Puerto Asis, Putumayo. April 26, 2021 – La nueva Amerisur categorically denies insinuations made by the Inter-Ecclesiastical Commission for Justice and Peace that falsely suggest that the Company has connections with illegal organizations to develop its operations in Putumayo and threaten the safety of social leaders.
La nueva Amerisur has shown its commitment to the human rights of individuals and communities that neighbor its operations since it started leading hydrocarbons exploration and production projects in Putumayo. On many occasions the Company has condemned threats against the life, dignity and safety of social leaders and those that defend human rights, and continues demanding that the relevant authorities in Colombia and Putumayo take effective measures to ensure the safety of these groups.
Processes of broad and clear citizen participation and permanent dialogue that listen to the concerns and expectations of neighbors and authorities in areas the Company operates in shows the new Amerisur’s respect for human rights. For the new Amerisur this is a fundamental part not only of the sustainable growth and development of the region, but also of the process of being accepted and earning a social license. The participation of those who live and work in the regions where the Company operates is the foundation on which the new Amerisur builds good neighborliness and promotes the peaceful co-existence of operations and communities.
In line with its actions, the Company has categorically affirmed its commitment and respect for human rights as established in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the fundamental conventions of the International Labor Organization.
Although protecting human rights is an obligation of the State, La nueva Amerisur has implemented an Early Management System to guarantee due diligence that permanently identifies risks and prevents and mitigates negative impacts on stakeholders resulting from its operations. The Company takes responsibility for its social and environmental impacts, and to implement the highest management standards incorporates the vision, recommendations and disagreements of leaders. The results of this Early Management System are periodically evaluated to determine their effectiveness and ensure continuous improvement of business practices and policies.
La nueva Amerisur furthermore guarantees the attention, registration and resolution of all requests and complaints from neighboring communities through the Cuéntame program, which evaluates if specific complaints or situations affect any fundamental right and defines the necessary procedures or remediation mechanisms.
As part of its commitment to strengthening the Cuéntame program and promoting dialogue with communities, last November the Company opened an office at Carrera 18 #13-32 in the Las Americas neighborhood of Puerto Asis to hear at first-hand the concerns of neighbors of the Platanillo and PUT-8 blocks.
Since 2020 La nueva Amerisur has been working with the Ideas for Peace Foundation, an acknowledged think tank and partner in Human Rights and Business practices in the Colombian private sector, to continue improving its human rights standards by strengthening its due diligence mechanisms and promoting peacebuilding, sustainable development and the wellbeing of its neighboring communities.
The activities the new Amerisur carries out in the Platanillo and PUT-8 blocks, which fall under the jurisdiction of Puerto Asis municipality, are carried out in strict compliance with the Company’s contractual commitments with the Colombian State through the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) and have all the permits required by authorities. The new Amerisur is not at present developing any activity in the PUT-12 block.
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For more information, write to informacion@amerisurresources.com
