abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

3 May 2016

Author:
Irit Tamir, Oxfam America (USA)

Commentary: "US Government has role to play in ensuring businesses respect human rights around the world"

On March 3, Berta Caceres Flores was assassinated for defending her people’s land and fighting against the proposed Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam in Honduras. Too often, the mining, agricultural or hydroelectric businesses with tacit support of governments displace those living on it along with causing irreparable environmental damage. Indigenous and rural communities organize to defend and preserve their way of life, their livelihoods and their ability to feed themselves. Governments have the duty to protect human rights and in particular those defending them. On this front, developing countries are failing but Latin America is in particular. According to Front Line Defenders 156 human rights defenders were killed or died in detention in 2015 with more than half of those occurring in Latin America. The Obama administration will soon release its National Action Plan for implementing these principles and has the potential to send a strong signal to U.S. corporations operating in developing countries to conduct good due diligence, respect human rights and mitigate impacts and remedy potential harms. The Administration should do everything it can to ensure that US corporations aren’t contributing to such tragedies. [It] should prioritize the protection of human rights defenders and affected communities so that they can assess the human rights impacts of large-scale projects, challenge corporate behavior in instances of abuse, and negotiate with companies on equal footing.