BP's Human Rights Record

BP's human rights record

January 22, 2007: UN Delegate of Companies and Human Rights visits the Colombian Petroleum Zone. John Ruggie, the UN representative, visited to observe the formation of militaries on fundamental guaranteed matters. Ruggie, visited the Center for Instruction and Training of the 16th Colombian Army Brigade, in Yopal the capital of Casanare. [1]

July 22, 2006: BP Pays out Millions to Colombian Farmers
A group of Colombian farmers has won a multimillion pound settlement from BP after the oil and gas company was accused of benefiting from a regime of terror carried out by the Colombian government paramilitaries to protect their 800km pipeline. The plaintiffs claim that they and their family members, who worked on the 52 farms affected by the development, were forced to live in destitution in the surrounding towns. They also allege hat BP benefited from the harassment and intimidation by the Colombian paramilitaries that were employed by the government to guard the pipeline.
The out of court settlement requires BP to set up a trust fund to pay the compensation and to pay for workshops to help the farmers cope with environmental management, business development and other support requested by the plaintiffs.
“A joint statement, issued by BP Exploration Company (Colombia) Limited and the British lawyers acting for the farmers, said: ‘The Colombian farmers group are pleased to say that after a mediation process which took place in Bogotá in June 2006 at the joint initiative of the parties, an amicable settlement of the dispute in relation to the Ocensa pipeline has been reached, with no admissions of liability.’” [2]

July 17, 2006: BP Reaches Agreement with Colombian Farmers
Farmers had threaten to pursuit a lawsuit in England against BP, reflecting the trend among communities affected by oil developments to take disputes to western oil companies’ country of origin where the media attention is greater. Part of the agreement, is that BP will establish an “Environmental and Social Improvement Trust Fund.” [3]

April 20, 2004: Colombia, A Laboratory of War: Repression and Violence in Arauca The author discusses many of the problems within the area of Arauca and includes the problems of BP’s presence there. [4]