Cerrejón condemns threats made against José Silva, leader of the organization Gran Nación Wayuu

December 28, 2019. Cerrejón is concerned about the threats recently received by José Silva, leader of the NGO Gran Nación Wayuu, which the company learned about through the news media. The company denounces these hectoring acts that place the dignity and physical safety of this leader at risk. We are in constant engagement with him and we recognize the importance of his work for the territory.

As on other occasions, the company has requested the appropriate authorities to investigate the situation and protect the life of social leaders. In light of these new events, we reiterate this call and request the State to take the necessary actions to guarantee the physical safety of Mr Silva, his family, and the members of the organization he represents.

It is a priority for Cerrejón to respect the human rights of our employees, contractors, and neighbouring communities. That is why we have a Human Rights Policy aligned with international standards in this area. In fact, in 2018 we signed the Joint Declaration for Life (Declaración Conjunta por la Vida), an initiative that not only condemns threats against life, but also ratifies our commitment to work with the State and civil society in protecting the social leaders of La Guajira and Cesar.

Para Cerrejón, el respeto y la promoción de los derechos humanos de sus empleados, contratistas y comunidades vecinas son una prioridad, por eso cuenta con una política de Derechos Humanos alineada con altos estándares internacionales en la materia y, en ese marco, firmó en 2018 la Declaración Conjunta por la Vida, iniciativa que no solo condena las amenazas contra la vida sino que ratifica el compromiso de trabajar con el Estado y la sociedad civil en la protección de los líderes sociales en los departamentos de La Guajira y el Cesar.