Global Witness - Breaking the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption
Ending Impunity
View latest releases on ending impunity
The aim of the campaign is to end impunity for all entities involved in funding and facilitating natural resource wars and corruption. This will be achieved by bringing to an end the belief and reality that individuals, companies and governments are above the law.
The Ending Impunity campaign builds on work conducted by Global Witness over the last 10 years, by systematically exposing those individuals (including government members) and business entities that encourage and maintain debilitating corruption and violent conflict.
Working with current Global Witness campaigns, the Ending Impunity campaign aims to address the symptoms, causes and culture that enables impunity to exist in the areas of natural resources, conflict and corruption.
Tackling the issue of ending impunity demands a multifaceted approach. The campaign will seek to create a stronger sense of justice by holding individuals and companies accountable for breaking international laws. The Ending Impunity team will improve the political and legal "will" and empower those who are stymied by the lack of specific examples of what to do and how to tackle impunity.
The campaign aims to create a transparent and fair system of justice where transgressors are held accountable for their crimes.
There are four mechanisms that we will use to achieve our aims:
- Casework - to facilitate and aid prosecutions that will create accountability for crimes involving the exploitation of natural resources, human rights abuses and corruption.
- Advocacy - to encourage the enforcement of already existing laws and push for the creation of new laws
- Outreach - to create a climate where it is no longer acceptable to continue this exploitation and abuse
- Capacity building - to support, encourage and enable local action
Latest Publications
March 2010
New evidence confirms oil revenue transparency still eludes Sudan
Large discrepancies persist between the oil production data published by the government of Sudan and those published by the main Chinese oil company operating in the country, Global Witness said today, six months after the publication of its report which first exposed the gaps.
Environmental groups call on French shipping company Delmas to cancel shipment of precious wood from Madagascar
Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) today called on French shipping company Delmas to cancel a shipment to China of hundreds of tons of rosewood from the port of Vohémar, in northeastern Madagascar. The campaign groups accuse the company of facilitating the destruction of Madagascar’s last remaining forests caused by vast illegal logging of rosewood.
Open letter to Delmas shipping company raises concerns over rosewood shipments from Madagascar
An open letter from Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) to Delmas shipping company expressing grave concerns at its involvement in the transport of timber from Madagascar which has been declared illicit by the Malagasy authorities. The groups accuse Delmas of facilitaitng the destruction Madagascar's remaining rosewood forests through illegal logging.
Link between Angolan president's son-in-law and state oil company raises questions about transparency
The son-in-law of the Angolan president has been nominated to the board of a holding company that owns a third of the Portuguese oil firm Galp Energia, which has investments in Angola. The nomination was made by the State oil company, Sonangol, which is responsible for managing Angola's oil on behalf of its citizens. This arrangement raises concerns about conflicts of interest to which Sonangol has not responded.
DR Congo: ex-rebels take over mineral trade extortion racket
Former rebels from the Congrès national pour la défense du peuple (CNDP) have established mafia-style extortion rackets covering some of the most lucrative tin and tantalum mining areas in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Global Witness reported today following four weeks of research in the region.
Global Witness concerned at choice of new Ukraine energy minister
Global Witness is concerned that Yuri Boyko, a controversial figure from the murky past of Ukraine’s gas industry, has been put back in effective charge of a key gas supply route from Russia to the European Union.
Landmark oil and mining transparency initiative faces credibility test as key deadline passes
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a pioneering initiative to bring more openness to the world's oil and mining industries, faces a major credibility test after 20 out of 22 countries failed to meet a key deadline today.
Global Witness urges Cambodia’s donors to condemn sponsorship of military units by private businesses
Aid donors to Cambodia, including the US, EU, Japan, China and the World Bank, should send a strong message to the government that they will not countenance the bankrolling of Cambodia’s military by private businesses. This call follows the announcement last week by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen of the formation of 42 official partnerships between private businesses and Cambodian military units.
February 2010
A near miss? Lessons learnt from the allocation of mining licences in the Gola Forest Reserve in Sierra Leone
Between 2005 and 2007, two mining licences were issued in the Gola Forest Reserve in Sierra Leone, even though the area was a proposed national park. This new report identifies weaknesses in Sierra Leone's natural resource governance and attempts to draw lessons for the future.
Parliamentary committee report on libel, privacy and press freedom not strong enough to defend public interest reporting
A report on press standards, privacy and libel makes broadly sensible recommendations but does not go far enough to allay fears that England's laws are a barrier to public-interest campaigning.
Campaigners criticise proposals to define palm oil plantations as forests
The Ecosystems Climate Alliance today criticised the EU and Indonesia for attempting to reclassify palm oil plantations as forests, saying this would be a step backwards in efforts to halt climate change though preventing deforestation.
