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On the occasion of the visit of a delegation from Ecuadorian Amazon, the Centrale Sanitaire Swiss Romande (CSSR) and the Union of the People Affected by Texaco-Chevron (UDAPT) organized a public debate on:"Private international arbitration tribunals:a danger to the sovereignty of the peoples"Tuesday, October 16, 2018, Maison des associations, rue des Savoises 15, Geneva
René Longet
FGC
Lisa Mazzone
SPM
Justino Piaguajue
UDAPT
Pablo Fajardo
Olivier de Marcellus
CCJS
Open
Floor
Speakers:
Pablo FajardoMain lawyer of the UDAPT, EcuadorJustino PiaguajeMember of the exective board of the UDAPT, EcuadorLisa MazzonePresident of Société pour les peuples menacés, Switzerland (SPM)Olivier de MarcellusCoordination Climat – Justice sociale, Switzerland (CCJS)Moderation:René LongetPresident of the Fédération Genevoise de Coopération FGC, Switzerland
The pollution in the Ecuadorian Amazon by Chevron’s oil operations (before Texaco) is one of the most important ecological desasters in the world. It affects one of the most biodiverse regions and has seriously affected the health of its inhabitants. For more than 25 years, 30,000 peasants and indigenous belonging to 6 peoples have initiated different lawsuits against Chevron in several countries and before international bodies to obtain compensation for the environmental, social and cultural damages caused by Chevron (formerly Texaco) in the Ecuadorian Amazon.Four Ecuadorian courts have condemned Chevron, but on August 30, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ordered the State of Ecuador to prevent the affected peasants and indigenous to enforce their judgment against Chervon. This decision infringes not only the constitutional rights of the victims, but also the sovereignty of the Ecuadorian State and its Constitution.The debate will focus the impact of the pollution on indigenous peoples as well as on the issues concerning national and international legal instruments that may compel multinationals to respect human rights such as the draft of an international binding treaty on transnational corporations (TNCs) and human rights which is currently being discussed at the UN Human Rights Council Working Group in Geneva.
See the event description of CSSR (french)
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