PHM-Exch> Request for organizational sign-ons by Nov 30 to hold pesticide companies accountable for human rights violations

[Laura Turiano]

Dear Colleagues,

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) is writing to request your organizational
sign-on of support in a global effort to raise up the human rights
violations committed by pesticide corporations.

>From December 3 - 6, in Bangalore, India, PAN and partners from Africa,
Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America will participate in a
rigorous, well-documented and extremely public
<http://www.panna.org/current-campaigns/corporate-control> people's trial
against the Big 6 pesticide corporations: Monsanto, Syngenta, Dow, DuPont,
Bayer and BASF. Our goal: with the failure of governments to rein in undue
corporate influence, we must act together as a global community. We seek
expose the harm these corporations cause due to their stranglehold on our
food systems and pesticide regulatory agencies, both. We seek to build a
people's movement that holds these corporations to account.

Witnesses from around the world have prepared their cases and public
testimony. Many are traveling great distances and facing potential
retaliation to make sure that the case is made. The stories from around the
world expose blatant violations of the human rights to life, health and
livelihood. Come November 30 and throughout the trail, these stories will be
available via PAN's <http://www.youtube.com/user/pannavideo>YouTube channel.
Examples of the cases are included in the attached summary that describes
this historic initiative.

Please join PAN, the Farmworker Association of Florida, Alaska Community
Action on Toxics, and many others by offering your public solidarity with
the brave people coming forward from around the world.

* To sign on to the statement below, please send your name, title and
organization to Kathryn
Gilje (<mailto:kat at panna.org <mailto:kat%40panna.org> >kat at panna.org
<mailto:kat%40panna.org> ) or Paul Towers (<mailto:ptowers at panna.org
<mailto:ptowers%40panna.org> ptowers at panna.org <mailto:ptowers%40panna.org>
) by November 30th.

* To participate in the Digital Week of Action (Nov 30 - December 7, when
the verdict is delivered), please commit to sending your supporters to watch
the video testimonies that will be available via YouTube
beginning November 30, and will be refreshed as the trial continues. Contact
Paul Towers (<mailto:ptowers at panna.org <mailto:ptowers%40panna.org>
ptowers at panna.org <mailto:ptowers%40panna.org> ) to participate.

More information: 
http://www.panna.org/sites/default/files/PPT%20Executive%20Summary.pdf

~~~~

December 2, 2011

We, the undersigned, recognize that:

The Big 6 pesticide corporations – Dow, DuPont, Monsanto, Synngenta, BASF,
and Bayer – have committed and facilitated gross violations of the human
rights to health, livelihood and life by producing and promoting reliance on
their harmful products.

These corporations have interfered with democracy, exerting undue influence
over government agencies and public universities in order to advance their
interests and private research agendas. In the absence of public
accountability and transparency, the pesticide industry has come to operate
above and outside the law.

We the people must therefore hold these corporations accountable.

We urge the jury of the Permanent PeoplesTribunal to deliver a swift and
fitting verdict that will ensure corporate accountability for the Big 6 and
protect fundamental human rights from toxic trespass.

Such a verdict would meet these principles:
* Human dignity: People need meaningful work at a living wage -- this is
called livelihood, and with it
comes dignity. 
* Health: The right to human health is internationally recognized, and is
the condition of a fair society.
* Accountability: Governments should strive to serve the interests of their
people, and have a 
basic responsibility to protect the public good -- especially against the
excesses of corporate greed.--

Kathryn Gilje 
Co–Director Pesticide Action Network North America

Phone :: (415) 728-0172 | Skype :: katatpanna
<http://www.panna.org/>www.panna.org | www.whatsonmyfood.org |
<http://www.panna.org/blog>www.panna.org/blog



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