PBI-Honduras accompanies CEHPRODEC on a visit to communities in the municipality of San Esteban in Olancho

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On July 12, PBI-Honduras posted: “In recent days, we accompanied @Cehprodechn on a visit to communities in the municipality of San Esteban (Olancho). We highlight the tireless work of CEHPRODEC to promote food sovereignty and #agroecology in the communities of the department of #Olancho.”

In October 2019, Defensores en linea reported: “The department of Olancho is formed by 23 municipalities and in most of them concessions for exploration and exploitation have been granted, according to the report ‘The State of Mining in the Department of Olancho’, carried out by the Honduran Center for Development Promotion Community (CEHPRODEC).”

In that article, Carlos Padilla of CEHPRODEC explained: “Mining generates social conflicts, division of the Honduran family and communities, because since they arrive they start talking to them with promises of development and great benefits, but nobody really sees them.”

In September 2022, PBI-Honduras accompanied CEHPRODEC carrying out a census in the municipalities of Gualaco and San Esteban in Olancho. PBI-Honduras commented at that time: “We were able to observe how some communities, their waters, lands and agricultural production are affected by hydroelectric projects.”

In the 9-year period of 2014 to 2022 inclusive, 96 land and environmental defenders were killed in Honduras, according to Global Witness reports.

CEHPRODEC on Canada in Honduras

In September 2022, Donald Hernández, the executive director of CEHPRODEC, participated in a public forum in Kingston, Ontario, Canada co-hosted by Development and Peace animator Kiegan Irish.

Irish writes: “Asked by an audience member what Hondurans thought of Canada, Hernández replied, ‘For those whose lands are stolen and poisoned by mining companies, Canada is synonymous with mining!’”

Between 1998 and 2005, Canada emerged as the leading investor in mining in Honduras. Of the 154 energy and mining concessions granted before a moratorium on new mining concessions in 2006, nearly 100 had been owned by Canadian corporations at one point.

CEHPRODEC mobilized against the General Mining Law that was passed by the Honduran Congress on January 23, 2013.

MiningWatch Canada has explained: “The General Mining Law was developed with technical assistance paid for with Canadian overseas development aid. Its passage in 2013 lifted a seven-year moratorium on any new mining projects.”

It also noted: “This law was developed and passed with strong diplomatic support from the Canadian embassy, and with contributions from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the former Canadian International Development Agency.”

In May 2014, CEHPRODEC contributed to the report titled The Impact of Canadian Mining in Latin America and Canada’s Responsibility that was submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

That report noted:

-“The political and economic support Canada gives Canadian companies (through mechanisms such as Export Development Canada (EDC), the Investment Board of the Canadian Pension Plan, and the Canadian International Development Agency) is provided without adequate controls to prevent the violation of human rights in the countries where the companies that receive these benefits operate.”

-“Trade agreements usually contain clauses on human rights and environmental protection. However, they lack the legal bases to force the parties — and, fundamentally, Canada — to comply with the obligation to respect and guarantee the human rights that are violated in the host countries by the actions of Canadian mining companies.”

The Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement and parallel agreements on labour and environmental cooperation entered into force on October 1, 2014.

PBI-Honduras has accompanied the Honduran Center for the Promotion of Community Development (CEHPRODEC) since May 2014.

Further reading: PBI-Honduras accompanies CEHPRODEC in carrying out census in communities impacted by hydroelectric projects (September 6, 2022), PBI-Honduras accompanies CEHPRODEC as it works to defend the Talgua River and the Sierra de Agalta from logging (May 27, 2022), and PBI-Honduras accompanies CEHPRODEC at meeting with Tolupan peoples protecting ancestral lands from mining (July 13, 2021).


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