Chevron says damage assessment in Ecuador pollution case is tainted by biased reports

Source: Associated Press

Chevron says damage assessment in Ecuador pollution case is tainted by biased reports

CHRIS KAHN
AP Energy Writer
3:14 p.m. EST, February 10, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) — Chevron Corp. has stepped up its offensive against an effort to make the oil giant pay for poisoned sections of the Amazon rain forest.
After spending months discrediting the political and legal system in Ecuador, where a court is considering a fine against the company, Chevron now claims that a court-appointed expert gave biased testimony in the case.

The expert, Richard Cabrera, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But lawyers representing people affected by the pollution said Chevron is simply making a last-ditch effort to delay what could be a massive penalty against the company.

The judgment may reach $27 billion, more than twice the company's 2009 earnings.

"They're losing the case based on the evidence," said Steven R. Donziger, an American legal adviser to the plaintiffs. "So they're trying to fabricate issues to try to taint the image of the trial."

Karen Hinton, a spokeswoman for the Amazon Defense Coalition, pointed out that Chevron previously praised the fairness and competency of Ecuador's courts. The company successfully lobbied to have the case moved from a U.S. federal court in 2002, agreeing to any final judgment that comes in Ecuador, according to court documents.


Read more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/nationworld/sns-ap-us-chevron-ecuador,0,1135362.story

Bias= displays truth that is damaging to Chevron.

WHEN will these parasites be held responsible?

and to the animals who need, and use this water.

http://www.towardfreedom.com.nyud.net:8090/home/images/stories/dec05/hanna1.gif http://www.rainforestrelief.org.nyud.net:8090/contentimages/Production%20Pit%20Small%20for%20We%5B4%5D.jpg http://www.commondreams.org.nyud.net:8090/headlines07/images/0316-01.jpg

http://blog.nj.com.nyud.net:8090/entertainment_impact_tv/2009/09/large_crude-movie-review.jpg

http://imgs.sfgate.com.nyud.net:8090/c/pictures/2005/03/03/bu_ecuadortex.jpg

http://revista-amauta.org.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/oil-ecuador-rainforest.jpg

Chevron thought they were going to manipulate the Ecuadorian court system. When that didn't happen, they started crying foul.

I hope they get taken to the cleaners on this one. The fate of other indigenous people, and people in general, at the hands of multinational corporations will be affected by the outcome of this case.

Chevron hires twelve public relations firms to discredit indigenous Indians in Ecuador
Saturday, February 06, 2010 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4259176

Apparently they don't mind the bad publicity, and consider it worth the cost to destroy the plaintiffs one way or another, and make an example of what happens to people who dare to take them on.

Great photo you've chosen for your signature. What a shame he's gone. The world needs him back.

a little longer. I did get a chance to meet him once. He signed my Spanish language version of "A People's History".

Anyway this documentary deals with the issue at hand. I don't know when it comes out on DVD.

http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Crude/70112742?strackid=68a47f1781cb8c80_0_srl&strkid=1650483808_0_0&trkid=222336

for personal use.

Here's the trailer:
Joe Berlinger's CRUDE - Official Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8co4QJxddI

Really looking forward to closing in on this film. Hope a multitude will see this, too. Thank you.

On edit:
It would have been wonderful to meet Howard Zinn. It's great you found your way to be in the same place at the same time.

read about it it got great reviews.

of US government and US corporate history in any part of Latin America, anyway?

It usually gets buried until decades later, long after the crisis has passed without anyone's awareness, which could help the people of these countries. It's all conducted in darkness, silence, and no one comes to their rescue, like Honduras, f'r instance.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

When the law is against you, pound the facts. When the facts are against you, pound the law. When the law and the facts are against you, pound the table. Chevron is in the process of reducing the table to kindling.

So, what is their punishment going to be? Who's going to go to jail? Is this a death penalty case? Who would be executed if Chevron were sentenced to death for poisoning an entire ecosystem and its inhabitants? What does money mean to a corporation that taking some money away from it is considered a punishment?

probably would have only cost them a billion to clean it up, but they figured they could screw over the justice system. Now they are going to get what they deserve.

of course, is capable of it.

Both parties are guilty,the natives(Indians),are the ones that have been harmed.The government of Ecuador,the non natives,whites,spanish are just as culpable as the oil crooks,I am sure any money chevron have to pay it will find its way into the pockets of the rulers(non natives)The UN and the world court should get involved and make sure justice is served.