Ecuadorians protest Chevron at World Bank

On the 27th of April, Ecuadorians showed up in front of the World Bank to protest Chevron's counter-lawsuit against Indigenous communities harmed by oil spills before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The ICSID is a member of the World Bank Group.Chevron is seeking by counter-lawsuits to evade paying the judgement against them for their oil spills that have given Indigneous children cancer.

One participant in the protest explained that Chevron before the ICSID is essentially seeking to force the Ecuadorian government to pay the Indigenous communities in their place, citing prior contracts by prior governments not currently in power. The United States, for its part, has simply refused to recognize the judgement of the Ecuadorian courts holding Chevron responsible for their reckless and murderous conduct. In 2001, Chevron purchased Texaco Petroleum, which had partnered with Ecuador's state oil company under a previous regime to drill in the Amazon rainforest. Billions of gallons of toxic, polluted water were deliberately dumped, and millions of barrels of oil spilled. Now Indigenous children are dying of cancer just like they are near the Alberta tar sands mine in Occupied Canada.

An Ecuadorian court has ruled that Chevron by purchasing Texaco Petroleum acquired their liablity for oil spills, pollution, and cancer to the tune of $9.5 BILLION. Chevron counterattacked in US courts, which have refused to recognize or enforce this judgement. Chevron remains at risk anywhere they have asets in a nation that recognizes the courts of Ecuador. Thus, Chevron has requested a hearing before the ICSID in an attempt to force the current Ecuadorian government to pay the judgement in their place.

http://amazonwatch.org/work/chevron

Video-interview giving specifics of the case