FULLY BOOKED Screening – Corporations on Trial
Corporations on Trial is a five part series on Al Jazeera charting the rapidly growing number of law suits brought against multi-national corporations. War crimes, conspiracy, corruption and payments to terrorist organisations – over the last decade some of the world’s largest companies have found themselves in the dock, hiring hot-shot lawyers to defend themselves against charges brought by plaintiffs who are often barely literate.
We will be screening 3 of the 5 films in this series:
“A Very Toxic Case”: The largest class action in British history, brought by human rights lawyer Martyn Day on behalf of 30,000 Ivoirians against Trafigura, the world’s third largest independent oil trader. Day’s suit alleges that the company neglected its duty of care when disposing of tons of toxic – material that was illicitly dumped on Abidjan’s streets with appalling consequences. (Reporter: Juliana Ruhfus/ Director: Hazel Chandler)
“Muddy Justice”: Three years ago mud volcano Lusi erupted in Indonesia, swallowing up 12 villages and displacing at least 40,000 people. International scientists and Indonesian activists allege that this is a man-made disaster, pointing to a gas drilling operation owned by Indonesia’s minister for Social Welfare as the cause of the eruption. But lawyers are facing an uphill battle to gain compensation for the victim: As the courts keep ruling against their case, rumours of political interference are growing … (Reporter: Juliana Ruhfus/ Director: Dom Rotheroe)
“Between Life and Law”: A film about Chiquita Banana’s illicit payments to Colombia’s paramilitaries. Fined $25million by the US Federal Court, Chiquita is now facing a number of civil lawsuits from plaintiffs who want compensation for the victims who and are demanding that the US company’s directors are extradited to stand trial in Colombia. As former paramilitaries speak out, the truth emerges about a dark chapter of American corporate history. (Reporter: Juliana Ruhfus/ Director: Hazel Chandler)
