Peoples' Summit in Lima, Peru (13-16 May 2008)

Social, political and popular movements, workers, migrants, indigenous and campesino communities, women's, youth and trade union movements from Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe, gathered in Lima for the People's Summit, Linking Alternatives III (Enlazando Alternativas III), coinciding with the Fifth Summit of Heads of State and Government of LAC and the EU.

Read the final declaration of the Peoples' Summit: EN, ES, FR, IT Read the call to Lima: EN, ES, FR, IT Signatory organisations

 

Permanent Peoples' Tribunal EU and business on trial for crimes in Latin America

One of the events at the peoples' summit co-organised by Friends of the Earth was a people's Tribunal, putting the spotlight on environmental and social impacts of EU and European companies in Latin America.

Altogether, more than 20 companies were accused for committing environmental and human rights violations. The cases were heard by an international panel of judges at this session of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal (PPT). Established in 1973, the PPT seeks to redress shortcomings in international law. A final ruling based on the accusations, evidence and witness testimonies heard at the session expose the violations committed by these companies and the conflict between economic systems and peoples' rights.

Read the full press dossier with details of the accusations against the companies and information on the members of the jury: EN, ES Read FoE's press release (13 May 2008): EN, ES

Friends of the Earth brought cases against four European companies:

Spanish energy company Union Fenosa is accused of serious human rights violations for failing to fulfil its contractual obligations to improve and expand the electricity network thereby causing cuts in the electricity supply which have led to deaths and unjustified price increases which exclude broad parts of the population from access to fundamental electricity services, and for violating labour and trade union rights in Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua. (Case brought by Censat Agua Viva - Friends of the Earth Colombia)

Finnish cellulose and forestation company Botnia is accused of endangering food sovereignty and causing negative economic, social and environmental impacts by establishing large forest monocultures for cellulose production. The plantations impact on the water supply for small scale agriculture and natural ecosystems, cause soil erosion and affect workers' health through the intensive use of agrotoxics. (Case brought by REDES - Friends of the Earth Uruguay)

French company Veolia Environmental and Spanish company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) - as the joint venture PROACTIVA - are accused of denying access to basic services such as water, sanitation and waste management to large parts of the local population in the Colombian Carribean. The venture has increased tariffs without justification; charged for water and canalisation services in areas where these services have not been provided, and failed to comply with its contractual obligation to restore and expand the network. (Case brought by Censat Agua Viva - Friends of the Earth Colombia)

Permanent Peoples' Tribunal Final ruling of Tribunal against transnational corporations: GUILTY!

The session of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal (PPT) on European transnational corporations in Latin America resolved to "morally and ethically sanction" the companies as well as the "political, economic, financial, productive and judicial conducts and practices of the neoliberal model, implemented and permitted by the States and the Institutions of the European Union".

The moral and ethic sanction of the PPT specifically contemplates "the political, economic, financial, productive and judicial conducts and practices of the neoliberal model, implemented and permitted by the States and the Institutions of the European Union" as well as the "multinational corporations with private and public capital of European origin".

The ruling of the PPT also announces the decision to ask the United Nations Human Rights Council to appoint a special rapporteur to present a report before the UN General Assembly as soon as possible, containing a proposal to characterise the concept of illegitimate ecological and historical debt, as well as the recognition and denunciation of violations to the economic, social and cultural rights of persons and peoples committed by governments, financial institutions and multinational corporations.

The ruling of the PPT also calls on the States and governments of Latin America and the Caribbean to "guarantee peoples' sovereignty and dignity before private economic interests; preventing the privatization of fundamental resources such as water, air, land, seeds, and genetic heritage; and ensuring the universal access to public services".

Lastly, the PPT "recognizes the importance, the difficulty and the inherent risks linked to the struggles of social, peasant, workers and indigenous movements and other grassroots organizations." It also committs to continue to accompany - deepening the recognition of the juridical responsibility of the transnational corporations - the denunciation of peoples' rights by companies, States and international institutions, and the construction of alternatives.

Read the complete final ruling of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal - Session on Neoliberal Policies and European Transnationals in Latin America and the Carribean: EN, ES, FR, IT

 

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