SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR, November 19, 2012 — An international mission organized by the environmental federation Friends of the Earth International in Guatemala and El Salvador has verified systematic human rights violations and criminalization of environmental activists and communities resisting mining and hydroelectric projects.
The International Solidarity Mission organized by Friends of the Earth and the Transnational Institute presents an analysis of Canadian mining corporation Goldcorp’s record of exploitation in Guatemala.
At the beginning of the Friends of the Earth International tour of solidarity with the communities affected by mining, dams and megaprojects in El Salvador and Guatemala, the delegation visited the Marlin mine, operated by Canadian corporation Goldcorp.
On the first day of the Solidarity Mission organized by Friends of the Earth International and the Transnational Institute (TNI) of the Netherlands, which aims to reclaim the rights of communities affected and resisting open pit metal mining in Guatemala and El Salvador, the delegation visited Marlin gold mine, owned by Canadian corporation Goldcorp.
BERGEN (NORWAY) / LAGOS (NIGERIA), November 4, 2012 — Friends of the Earth International Chair Nnimmo Bassey received the 2012 Rafto Prize for Human Rights in Norway on November 4.
HYDERABAD, INDIA, October 12, 2012 — While ministers start gathering here ahead of a second week of United Nations Biodiversity talks, preparing to discuss where to garner billions of dollars needed to preserve global biodiversity, Friends of the Earth International warns against Nature being ‘financialized.’
THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS, October 11, 2012 — For the first time in history, a Dutch court verdict is expected about the case of a European company, Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, which appeared in court today to account for damage it caused abroad, says Friends of the Earth International.
Friends of the Earth thanks Gord Miller, Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner for his timely report — Losing Touch — in which he says the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) is one of the most significant environmental laws of our time. Friends of the Earth has lauded Ontario as the most progressive jurisdiction in Canada in its provision of environmental rights under the EBR based on our analysis of environmental rights across Canada (“Standing On Guard,” 2009). However, today, the Environmental Commissioner said, “I am astounded by the level of disregard and contempt being shown to the statutory requirement of the Environmental Bill of Rights… Senior members of the Ontario Public Service are ignoring their responsibility to support and implement the will of the Legislative Assembly.”
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, June 22, 2012 — Commenting on the Rio+20 Summit closing day, Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International said: “World leaders failed at their Summit in Rio, mainly because of the undue influence that multinational corporations have on them and the UN. But the parallel People’s Summit demonstrated that real solutions to the current crises do exist and that people are successfully mobilizing around them.”
On June 19, Friends of the Earth (FoE) released a report critiquing the corporate capture of the United Nations. Corporate capture means that governments are not doing their job and that they have become advocates for the corporate agenda. Popular movements have risen to the occasion in a re-energized drive to democratize the political process and take back control over our lives and nature.
