Criticism of Chevron Grows Over Use of "Secret" Panel to Evade $18 Billion Ecuador Judgment, says Am

[Judi Lynn]

Criticism of Chevron Grows Over Use of "Secret" Panel to Evade $18 Billion Ecuador Judgment, says Amazon Defense Coalition

International Jurists Protest Oil Giant's Latest Maneuver

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Andean Commission of Jurists and five prestigious international law experts from around the world have joined a growing chorus of criticism targeting Chevron's attempt to use a secret investor arbitration as part of its campaign to evade an $18 billion environmental judgment in Ecuador, according to letters released today.

In a letter to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Andean Commission said it was "alarmed" at Chevron's attempt to use a private investor arbitration convened under the U.S.-Ecuador Bilateral Investment Treaty ("BIT&quot to influence the outcome of a private litigation between indigenous groups and Chevron in Ecuador's courts. The panel meets in secret and bars the Ecuadorians from appearing before it.

After an eight-year trial, a three-judge appellate panel in Ecuador on January 3 affirmed an $18 billion judgment against the oil giant for causing what experts believe is one of the worst oil-related disasters on the planet. The decision was based on a 220,000-page evidentiary record, more than 100 expert reports from both parties, and 18 years of litigation in the courts of the U.S. and Ecuador.

The letter from the Andean Commission, part of growing chorus of international criticism of Chevron, accused the oil giant of continuing to use "questionable litigation tactics to deny those injured any forum to seek justice and compensation for their injuries."

More:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/criticism-of-chevron-grows-over-use-of-secret-panel-to-evade-18-billion-ecuador-judgment-says-amazon-defense-coalition-139208609.html

[denverbill]

1. Multinational corporations are above the law.

Has Exxon ever paid any money for the Valdez disaster yet? That happened in 1989 and and they were ordered to pay $5 billion in punitive damages. That was later reduced on appeal to $4.5 billion, then $2.5 billion, and in 2008, the Supreme Court ordered the judgement vacated and declared they couldn't be held liable for more than $500 million.

And here we are 23 years later and Exxon still hasn't paid a nickel.