Press Release 6 July 2017: FMO and FinnFund exit the controversial Agua Zarca project
Both ENDS and SOMO welcome the announcement done today by the Dutch and Finnish development banks, FMO and FinnFund, to exit the controversial Agua Zarca hydroelectric project in Honduras. Conflict about the project has led to violence in the region, including the murder of three leaders who opposed the project. In March 2016, renowned human rights defender Berta Caceres was murdered for opposing this project in indigenous Lenca territory.
The banks’ announcement comes over a year after they had committed to a “responsible exit” in May 2016 and fails to acknowledge the role they and their client played in causing the conflict in the region.The third funder, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), remains invested in the project.
“What happens now should first and foremost address the impunity for the human rights violations in the region. Violence and threats are greater than ever and still no justice has been done for the brutal murder of Berta Caceres, the violent attacks in the community and the damages done to the communities' property. The situation for the communities around the Agua Zarca project remains precarious as long as this is not addressed”, said Anna van Ojik, policy advisor at Both ENDS.
“While we are relieved that FMO and FinnFund have finally ended the relationship with their client, DESA, CABEI’s continued financing means the project is still on life support,” said Kris Genovese, senior researcher at SOMO.
“Attacks on human rights defenders protesting development projects must end. While the damage is already done for the communities around the Agua Zarca project we expect that FMO will strengthen its human rights policy considerably to avoid similar disastrous outcomes in future projects”, said Danielle Hirsch of Both ENDS.
For more information:
Statement COPINH (Consejo Civico de Organizaciones Populares e Indigenas de Honduras’ a network of Honduran civil society organisations standing up for the rights of indigenous communities in the country)
Statement Green Alliance for Gender Action (GAGGA)
News items about the developments around Agua Zarca on Both ENDS' website
Or contact:
Anna van Ojik (Both ENDS): A.vanOjik@bothends.org / 0031 614669821
Kris Genovese (SOMO): K.Genovese@somo.nl / 0031 652773272
For more information
Read more about this subject
-
Dossier
Agua Zarca: indigenous fight against dam costs lives
Indigenous Hondurans are resisting the construction of the Agua Zarca hydrodam. Their fight has cost several lives, including that of Berta Cáceres. After considerable public pressure, Dutch development bank FMO withdrew from the project.
-
News / 7 February 2017
COPINH-leader: “Our communities are terrified”
Last week, Global Witness published 'Honduras: the deadliest place to defend the planet'. This shocking report clearly shows the worrying situation of human rights in Honduras and backs the demand of Both ENDS and partner COPINH: FMO must divest from the Agua Zarca dam.
-
News / 2 March 2017
A letter to Dutch minister one year after Berta Cáceres' murder
Today, it is exactly one year ago that Berta Cáceres was brutally murdered in her home in Honduras. Cáceres was a globally known human rights defender and coordinator of the indigenous Lenca organisation COPINH. The murder of Berta is closely related to her protest against the Agua Zarca dam, a hydroelectric project financed partially by the Dutch development bank FMO.
-
News / 10 July 2020
Honduran NGOs call on FMO not to invest in controversial bank
Dutch development bank FMO is considering investing in the controversial Ficohsa bank in Honduras. The bank has close ties with the elite in Honduras, which holds considerable power in politics, the (para)military and the business community. Last Wednesday, a number of Honduran organisations, including the indigenous organisation COPINH – whose leader Berta Cáceres was murdered in 2016 – sent a letter to the FMO management. The letter, signed by forty organisations including Both ENDS, calls on FMO not to do business with this bank.
-
News / 6 March 2018
Director of electricity company arrested in Berta Cáceres case
On Friday, March 2, the director of DESA, David Castillo, was arrested in Honduras on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Berta Cáceres, exactly 2 years ago. The Honduran government refused for a long time to not only detect the actual murderers, but also the intellectual authors of the murder of Cáceres.
-
News / 16 December 2019
Seven men sentenced to long prison terms for the murder of Berta Cáceres
Earlier this month, the seven men found guilty of the murder of Berta Cáceres were sentenced to jail for periods between 30 and 50 years. The court confirmed its opinion that Berta Cáceres was murdered for her role in defending the rights of the indigenous Lenca communities.
