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Real World Radio has interviewed Brid Brennan from the Transnational Institute (TNI) to discuss recent works of the UN Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) in Geneva, including side events of acknowledgement for Berta Caceres, and the proposals provided by the Global Campaign to Dismantle Corporate Power (GCDCP) and future plans.
Earlier this week in Geneva, the Europe Third World Center (CETIM), FoEI and the TNI – whom are members of the GCDCP – called for a meeting to discuss the steps of dismantling the power of TNCs, and where the panel lies in terms of its second year of the IGWG process. Chairing the process was Ecuadorian ambassador, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, in addition to other members of the panel including Jean Ziegler, former Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, and Alfred de Zayas, Special Rapporteur on the new economic order. According to Brennan, real advancements were made to the process of calling for an internationally binding instrument on TNCs, and it was recognised that the transnational political power has reached a stage that is not sustainable.
Brennan states that the highlight of the meeting was being able to show a 3 minute clip of Berta Caceres giving her interview last year to the UN Special Rapporteur of indigenous peoples, which represented the problems of corporate-led development and the constructive effort needed between governments, social movements and expert voices to move forward on the binding treaties. Brennan states that in addition to side meetings, organisations associated with the campaigning have been protesting the assassination of Berta. The Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) Campaign also provided a message of solidarity by the leader of the Sahrawi people (many of which are imprisoned due to disputes over their natural resources in the Western Sahara) and called for access to justice for Berta, her family, and the Lenca people. A call was also made for the safety of Gustavo Castro, who was injured during the assassination but is being kept under force in Honduras.
According to Brennan, the establishment of a binding instrument on TNCs has been contested, particularly by northern governments, and several attempts have been made to derail the process. Brennan states that conducting a report on the status has been politically challenging due to the diverse aspects of corporate power, however, the March 11 report will formally establish the processes of the UN Human Rights Council by laying out the landscape and noting the success of the Working Group’s first session. Brennan and 2 other members of the campaign will give an oral statement at the meeting, and will be delivering the following 3 key messages:
1. Despite the general agreement that all companies and businesses should abide by human rights, the specific focus should be placed on TNCs, due to their privileges and protections that are assured by existing bilateral investment treaties, free trade agreements, and instruments such as the Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanism.
2. The treaty will address the question of the operations of international financial bodies such as the IMF and World Bank in its structural adjustment policies, and the specific rules in financing mega projects. Other powerful financial corporations, including the Dutch bank – FMO, the German giants – VOIT and Siemens, and the Finland Fund will also be covered by the application of the treaty.
3. In order for the treaty to be effective, an enforcement body must be established in order to apply sanctions to TNCs and pursue consequences for violation of the treaty.
In addition to these objectives, the GCDC will continue working to articulate and strengthen the application of the People’s Treaty, which is a product of a consultative process across many social movements and affected communities to strengthen international human rights laws and laws applied to corporations. According to Brennan, this is particularly important as it will recognise the resistance of the affected communities and give acknowledgement in areas such as food sovereignty, energy sovereignty, water justice, and overall question of the commons. In the coming year of 2016 and 2017, Brennan claims this will be a parallel work and will be included in the demands and proposals that will go forward to the IGWG. She further states that while much importance will be placed on the functioning of the IGWG in Geneva, the real work – the political commitment to see the treaty process through to 2017 – will depend very much on the work done on the ground in different countries and regions.
