BHP urged to act on Colombia pit

Felipe Ustate, a community leader in the north of Colombia, will use BHP Billiton's AGM today to call on non-executive director Baroness Shriti Vadera for redress over the giant El Cerrojon open-cut coal mine that he says has forced many people off their land.

BHP Billiton, Xstrata and Anglo American each have a one third stake in the mine.

A spokesman for BHP said: "Cerrojon management continues to engage directly with local communities to address issues linked to relocations."