-
External link / 31 May 2018
Agua Zarca debacle leads to policy changes at FMO (Annual Report 2017)
Sometimes things must go terribly wrong before big players start to move. In March 2016, Honduran activist Berta Cáceres was murdered because of her leading role in the protests against the Agua Zarca hydro dam, co-financed by the Dutch FMO. One and a half year later, FMO changed their policies to prevent such events in the future.
-
Dossier
Indigenous communities threatened by Barro Blanco dam in Panama
The Barro Blanco dam project in Panama, which has Dutch financial support, is causing indigenous lands to disappear under water. Both ENDS is working to protect the rights of indigenous communities living near the dam.
-
News / 17 May 2018
Charge against Dutch FMO for complicity in human rights violations in Honduras
Today, three representatives of the Honduran indigenous people's organisation COPINH, together with the family of environmental activist Berta Cáceres, who was murdered in March 2016, announced that they are preparing to press charges against the Dutch development bank FMO. COPINH accuses the FMO of complicity in human rights violations in connection with the controversial Agua Zarca hydroelectric project.
-
News / 20 October 2016
Laura Cáceres: “By continuing my mother’s fight, I continue the defense of life”
This week, Laura Zuniga Cáceres, daughter of Berta Cáceres*, visits the Netherlands. She will talk with the directors of the involved departments of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in a colloquium about indigenous right of Leiden University and meet with several Dutch NGO's. Both ENDS asked this brave young woman about the situation in Honduras and her motivation to continue her mother's work.
-
Dossier
Large-scale infrastructure
Large-scale infrastructural projects have detrimental effects on local people and the environment, while their benefits are felt elsewhere. Both ENDS is working to ensure that local people have a greater say in decision-making and is investigating the way these projects are funded.
-
Dossier
Advocating for responsible policies of development banks
Development banks should comply with strict environmental and human rights rules to ensure that their projects benefit and do not harm the poorest groups. Both ENDS monitors the banks to make sure they do.
-
News / 1 December 2018
7 suspects of the murder of the Honduran Berta Cáceres were found guilty
On Thursday, November 29, seven suspects of the murder of Berta Cáceres (in March 2016) were found guilty. Members of the indigenous human rights organisation COPINH, of which Cáceres was the leader, and close relatives of Cáceres herself see the ruling as the first step towards justice for her murder and the recognition that the company DESA is co-responsible for this. They also point out, however, that the process was permeated with corruption, intimidation and other abuses from the very beginning, and that the masterminds behind the murder are still walking around freely.
-
News / 6 April 2017
Barro Blanco floodings: enormous damage
The closing of the Barro Blanco dam last year caused not only material but also cultural damage in the affected Ngäbe-Buglé communities in Panama. So far, funder FMO is not taking responsibility for the human rights abuses caused by the project. So, what now?
-
News / 4 October 2017
Reaction to FMOs position statements on human rights, land and gender
On September 20th FMO published its new position statements on human rights, land governance and gender. We appreciate that FMO takes human rights serious and applaud the efforts that have been made to come to an improved position on human rights, land and gender. However, to truly have a positive impact on people and the environment, some important follow up steps are necessary.
-
News / 11 May 2017
African Development Bank accepts complaint about coal plant
A year ago, the Senegalese NGO Takkom Jerry filed a complaint with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Dutch Development Bank FMO, with support from Both ENDS. These banks finance the Sendou coal power station, right next to the fishing village of Bargny. The AfDB has now recognized the complaint. FMO is already processing the complaint and will publish an official response shortly.
-
Event / 7 March 2018, 15:00 - 16:30
Women's Rights & Climate Finance Webinar: getting the money to the people
Join us for the third session of this five-part series on women's rights and climate finance, aimed at building knowledge and power to ensure finance flows benefit local women's groups, respond to community needs and respect human rights.
-
Publication / 29 May 2019
-
Dossier
Fair Green and Global Alliance (FGG)
Together with civil society organisations from all over the world, the Fair Green and Global (FGG) Alliance aims for socially just, inclusive and environmentally sustainable societies in the Netherlands and the Global South.
-
News / 9 December 2016
3 Steps to Stand Up for Human Rights in Development!
As we celebrate both the 30th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development (December 4th) and Human Rights Day (December 10th), Both ENDS joins with communities and civil society groups around the world to call on development finance institutions, governments, and businesses to take 3 steps to stand up for Human Rights in development.