Honduras

 

With Eva Filzmoser

French power giant

terminates agreement with Miguel Facussé’s company

 

  Galería Fotográfica  

          

Only days after the cancellation of the German Investment and Development Bank’s (DEG) US$ 20 million loan to Corporación Dinant, landowner and palm producer Miguel Facussé has received another hard blow. EDF Trading, a London-based subsidiary of the French public-owned corporation EDF SA and a member of the EDF Group, has decided to terminate a US$ 2.8 million contract with Exportadora del Atlántico SA, for the purchase of carbon credits in Bajo Aguán, under the United Nations’ Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Sirel spoke about this new development with Eva Filzmoser of CDM Watch.

 

-How did the French energy giant come to this decision?

-It’s the result of international pressure. My organization, CDM Watch, organized a strong campaign together with Biofuelwatch and Rainforest Rescue (Rettet den Regenwald) aimed at all those directly involved in the CDM project in Bajo Aguán.

 

We sent out an open letter backed by 76 organizations from around the world, and thousands of email messages to the British government asking it to withdraw its authorization for the project.

 

We also sent a letter to the CDM Executive Board, which is the body in charge of the project’s application process.

 

At the same time, the Carbon Market & Investors Association (CMIA) issued a press release requesting that the parties immediately terminate their commercial relationship with the project itself.

 

The DEG’s decision to withdraw its financing to another company owned by Miguel Facussé was an additional element that contributed to convince EDF Trading to back out of a highly questioned project.

 

We think they wanted to avoid harming their public image.

 

-Was there any direct communication from the British government?

-We receive a response to our open letter, where it informed us that it considered that the accusations of human rights abuses in Bajo Aguán were very serious.

 

The government also told us that it planned to ask for an explanation from the government of Honduras, as well as EDF Trading’s opinion on the project, and that it would ask the CDM Executive Board to take the situation into account when it came time for it to review Exportadora del Atlántico’s project application.

 

We hope that the Executive Board will investigate the situation and will reject the application.

 

-How important is this decision by EDF Trading?

-It has a major political impact. This is something that had never happened before and it will set a very important precedent, because it means that human rights have finally been included in the considerations of a CDM project.

 

We have to make the most of this outcome, because it can have a strong impact on other investors.

 

-Corporación Dinant declared that there is no evidence connecting the company to the human rights violations in Bajo Aguán, and that it is being targeted by an international campaign to harm it. What do you think of these statements?

-I’m not surprised and I think it’s the only thing it can do. In Bajo Aguán there’s a very serious land conflict and a systematic violation of the human rights of its peasant families.

 

As things stand, no project can be approved in this region of Honduras.

 

-What positive impact do you think this decision will have on the peasant families of Bajo Aguán?

-The international community is closely following the situation in Bajo Aguán. The companies that invest in the region now know that if they abuse human rights they will have to face very significant financial costs.

 

In Miguel Facussé’s case, he’s already received two very hard blows within only days of each other. We believe he needs to reconsider his actions and change his relationship with the peasant organizations.

 

-What’s next?

-We’re waiting for a decision from the CDM Executive Board, and we’re going to continue pressuring the British government until it withdraws its authorization for the project.

 

 

From Managua, Giorgio Trucchi

Rel-UITA

April 18, de 2011

 

 

 

 

Photo: "La Lempira" settlement, Giorgio Trucchi, Rel-UITA

 

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