Archived press release

Indian and Thai Activists Pressure Barclays

9 December 2004

Community representatives from Thailand and India will protest outside a human rights conference in London on Thursday (9^th December), over Barclays' record on human rights [1]. The campaigners have come to London to pressure the bank over their involvement in the controversial Omkareshwar Dam in India, and the Trans-Thai-Malaysia Gas Pipeline [2].

The visitors will join campaigners from Friends of the Earth, the Corner House and Platform in leafleting delegates at the event which will discuss Business and Human Rights. They requested an invitation but have been told that there is no room, and have therefore resorted to leafleting delegates, to request a space.

The UK bank has been criticised for its involvement in both projects because of its failure to implement the Equator Principles, designed to ensure bank funding does not cause damage on human rights and environmental grounds.

Barclays Bank has provided advice on financing the Omkareshwar Dam and also provided a corporate loan to the National Hydropower Power Corporation (NHPC) which is building the Omkareshwar dam [4].

Sulaiman Matyusoh, a villager from one of the communities affected by the Trans-Thai-Malaysia Gas Pipeline, and Thai community worker, Ponglert Pongwanan, are also in London to raise concerns about human rights abuses along the route of the pipeline, which crosses an area where tensions are currently running high and there are reports of intimidation and violence. The pipeline also poses an environmental threat, running through a coastal fishing area.

Sulaiman Matyusoh said:

"I am disappointed that Barclays support this pipeline project. We learned that Barclays was committed to principles that would mean that they would only support environmentally and socially responsible projects. We have presented evidence of violence and human rights abuses associated with this project to Barclays Capital in Bangkok. Yet they still continue with this project despite the facts."

Friends of the Earth has accused the UK bank of ignoring its environmental and social principles. The Bank is a signatory to the Equator Principles [5] which voluntarily binds the bank to the social and environmental policies set by the World Bank. The Omkareshwar Dam project fails because no environmental impact assessment has been carried out, no development plan is in place for the indigenous people who will be displaced by the dam, and no resettlement plan exists. The Thai project also raises concerns as local people were not consulted, local fisheries are threatened by pollution and a full environmental impact assessment was not properly carried out.

Friends of the Earth's Corporate Accountability Campaigner Simon McRae said:

"Barclays is happy to talk about the importance of human rights for business, but is reluctant to put their principles into practice when it comes to work on the ground. Their continuing involvement in controversial dam and pipeline projects will not convince the public or investors that Barclays is serious about human rights and the Equator Principles."

Notes

[1] Chris Lendrum, vice chair and group executive director from Barclays Bank will be speaking a seminar on business and human rights at the Vineapolis in London on Thursday 9^th December

[2] See `Principles, Profits and PR report available from www.banktrack.org

[3] Alok Agarwal will be in the UK from December 6^th to the 14^th

[4] Pers comm Barclays September 30^th 2004

[5] For more on Equator Principles see: www.equatorprinciples.org and for NGO perspective see www.banktrack.org

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust