost every country that they operate, attracting protests both within and outside of Canada on a regular basis. Recently, the University has become a target for this anti-Munk sentiment and a twitter hashtag #munkout has been created to document actions targeting Munk at the University of Toronto.
