This joint letter, signed by eighty organizations from Canada, the US, Europe and Guatemala, expresses solidarity with Angélica Choc and all others being attacked, threatened, killed or persecuted in Latin America for defending their land and communities.

Above Ground, together with international and Colombian human rights groups, is questioning Export Development Canada (EDC) over its financing of two oil companies associated with serious human rights violations in Colombia's strife-ridden Rubiales and Quifa oilfields.

We’re following with interest several legislative initiatives in Europe that, if successful, would create enforceable legal requirements for companies to prevent their worldwide business activities—and those of their subsidiaries and contractors—from fuelling human rights abuse.

The Hill Times recently published two letters from Above Ground about federal government policy on extractive companies working abroad—a topic that’s seen revived media coverage in the past two months.

Letter from Karyn Keenan, published Wednesday, May 4 in The Hill Times Re: “Feds show little interest in tougher oversight of mining firms’ actions abroad,” (The Hill Times, April 20, p. 1). In March the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights slammed Canada on its failure to ensure that its mining, oil, and gas companies respect human rights in their work abroad.