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BarclaysBarclays is funding the controversial Trans Thai- Malaysian gas pipeline project.
Location of the Trans Thai-Malaysia gas pipeline project.
This project has been linked with:
Removal of important forest areas
The pipeline runs through wetland forests and rare sand dune forest along the coast of southern Thailand. Construction will threaten fishing and farming.
Human rights abuses
Peaceful and lawful protests by local people have been met with threats of police violence and intimidation from security patrols.
Illegal takeover of common lands
Public rights of way have been taken over without consultation or consent from residents. This is against Thai law.
Did you know:
Barclays has loaned nearly half the total loan for the pipeline giving it significant leverage over the project.
Barclays is signed up to the Equator Principles - environmental and social guidelines for banks involved in project finance.
These guidelines say all projects need an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), including public consultation, before a project decision is taken.
The EIA on the Trans-Thai Malaysian pipeline was slammed for leaving out many damaging environmental and social effects.
It's public consultation hearings didn't allow people who opposed the pipeline to speak.
Peaceful and lawful protests against the pipeline by local people in southern Thailand were met with police violence and harasment.
Friends of the Earth says
This is yet another example of how little voluntary guidelines mean. Companies like Barclays can choose to ignore them too easily.
Barclays, human rights and the trans Thai-Malaysia gas pipeline
(PDF† 74K) September 2005
This briefing describes some of the ways Barclays has broken its own rules and has infringed its own human rights policies to fund the trans Thai-Malaysia gas pipeline.
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Image © Friends of the Earth
