Paso Aguan Plantation: Illegal trespassing and New Violent Incidents

15 March, 2019

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 14 March 2019. Due to new violent incidents by trespassers that took place yesterday in the Paso Aguan Plantation, Dinant would like to publicly condemn these events and state our will and commitment to find a peaceful and sustainable solution for this region of Honduras. Yesterday, once again, we received new reports of violent incidents taking place inside the Paso Aguan Plantation, the title deeds of which belong to Dinant, and which has suffered from illegally trespassing by the Gregorio Chavez peasant movement for over a year. This is not the first time that violent events and internal disputes have occurred among the illegal trespassers. We reaffirm, through this statement, our concern for nearby communities, and express the need to look for solutions and to mitigate tensions surrounding ownership matters that affect both peasants and organizations that generate economic activity in the region. Therefore, we call upon local and state authorities to get acquainted with, intervene and control this situation, as required by the rule of law, with consideration for the affected population. We consider it necessary to find sustainable solutions for all parties. As a social and environmentally responsible company, Dinant respects and supports the historical claims by peasant movements to have access to land. Furthermore, we acknowledge our responsibility to provide food safety, biodiversity conservation, fight against climate change and all basic rights. Nonetheless, in light of several recurring violent incidents carried out by illegal trespassers inside the perimeters of the company’s legitimate private property, we believe that it is an important priority to move forward to a peaceful eviction, to be carried out under the Honduran legal framework and in line with international rulings over this subject. Progress can begin by evicting illegal trespassers from the Paso Aguan and the San Isidro Plantations, which have been illegally occupied since last Saturday. Ultimately, from Dinant we leave an open invitation to be reached, to share the legal information, that shows the company, as the legal owner of this assets, that have generated thousands of growth opportunities and jobs, that support the people’s, the region’s and the country’s development in general. Corporate Relations Department

Paso Aguan Plantation: Illegal trespassing and New Violent Incidents

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