Colombia: EPM response regarding killings of opponents of Hidroituango
This is an unofficial translation by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Full document in Spanish available below.
EPM is aware that the construction of the Ituango hydroelectric project - PIH – is taking place in a territory with complex characteristics due to the historical weakness of the State, the settlement of illegal actors, extractive economies, the development of illegal activities, irregular possession of land and informality in multiple ways of relations between citizens...Taking into account this context and expressing our deep sympathy and concern for the murders committed against Mr. Hugo Albeiro George Perez, Dimar Egidio Zapata George, Luis Alberto Torres Montoya and Duvian Andres Correa, we proceed to put forward the facts about the project and the company with regard to the unfortunate events...Despite the aforementioned and the little clarity that there is with regard to the facts of the killings thus far by the competent authorities, the media and the public opinion have already linked affectations and dissatisfactions with the project to the events that have occurred, which is of great concern to the company and the project, even more so when these situations are presented in contexts of complexity and contingency, where the trust created with the communities is weakened in the context of insinuations like these...