Ocho Sur, a business group dedicated to the sustainable production of palm oil and by-products, complies with updating public opinion regarding the false allegations filed by a group of NGOs before the United Nations that initiated the special procedure AL OTH 56/2023 notified on October 26, 2023:
- On December 21, 2023, Ocho Sur complied with providing a detailed response to the United Nations denying these false allegations one by one. For more information see link below:
https://ochosur.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/English-response-to-the-UN-Rapporteurs-021524-final.pdf - On March 19, 2024, Ocho Sur held a virtual meeting with United Nations officials from the Business and Human Rights Working Group regarding the joint communication of the special procedures AL OTH 56/2023 received by the company. The meeting, which lasted about an hour, was held in a framework of respect and cordiality where the company had the opportunity to present itself, as well as to ratify and demonstrate its commitment to unrestricted respect for human rights and sustainable and inclusive economic development in the Peruvian Amazon, as well as its intention to lead in these important aspects.
- At this meeting, the United Nations officials informed the company that the reason for the procedure and the communications made responded to the allegations received from third party organizations and/or complainants and that it is not the work of the United Nations to issue a final judgment or verdict on the veracity and/or merit of the allegations, but to investigate and gather the information of all the parties involved and publish it in an open and transparent way on the specific portal for these procedures. They also thanked the company for its collaboration and for the detailed response sent.
- Even the Native Community Santa Clara de Uchunya itself, allegedly affected, has publicly denied and rejected these allegations where these NGOs again use their name without authorization from the General Assembly of the Native Community to continue creating non-existent conflicts. Below is a link to a certified translation of the response published by the Indigenous Community to the United Nations. See link below:
https://ochosur.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/05_Respuesta_SCU_ONU_Traducida.pdf
Ocho Sur regrets the continue spread of false allegations without any support with the sole purpose of damaging the reputation of the company; in that sense, it calls for high dialogue, peace, and to join efforts for the sustainable and inclusive development of the Peruvian Amazon.
