Israel: Caterpillar Should Suspend Bulldozer Sales - Human Rights Watch

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/25b590186265d59325c466a520135315.htm

(New York, November 23, 2004)--Caterpillar Inc., the U.S.-based heavy-equipment company, should immediately suspend sales of its powerful D9 bulldozer to the Israeli army, Human Rights Watch said today. As Human Rights Watch documented in a recent report, the Israeli military uses the D9 as its primary weapon to raze Palestinian homes, destroy agriculture and shred roads in violation of the laws of war. "Caterpillar betrays its stated values when it sells bulldozers to Israel knowing that they are being used to illegally destroy Palestinian homes," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Until Israel stops these practices, Caterpillar's continued sales will make the company complicit in human rights abuses."

In a letter to Caterpillar's chief executive officer and board of directors, Human Rights Watch on October 29 called on the company to cease all sales to the Israeli military of the D9, as well as parts and maintenance services, so long as the military continues to use the bulldozer to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

Caterpillar's CEO James Owens responded to Human Rights Watch in a letter dated November 12 by saying the company did "not have the practical ability or legal right to determine how our products are used after they are sold." This head-in-the-sand approach ignores international standards on corporate social responsibility and the requirements of Caterpillar's own code of conduct.

Since 2003, the United Nations has begun to develop standards for corporations in the form of the U.N. Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights. This document states that companies should not "engage in or benefit from" violations of international human rights or humanitarian law and that companies "shall further seek to ensure that the goods and services they provide will not be used to abuse human rights."

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[punpirate]

1. "Corporate social responsibility"

In America today, that's an oxymoron.

[JackieO]

2. bulldozers

bulldozer pics: http://prozny.com/_photo/_dozer/index.html

[AlCzervik]

3. They have the right to refuse service or products to anyone

even if they can't stop it totally they can at least make an effort.

[PrisonerLazy8]

4. Even better - stop the import, sales and manufacture of belt bombs

That would be the best way to keep the dozers sleeping instead of dozing.

[livinbella]

6. wrong

you are totally wrong.

[struggle4progress]

5. kick

:kick:

[AngryAmish]

7. Bulldozer or Killdozer?

I saw that movie. I would not want anyone selling Killdozer.

[Endangered Specie]

8. The Isreali's use them so much...

that they break and have to buy new ones?

[funnymanpants]

9. Let the ignorance begin

Let all the knee-jerk pro-Israel supporters come out of the woodwork and do their Palestinian bashing, ignorant of human rights reports and the fanatics in the Israeli government who want to drive the Palestinians off the land.

Let the flame wars begin until the moderator shuts down the thread.