International Federation
for Human Rights

We consider such a suspension a necessary first step for a full investigation on all FMO funded projects in Honduras. However, the situation in Honduras is not a stand-alone case. To prevent further tragedy from happening, in Central America and elsewhere, FMO and the Dutch government must ensure that all FMO investments fully respect the rights of those affected, in particular the rights of indigenous peoples.

We also welcome the public confirmation of Finnfund, the Finnish lender to the Agua Zarca project, that it will follow the steps of FMO and also suspend all disbursements towards the Agua Zarca project.

Our organisations further welcome the announced visit of FMO CEO Nanno Kleiterp and Finnfund CEO Jaakko Kangasniemi to Honduras to further investigate the situation around the Agua Zarca project. As both institutions are mandated by respectively the Dutch and Finnish government we insist that government representatives of both countries accompany the delegation, preferably on ambassador level, and that public reporting on the findings takes place.

We further call upon the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the third financier of the project, to now publicly clarify its role in the Agua Zarca project, and to also immediately suspend all payments to the project.

We wish to reiterate our demand to FMO, Finnfund and CABEI that, following the murder of Berta Cáceres, after years of ongoing violence and intimidation in relation to the Agua Zarca project, they fully and permanently withdraw from the project.

For the full list of endorsements please see www.banktrack.org