Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Promoting Human Rights in IrelandHuman Rights in Ireland >>
Kneecap ?Two-Tier Justice? Row After Glastonbury Case Dropped by Police Fri Jul 18, 2025 17:00 | Will Jones Police have closed the criminal investigation into Kneecap?s Glastonbury performance, where the band called for a "riot outside court", prompting criticism of "two-tier justice" by the Shadow Home Secretary.
The post Kneecap ‘Two-Tier Justice’ Row After Glastonbury Case Dropped by Police appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The Epping Protesters Have Had Enough of Being Ignored and Lied To Fri Jul 18, 2025 15:00 | David Shipley Last night's violence in Epping is the desperate cry of people who have been ignored for decades, says David Shipley. Violence must be condemned. But if the state doesn?t change course, and fast, we will see many Eppings.
The post The Epping Protesters Have Had Enough of Being Ignored and Lied To appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
From Vaccine Passports in 2021 to ?Britcard? in 2025 ? Why We Need a Digital Bill of Rights Fri Jul 18, 2025 13:00 | Alan Miller From vaccine passports in 2021 to 'Britcard' digital ID in 2025, it's becoming clear we need a Digital Bill of Rights to protect us from being brought under the technocratic grip of a surveillance state, says Alan Miller.
The post From Vaccine Passports in 2021 to ‘Britcard’ in 2025 ? Why We Need a Digital Bill of Rights appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Why is Modernity so Ugly? Fri Jul 18, 2025 11:00 | Joanna Gray Why is the modern world so unremittingly ugly, wonders Joanna Gray. As yet another interchangeable block of beige bricks springs up in town, the contrast with the glories of the structures our ancestors built is damning.
The post Why is Modernity so Ugly? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The Climate Consensus Died in Parliament This Week Fri Jul 18, 2025 09:00 | Ben Pile This was the week that the climate consensus died in Parliament, says Ben Pile. In the debate that followed Ed Miliband's statement on "nature and climate" something new was heard in the House of Commons: dissent.
The post The Climate Consensus Died in Parliament This Week appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en
Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en
The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en Voltaire Network >>
|
Court Orders Unocal to Stand Trial for Abuses in Burma
international |
crime and justice |
press release
Thursday September 16, 2004 10:34 by EarthRights Intl

Burmese peasants and oil multinational to meet in California courtroom
Los Angeles and Washington, DC, Sept. 15, 2004 – California Superior Court Judge Victoria Chaney yesterday rejected an attempt by Unocal Corp. to dismiss a lawsuit charging it is responsible for human rights abuses committed by the notoriously brutal Burmese military on behalf of Unocal’s Yadana Pipeline project in southern Burma. The Court’s denial of the oil company’s motion for a judgment in their favor clears the way for a jury trial to begin after eight years of litigation. “There is abundant evidence that the Burmese military, Unocal’s project partner, forced villagers to perform hard labor against their will and committed widespread human rights violations for Unocal’s benefit,” said Richard Herz of EarthRights International, co-counsel for the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs in John Doe I, et. al. v. Unocal Corp., et al. are villagers who lived near the pipeline. Some were forced to work on pipeline infrastructure by the military. The remainder suffered other egregious abuses including murder, rape and other torture at the hands of soldiers providing “security” for the project.
Unocal had argued the case should not proceed in light of the Court’s previous ruling that the Unocal subsidiaries the company claims were involved in the project were separate entities from Unocal. Judge Chaney rejected that argument, holding that her prior decision “does not preclude [the plaintiffs] from proving defendants controlled specific aspects of the Yadana project to an extent beyond that permissible by a mere owner.”
Dan Stormer, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said today, “This is a total victory and vindication for the victims. Now Unocal will have to defend its despicable actions before a California jury.”
Paul Hoffman, co-counsel for the plaintiffs and cooperating attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), concurred: “This is an important decision, not only because it allows Unocal to be held liable for abuses committed overseas, but also because it tells other multinational corporations that go into business with repressive dictatorships that they are responsible for their partners’ human rights violations.” Judith Chomsky of CCR added: “After eight years of litigation, the plaintiffs will finally have their day in court. We are confident that a jury reviewing the facts of this case will be horrified at Unocal’s behavior.”
Plaintiffs are represented by Paul Hoffman of Schonbrun, DeSimone, Seplow, Harris and Hoffman; Anne Richardson, Dan Stormer, Cornelia Dai and Marco Simons of Hadsell & Stormer, Judith Chomsky and Jennie Green of the Center for Constitutional Rights, and EarthRights International.
|
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (1 of 1)
Jump To Comment: 1Unical tried to get the Alien Tort Claims Act revoked or watered down so that they could never be brought before a court for their crimes abroad.
Read Judge Victoria Chaney's decision:
http://m1e.net/c?22084340-RhstTc3LiVRJU%40655567-Ks5MDu5JYUFSo