{"id":2205,"date":"2022-04-11T17:58:45","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T17:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.thedaylight.org\/wp68\/?p=2205"},"modified":"2022-04-11T18:50:52","modified_gmt":"2022-04-11T18:50:52","slug":"dutch-bank-pulls-out-of-probe-into-alleged-deforestation-and-land-grab-in-liberia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage.thedaylight.org\/wp68\/2022\/04\/11\/dutch-bank-pulls-out-of-probe-into-alleged-deforestation-and-land-grab-in-liberia\/","title":{"rendered":"Dutch Bank Pulls Out of Probe Into Alleged Deforestation and Land Grab in Liberia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Top: Deforestation is associated with the agricultural sector in Liberia. The DayLight\/James Harding Giahyue<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

By Gabriel M<\/strong>. Dixon <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MONROVIA – Dutch Bank, ING, has backed down from an OECD investigation into a complaint filed by NGOs that accused it of supporting companies that are allegedly clearing forests and grabbing land in Liberia and other parts of the world. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A statement<\/a> by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which looks into OECD matters, on April 7 said \u201cNo agreement could be reached between the parties [ Friends of the Earth and partners vs. ING]\u201d after several months of negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainable Development Institute (SDI), its Dutch and Indonesian affiliates, Friend of the Earth Netherlands and WAHLI complained in July 2019 that ING bank allegedly violated OECD\u2019s guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cING has breached several provisions of the OECD Guidelines by contributing to specific adverse environmental, human rights, and labor rights impacts caused by subsidiaries of ING\u2019s clients Noble Group Ltd., Bollore Group\/Socfin Group S.A., and Wilmar International Ltd,\u201d stated the complaint in summary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January 2020, the OECD started to look into the complaint and concluded that it  \u201cmerited further consideration.\u201d  The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an international body that issues guidelines and recommendations to multinational enterprises for responsible business conduct. The body works with governments, decision-makers, and citizens on establishing international standards and best practices on a range of issues including the environment.  Its guidelines are, however, not binding.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ING denies any wrongdoing, saying, \u201cThe bank refused to accept any liabilities\u201d and \u201copined there are no harms to which [it] contributed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret the mediation did not continue.  \u201cEfforts to bring (the) parties to an agreement on possible improvements of ING\u2019s due diligence policies and practices regarding palm oil, and to assess the enterprise\u2019s involvement with the actual or potential adverse impacts identified, in order to determine the appropriate responses, ended prematurely,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The international standards-setting body, therefore, concluded that \u201cNo agreement could be reached between the parties\u2026 on the question whether and to what extent there was a responsibility of ING to cease its (possible) contribution and to contribute to remedying the adverse impacts.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The petitioners represent communities and individuals in Africa and Asia where companies Like Wilmar\/SICFA, Bollore Group\/Socfin, and GAR run various oil palm and rubber plantations funded by investments from ING bank and other financial institutions. At the time of their complaint, the three NGOs sought \u201cto ensure that oil palm companies operate within the confines of the Liberian laws and international standards on human rights and the environment,\u201d stated James Otto-lead campaigner for SDI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An earlier report<\/a> by FoE showed how Dutch banks heaped investments in multinationals like GAR, Wilmar, the Bollor\u00e9 Group, and SOCFIN Group to fund their operations in Liberia and countries in Africa and Asia.  Subsidiaries of those foreign companies are accused of carrying out deforestation, land grab, and human rights violations. In a few cases, some were found guilty by the RSPO and other international regulators<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Maryland Oil Palm Plantation and the Cavalla Rubber Corporation, \u00a0both of whom are owned and run by SIFCA, a subsidiary of Wilmar, were found to have engaged in deforestation and human rights violations<\/a> including killing<\/a> in Maryland County. SIFCA\u2019s total investment in MOPP is about US$203 million. The investment was largely funded by ING bank.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cING bank chooses to continue deforestation and human rights violations on the palm oil plantations in which they invest money [leaving] affected residents in Liberia, Indonesia, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone\u2026 empty-handed,\u201d Friends of the Earth said in the release responding to ING\u2019s pullout.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe unilateral withdrawal from Dutch ING bank is outrageous\u2026\u2026… This shows the urgent need for regulating the financial sector\u2026,\u201d said Wouter Kolk, a senior campaigner at Friends of the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DayLight has reached out to ING bank for comment on the statement released by the office of OECD in the Netherlands and the claims made by Friend of the Earth in its news release.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bank\u2019s action comes at a time when the UN and climate scientists continue to warn the world<\/a> of the fast-increasing impact of climate change and the ability of many communities to adapt. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists<\/a>, \u00a0deforestation and forest degradation now constitutes 10 percent of global warming.\u00a0 Environmentalists agree that the clearing of forests for agriculture and mining projects leads to emissions of high CO2<\/sub> into the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Otto, lead campaigner at SDI called on the Dutch government to \u201censure justice and redress\u201d for victims in Liberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will continue to work with local communities to identify other ways to hold ING bank and other financiers to account,\u201d Otto said in a statement. \u201cThey can walk away from the table but not from having to face the responsibility of their clients’ misconduct.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Top: Deforestation is associated with the agricultural sector in Liberia. The DayLight\/James Harding Giahyue By Gabriel M. Dixon   MONROVIA – Dutch Bank, ING, has backed down from an OECD investigation into a complaint filed by NGOs that accused it of supporting companies that are allegedly clearing forests and grabbing land in Liberia and other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2207,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,55,59,77,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-agriculture","category-deforestation","category-oil-palm","category-palm-oil","category-rainforest"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\n","aioseo_head_json":{"title":"Dutch Bank Pulls Out of Probe Into Alleged Deforestation and Land Grab in Liberia - The DayLight","description":"Top: Deforestation is associated with the agricultural sector in Liberia. 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