Early Day Motion (EDM) 136 outlines the human and environmental abuses and concerns of indigenous communities in Colombia and Peru. We as UK citizens have an obligation and a responsibility to these communities as Glencore is registered on the London Stock Exchange and as such receives UK funding for its operations.
An EDM is a statement made by parliamentarians and tabled in the parliament for all to see. Any MP that is in agreement with this can sign the EDM. For more information on this please see here
One of the largest companies in the world, Glencore’s business model continues to have severe consequences for local communities and the environment. Several scandals have provided evidence of Glencore’s involvement in human rights violations, corruption, tax avoidance and environmental destruction.
Numerous research studies, technical reports, documentaries and public accusations have exposed the violation of the human rights of the Wayuu and Afro-descendant communities in La Guajira, Colombia. Many of these violations are linked to the mining activities of the company Carbones del Cerrejón Limited, which is owned by Glencore. Carbones del Cerrejón operates Latin America’s largest open-pit coal mine and has been the subject of multiple court rulings by different judicial bodies, including the Colombian High Courts, and of declarations made by the United Nations, European parliamentarians and international organisations.
In 2020, Cerrejón’s activities were denounced by seven UN Special Rapporteurs. David Boyd stated, ‘the situation that was brought to my attention recently regarding the Cerrejón mine and the Wayúu indigenous people is one of the most disturbing situations that I have learned about in my two and half years as [UN] Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment.‘
Please write to your MP about EDM 136! You can use the simple form below – entering your postcode will send the message to the correct MP for your constituency.