Background of Peoples' Tribunal:
The Permanent Peoples' Tribunal is an international independent tribunal that examines and judges complaints regarding violations of human rights that have been submitted by the victims. The Tribunal was founded in June 1979 in Italy by legal experts, writers and other intellectuals. It followed the Bertrand Russell International War Crimes Tribunal, which held two sessions in 1967 to expose war crimes committed against the Vietnamese people.
The upcoming Tribunal session in Bogotá, entitled
"Transnational corporations and crimes against humanity," will be the last held there after four prior hearings on (1) how foreign-owned agribusinesses have affected farmers and Indigenous peoples; (2) the mining companies' role; (3) the impact of transnational corporate-controlled development on biodiversity and the environment and (4) oil companies and human rights violations.
The Tribunal is an extremely important event that will help expose the dangerous, and escalating U.S. corporate-backed state repression against people's movements.
It will also reinvigorate the many peoples' movements and progressive forces with the solidarity that international delegations bring.
Edgar Paez from SINALTRAINAL says of the Tribunal's purpose: "Through this process we will increase the exposure of the relations between paramilitarism, transnational corporations and the policy of impunity and terror of the Colombian state. Its main purpose is the search for truth, justice and complete reparations. Several transnational corporations have been accused at the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal--Colombia Session, regarding their responsibility for the murder of union leaders for the violation of union freedom and the right of association."
- NATIONAL GATHERING OF PEOPLE
IN RESISTANCE
FOR LIFE AND LAND
JULY 16th – AUGUST 15th
- TPP PEOPLES’ PERMANENT TRIBUNAL,
COLOMBIA‘S FINAL CONFERENCE 2008.
JULY 21st, 22nd and 23rd.
- FIRST GLOBAL CONFERENCE OF THE
NETWORK OF FRIENDSHIP AND SOLIDARITY
WITH COLOMBIA.
JULY 17th, 18th and 19th.
REGIONAL ACTIONS.
22nd JULY
WORLD DAY OF THE FIGHT AGAINST THE MULTINATIONALS
MULTINATIONALS IN COLOMBIA
* THE COLOMBIAN STATE HAS GUARANTEED THAT THE MULTINATIONALS HAVE CONTROL OF THE LAND, CAN PLUNDER THE NATIONAL RESOURCES, AND EXPLOIT THE WORKERS
MULTINATIONALS IN COLOMBIA
They have caused all types of environmental, economical, social and moral damages, that have placed at risk and increased the vulnerability of hundreds of communities.
MULTINATIONALS IN COLOMBIA
It has been proved that various multinational companies have supported the colombian conflict by supplying firearms, money and other resources and materials to illegal and legal armed groups of the state.
They are responsible for thousands of cases of human rights violations.
They benefit directly from crimes such as desplacement, ethnocide, torture and kidnappings.
MULTINATIONALS IN COLOMBIA
The companies accused for their policies and practices in Colombia are: Coca Cola, Nestlé, Chiquita Brands, BP, OXI, Repsol, Drummond, Cemex, Holcim, Muriel, Glencore-Xtrata, Anglo American, Bhp Billington, Anglo Gold, Monsanto, Smurfit Kapa – Cartón de Colombia, Multifruits S.A. – Delmonte, Pizano S.A and its affiliation Maderas del Darién, Urapalma S.A, Dyncorp; Unión Fenosa, Aguas de Barcelona, Canal Isabel II, Endesa, Telefónica and TQ3.
JUDGEMENT OF MULTINATIONALS IN COLOMBIA
The Peoples’ Permanent Tribunal– is a non-governmental tribunal which has its origins in the judgement of crimes against humanity commited by the United States in the war against the people of Vietnam, known as the Russell Tribunal. The 2nd tribunal: 1974 to 1976, passed judgement on the military dictatorships in Latin America.
The judgements made in the TPP are based on human rights international conventions and declarations, made without any ties to powerful political, economic or state influences; it is outside the judicial structures of these countries and they represent the ethnic conscience of the people and of humanity.
THE PERMANENT PEOPLES´ TRIBUNAL IN COLOMBIA
As organizations and communities who have participated in the process, we make a call to all organizations, networks, movements, sectors and people of the world sharing the principles of dignity, sovereignty and autonomy for the people, to join this process so we can move forward together.
We will be plotting strategies to stop the indiscriminate, coercive and violent acts of multinationals and states, and we are collectively constructing initiatives for the well-being of all peoples, based on solidarity, diversity and social justice.
The Final Hearing of the
Peoples’ Permanent Tribunal
JULY 21st, 22nd AND 23rd 2008.
FOR SOVEREIGNTY, LAND AND LIFE WITH DIGNITY
www.observatoriocolombia.info
stobservatoriosocialcolombia@yahoo.com.br
tppsesioncolombia@gmail.com