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 In what is one of the most unlikely and significant victories in environmental and human rights history, 30,000 indigenous people and campesinos won a $9.5 billion judgment in a class action suit after 20 years of ugly legal battles (now upheld by Ecuador‘s highest court). Unlikely because of the unprecedented and overwhelming pressure placed on the plaintiffs, their supporters, Ecuador and the Ecuadorian judicial system. And significant as it sets an encouraging precedent that those victimized by powerful corporate forces have hope for justice and a way to fight back.So how on Earth could this victory be so ridiculously, unethically and illegally turned on its head and evolve into the shocking display that just played out in a US Federal Court? And what repercussions and worrisome precedents could such reckless actions hold for corporate accountability and legal processes around the world?
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Tag Archives: Texaco
a message from dir. Branden
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 For the past two weeks we have brought you the courageous and heartbreaking story of Servio Curipoma and his ongoing struggle for clean water, a healthy environment and remediation of the toxic wasteland that Chevron left in his rainforest homeland. Speaking with him at his farm in Ecuador just last week, it was clear that he seeks only to be able to work his land and leave something for his children – to afford a peaceful and productive life – something that Chevron continues to deliberately deny him.
Servio’s fight is only going to get tougher as Chevron’s multibillion dollar legal defense continues to pour money into lambasting those seeking justice, those who have already won. The story is an endless circus of lies, vilification and a callousness that defies rationality. We need your support to keep the pressure up. We are doing everything we can to make sure Chevron doesn’t get away with the most blatant environmental crime in history. Amazon Watch will continue to work with the broad coalition of institutional shareholders, NGOs, affected peoples and individuals to pressure Chevron until they accept responsibility for their horrendous crime and do the right thing. After a 20-year legal battle, this is a case that is simply too big to fail. With your help we’ll continue to pressure Chevron, demand enforcement of the judgment and bear witness to its ridiculous countersuit alleging that the plaintiffs sued Chevron in an attempt to defraud them (Really?!). Please support Amazon Watch and our Clean Up Ecuador campaign today. Your contribution will help us continue to stand with Servio and the 30,000 other Ecuadorians who have suffered for too long. We will not allow Chevron to drown out their voices – to drown out the truth about what happened in Ecuador. For justice – for the opportunity to set an international precedent for the rights of indigenous peoples to defend their homes from companies seeking profits over people – please add your support. For the Amazon,
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Chevron found guilty… Again by Ginger Cassady, Rainforest Action Network
| Help Chevron come up with its next absurd excuse |
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A court of appeals in Ecuador has upheld the $18 billion ruling of a lower court, confirming what 30,000 Ecuadoreans suffering from Chevron’s oil pollution in the Amazon and activists the world over have known for decades: Chevron is guilty.
There is no question of Chevron’s responsibility for dumping some 18 billion gallons of toxic oil waste in the Ecuadorean Amazon. The only question, at this point, is what ludicrous talking point Chevron will roll out this time to explain away its refusal to pay to clean up its mess.
Chevron spokespeople have claimed that oil is no more toxic than women’s makeup and that just because their company bought Texaco in 2001 doesn’t mean Chevron has to clean up its mess. They have vowed to fight against paying to clean up until hell freezes over, and then to “fight it out on the ice.” It’s clear the company could use a little help in crafting its excuses. Why don’t you help Chevron out by coming up with the next absurd talking point to justify putting profits before people?
The real reason Chevron won’t take responsibility for its mess in Ecuador is, of course, unbridled greed. And a complete disregard for human life. More than 1,400 Ecuadoreans have died from Chevron’s oil pollution in the Amazon, but it’s all about money for the Big Oil behemoth.
Everyone from oil industry analysts to Chevron shareholders are calling on the company to rethink its endless litigation strategy in Ecuador. What excuse can the company possibly come up with this time for refusing to clean up its mess? Why not help them out. Go to this page, pick your favorite Chevron spokesperson, enter your ludicrous excuse, and we’ll post it to our “Excuse Gallery” on ChevronThinksWereStupid.org.
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For a cleaner future, |
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Ginger Cassady
Change Chevron |
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Chevron doesn’t want you to know Servio’s story …Ginger Cassady, Rainforest Action Network
Share this video, don’t let Chevron erase Servio and his family from the public record
Servio Curipoma is a farmer who lives in the Ecuadorean Amazon. He lost both of his parents and his sister to cancer after Texaco, which Chevron bought in 2001, deliberately dumped a massive amount of oil pollution near their home.
Chevron doesn’t want you to know Servio’s story – or the stories of any of the thousands of other Ecuadoreans who are suffering from the oil contamination in their Amazon home that Chevron refuses to clean up.
Can you help make sure Chevron can’t silence Servio? Here’s the YouTube link to a video of an impassioned speech he gave outside of Chevron’s annual shareholder meeting, in which he vows to honor the memories of his family members by refusing to give up the fight to bring Chevron to justice.
You can copy and paste the link into Facebook, Twitter, or any other website where you can share the video above !!!
Suggested text: Chevron doesn’t want us to know about the people whose lives and livelihoods have been destroyed by its oil pollution in the Ecuadorean Amazon. Servio Curipoma’s mother, father, and sister died from Chevron’s oil pollution. Don’t let the oil giant erase Servio and his family from history!
Chevron has found a willing accomplice in US Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan, who issued a “worldwide injunction” to stop enforcement of the historic $18 billion judgment against Chevron handed down by an Ecuadorean court in February. The Ecuadoreans are appealing the injunction, and the trial starts tomorrow.
Judge Kaplan has continually referred to Servio and the other Ecuadoreans suing Chevron as the “so-called Ecuadorean plaintiffs” – implying that the very real and very horrifying conditions that Servio and his community are facing are somehow in question or up for debate. That’s why it’s so important that we all post this video and let everyone – including Judge Kaplan – know that the Ecuadoreans suffering from Chevron’s oil pollution are real, and they’re crying out for justice.
After poisoning his community and taking his family from him, Chevron is heaping disrespect on Servio Curipoma by trying to pretend he doesn’t exist, and that his mother, father, and sister never existed. We can’t let Chevron and Kaplan get away with it. Please share Servio’s story today.
For a cleaner future,
Ginger Cassady
Change Chevron Campaign Director
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RAN -BREAKING NEWS: RAN Activists Unfurl 50′ Banner “Chevron Guilty-Clean Up Amazon
Climbers are hanging from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge right now, calling on Chevron to take responsibility for its oil pollution in the Ecuadorean Amazon.
The 30,000 Ecuadoreans affected by Chevron’s oil pollution in the Amazon issued a moving “Open Letter to the United States” last week, calling on Americans to stand with them in demanding justice. Today, a group of Rainforest Action Network activists heeded their call by unfurling a banner reading “Chevron Guilty-Clean Up Amazon” from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, which lies in the shadow of Chevron’s Richmond refinery:
Wednesday is Chevron’s annual shareholder meeting, and I’ll be joining a delegation of Ecuadoreans who will be in attendance in order to take their calls for justice directly to the company’s management, shareholders, and board members.
We’re trying to get 30,000 Americans to sign the solidarity petition, one for each of the Ecuadoreans affected by Chevron’s reckless pursuit of profits. The petition will be delivered to Chevron by me and the Ecuadorean delegation. Sign it now.
But hurry! There are only 48 hours left for you to sign. Chevron’s shareholder meeting is this Wednesday, May 25th. Stand with the Ecuadoreans by signing the petition now.
For a cleaner future,
Ginger Cassady
Be a Seed for Change 
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