Below:
- COPINH Statement
- Urgent Action, from Honduras Solidarity Network
What to do, How to support: See below
*******
COPINH Denounces: “DESA Agua Zarca” Relaunches Illegal Hydroelectric Project That Violates Rights & Life Of Lenca People & Territories
(Translated for Rights Action by Lori Berenson, lhbere@gmail.com)
The Honduran government continues to allow and is an accomplice to the violation of the human rights of the Lenca People in Río Blanco and northern Intibucá. They support DESA’s second attempt to construct the DESA Agua Zarca Hydroelectric Project (Desarrollos Energeticos - Hidroelectrica Agua Zarca) on the Gualcarque River which is a natural, cultural and economic heritage, as well as the habitat of the Lenca People.
DESA-Agua Zarca’s most recent attempt is based on the same illegal concession that violated the Lenca People’s right to Free, Prior and Informed Consultation and Consent, as well as Convention 169 of the ILO, the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and is therefore began as illegitimate and illegal.
Funders & Investors
We condemn those institutions that support this project of death, which makes them violators of the historic collective and individual rights of the Lenca People, including:
*******
COPINH Denounces: “DESA Agua Zarca” Relaunches Illegal Hydroelectric Project That Violates Rights & Life Of Lenca People & Territories
(Translated for Rights Action by Lori Berenson, lhbere@gmail.com)
The Honduran government continues to allow and is an accomplice to the violation of the human rights of the Lenca People in Río Blanco and northern Intibucá. They support DESA’s second attempt to construct the DESA Agua Zarca Hydroelectric Project (Desarrollos Energeticos - Hidroelectrica Agua Zarca) on the Gualcarque River which is a natural, cultural and economic heritage, as well as the habitat of the Lenca People.
DESA-Agua Zarca’s most recent attempt is based on the same illegal concession that violated the Lenca People’s right to Free, Prior and Informed Consultation and Consent, as well as Convention 169 of the ILO, the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and is therefore began as illegitimate and illegal.
Funders & Investors
We condemn those institutions that support this project of death, which makes them violators of the historic collective and individual rights of the Lenca People, including:
- Netherland’s Development Fund FMO-Dutch Bank, providing US$15 million
- Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd., FINNFUND, of Finland, US$5 million
- Central American Bank for Economic Integration, US$24 million
- German companies Siemens and Voith Hydro
- CASTOR (Castillo Torres) Cerros de Comayagua Construction Company
- FICOHSA Bank of Honduras
- Atalia Family Business Group in Honduras
- Government of United States, through USAID- MARKET Project
- And SERNA which continues to be a lackey of companies like DESA, and has refused to give COPINH information on the more than 40 hydroelectric projects that affect and violate the rights of the Lenca People, including the Hydroelectric Dam Agua Zarca.
Post Military Coup Privatization Bonanza
We must remember that the illegitimate Congress of Honduras, in the year 2010, issued dozens of river concessions across Honduras, which has meant the privatization of the commons and natural resources. Among these was the concession on the Gualcarque River, initially given to the DESA Company for 20 years. MORE>>>
We must remember that the illegitimate Congress of Honduras, in the year 2010, issued dozens of river concessions across Honduras, which has meant the privatization of the commons and natural resources. Among these was the concession on the Gualcarque River, initially given to the DESA Company for 20 years. MORE>>>
