Multinationals on trial

Shell, Chevron in the Niger Delta, Texaco/ Chevron in the Ecuadoran Amazon – both examples of militarisation of commerce and corporate theft and violence against communities. In 1993 the communities of Lago Agrio in Ecuador sued Chevron / Texaco for $27 billion [Aguinda v. Texaco] for environmental damage. Judgment on the case has been pending since 2003…

The case turned a corner in 2003 when it moved to the Ecuadorian superior court; recently, another milestone was reached when the court’s independent expert report assessed the environmental damage at $8 billion and recommended that Texaco (now folded into Chevron) pay damages of up to $16 billion.

Chevron / Texaco is still using dirty tricks to delay making any payments by asking for international arbitration with a view to avoiding payments and shift responsibility for environmental clean up to the Ecuadorian government.

The case brought by 4 farmers in the Niger Delta against Shell for similar environmental damage, has just begun in the Hague. I hope the plaintiffs will hold out for justice – however long it takes – and not for settlement as in the recent Ken Saro Wiwa Jr and Ogoni 8 v Shell.

The film Crude documents Texaco’s grab and run and the subsequent class action suit against the oil company by indigenous people of the Ecuadoran Amazon.

Shell, Chevron in the Niger Delta, Texaco/ Chevron in the Ecuadoran Amazon - both examples of militarisation of commerce and corporate theft and violence against communities. In 1993 the communities of Lago Agrio in Ecuador sued Chevron / Texaco for $27 billion [Aguinda v. Texaco] for environmental damage. Judgment on the case has been pending since 2003... The case turned a corner in 2003 when it moved to the Ecuadorian superior court; recently, another milestone was reached when the court's independent expert report assessed the environmental damage at $8 billion and recommended that Texaco (now folded into Chevron) pay damages of up to $16 billion. Chevron / Texaco is still using dirty tricks to delay making any payments by asking for international arbitration with a view to avoiding payments and shift responsibility for environmental clean up to the Ecuadorian government. The case brought by 4 farmers in the Niger Delta against Shell for similar environmental damage, has just begun in the Hague. I hope the plaintiffs will hold out for justice - however long it takes - and not for settlement as in the recent Ken Saro Wiwa Jr and Ogoni 8 v Shell. The film Crude documents Texaco's grab and run and the subsequent class action suit against the oil company by indigenous people of the Ecuadoran Amazon.

Tagged as: Assault on Dissent, Chevron Corporation, Conflict Mining/Resources, Corporate Watch, Ecuador, Environment, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Niger Delta, Texaco