Previously renowned for its environmental commitment, the company has recently faced accusations of complicity in ecocide due to its involvement with the president’s controversial project. A band of protesters defaced the Berlin-based offices of the railway company Deutsche Bahn due to its connection with constructing the Mayan Train, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s prestigious mega-project.
The global media outlet Deutsche Welle disclosed that “unidentified individuals” had shattered windows and ignited two vehicles outside the company premises. The phrase “Halt Mayan Train” was also scribbled on the windows, indicating a potential political motivation behind these acts.
The incident allegedly occurred during the late hours of Wednesday, July 26, on Caroline-Michaelis-Strasse in Berlin-Mitte. Residents were the first to report the disturbance in the early morning.
This episode unfolded just a day after the International Tribunal for the Rights of Nature ruled that AMLO’s project infringed upon the rights of nature and the Mayan community, condemning it as an act of ecocide and ethnocide.
“The Court’s judgement underscores the infringement on the rights of nature and the biocultural rights of the Mayan people, who have traditionally been custodians of their territory, cenotes, caves, jungles, biodiversity, and indigenous crops. The act is deemed ecocide and ethnocide, with the Mexican State being held accountable”, the tribunal’s report mentions.
WHAT IS DEUTSCHE BAHN (DB AG)?
Deutsche Bahn, a state-owned German rail transport and logistics company, was established in 1994 following the amalgamation of multiple regional rail companies and has been fully owned by the German state ever since.
On December 18, 2020, it was disclosed that a consortium composed of Spanish public firms Renfe and Inco and Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting, colloquially known as DB AG, became part of the Mayan Train project. As per El Mercantil, they signed a three-year contract and committed €13.5 million to the initiative.
The consortium was expected to provide vital support throughout the construction phase, overseeing the production, delivery, and inauguration of the rolling stock and all systems until the commercial service testing period.
This assignment was granted by Mexico’s National Fund for the Promotion of Tourism (Fonatur) after signing a contract on December 1 of the same year, which would conclude in 2023. However, experts reveal that DB AG has stayed in the “shadow” due to the environmental impacts and human rights violations associated with the López Obrador project.
Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting is renowned in Germany for its strong commitment to environmental sustainability, implementing various measures to minimize environmental impact and encourage more eco-friendly behaviours.
Key among these are the usage of renewable energies, energy efficiency initiatives, CO₂ emission reductions, advancements in green technology, and waste and recycling management.
The controversy surrounding the Mayan Train project and Deutsche Bahn’s involvement has thus brought the issue of corporate social responsibility and environmental protection to the forefront. Despite Deutsche Bahn’s reputation for sustainability efforts, this incident is a stark reminder of the need for multinational corporations to thoroughly assess their projects’ environmental and socio-cultural impacts, mainly when implemented in regions rich in biodiversity and indigenous culture. The case is an imperative lesson for other organizations worldwide in balancing economic development and preserving nature and cultural heritage.
