Two years after a toxic spill linked to a palm oil
plantation destroyed the food source for communities living around Guatemala’s
Pasión River, a new report highlights
a continued absence of justice, accountability or compensation for those
affected.
The spill, which occurred in Sayaxché, Peten province in
June 2015, killed thousands of fish and destroyed the plant life in the river,
impacting the food security of thousands of local families, according to the
report.
The alleged cause of the disaster was a massive leak of
toxic effluent from the palm oil firm Reforestadora de Palma del Petén SA
(REPSA). A Guatemalan court ordered that REPSA suspend its operations pending
investigation. Following the verdict, a local schoolteacher and plaintiff in
the case was shot dead, and three other activists illegally detained by REPSA
workers protesting the judge’s decision.
The new report by Oxfam examines the extent to which the
case had been investigated and those affected compensated. It highlights the
efforts made by REPSA to obstruct justice, pursuing a series of legal appeals
which have stalled the official investigation called for in the original court
judgement.
The report adds that REPSA have not taken any action to
ensure that affected communities who have lost their livelihoods have access to
any kind compensation or remedy. This is despite the fact the spill decimated
local fish stocks, harming the primary economic activity for those not involved
in palm oil. It also severely diminished the volume of fish caught for daily
consumption, resulting in problems of food supply, particularly for the poorest
communities.
The report also cites descriptions from local stakeholders
of the intimidation that local activists have faced. They report being stopped
from travelling to press conferences, receiving threatening phone calls, and
enduring false accusations spread through leaflets, posters and banners around
the local area. It also points to several apparent attempts by REPSA to
“replace the most confrontational leaders in the municipality of Sayaxché with
people linked to the palm oil companies,” undermining local democracy and
development processes in the region.
In response to Oxfam’s report, campaigners called
on firms such as Cargill, Wilmar and Nestlé – the biggest buyers of palm oil
from REPSA – to stop doing business with them until they compensate those who
lost their livelihoods and engage with the process to bring about justice.
