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November 21, 2024 | 11:01 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An investigation by Peace Brigades International (PBI) UK has unveiled alarming connections between UK companies, environmental destruction, and violent attacks on human rights defenders, the group said in a statement on Thursday, November 21.
The report, “The Case for Change: Why Human Rights Defenders Need a UK Law on Mandatory Due Diligence”, highlights six cases spanning Colombia, Honduras, Indonesia, and Mexico, where activists have faced harassment, imprisonment, and even murder for opposing extractive industries with UK ties.
This revelation has prompted renewed calls for the UK government to implement a mandatory due diligence law, compelling businesses to assess and mitigate their human rights and environmental impacts.
Broad support for change
Over 150 UK businesses, a cross-party group of parliamentarians, and civil society organizations back the demand for a mandatory due diligence law. A recent YouGov poll revealed overwhelming public support, with 4 in 5 UK adults favoring legislation to hold companies accountable.
The proposed law would align the UK with global standards. The EU passed a similar directive last year, and other nations have taken steps to enforce corporate accountability. Challis remarked, “The UK is behind the curve. Labour must follow through on its promises to protect rights and the environment by holding corporations to account.”
On Thursday, November 21, Indigenous and Afro-descendent leaders from Colombia, Indonesia, Peru, Kenya, Liberia, and Mexico will meet with UK parliamentarians in Westminster to demand action. Among them is Jesús Javier Thomas, a land rights defender from Mexico. His community’s legal victory against a gold mine owned by Fresnillo PLC led to court-ordered reparations, but it came at a tragic cost: three activists were murdered.
“Profit cannot be put before life,” Thomas stated. “The only way to guarantee that British companies operate legally and free from violence is to hold them accountable. If the UK government fails to act, human rights defenders will continue to die.”
Key findings of the report
Key findings of the report in Indonesia include the allegations of torture to Indigenous opponents of a mine linked to Rio Tinto, which polluted local rivers.
Findings in other countries are no less alarming, such as in Mexico where community leaders opposing illegal mining by a subsidiary of Fresnillo PLC were murdered in 2018 and 2021. Mexican courts had ruled the mining operations were unauthorized and ordered reparations, but defenders advocating for justice were killed.
In Colombia, assassination attempts targeted activists denouncing environmental damage caused by UK-listed Amerisur's oil operations in the Amazon. In Honduras, the investigation reported how water rights defenders opposing mining activities linked to UK export chains were jailed and killed.
PBI UK Advocacy Manager Christina Challis underscored the urgency: “Sadly, these examples show that some businesses can’t be trusted to prevent environmental and human rights abuses. Brave human rights defenders are paying the ultimate price. A mandatory due diligence law is needed to ensure accountability and to reduce risks for communities standing up for their rights.”
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