A delegation of investigators and activists from Peru and Colombia initiated discussions with BNP Paribas in Brussels on Thursday in connection with allegations that the bank financed a polluting company.
According to the FairFin non-governmental organisation, the bank allegedly invested billions of euros in Swiss mining company Glencore, operational in South America.
The delegation is seeking financial compensation for the families of over 5,000 children believed to have died in northern Colombia due to industry-related pollution.
Glencore faces other accusations of human rights violations in South America, led by local activists and NGOs.
According to a report by Oxfam and CooperAcción, the multinational mining giant has displaced thousands of indigenous people from their lands, and forced them to live near mines, leading to health issues caused by air-borne particles.
As Glencore denies the damage, the delegation, alongside NGOs FairFin and Catapa, has turned its focus to European banks and other investors in the Swiss company. Both organisations have been investigating the environmental impact of mining and the financial system.
Between 2016 and 2023, FairFin reports that BNP Paribas provided loans and bonds to Glencore amounting to over €2 billion. The bank asserts, however, that it no longer invests in the company.
One delegation member described “frustrating” conversations with different European banks. “They claim these are confidential meetings, but human rights are a public matter,” he argued. “We want justice for all, not environmental pollution.”
The South American delegation is touring Europe, talking with Glencore’s investors and reminding them of their responsibilities.
Before arriving in Brussels, it visited Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland.
