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Rights Action
July 22, 2013
Abajo: Comunicado del Bufete de Abogados “Klippensteins Barristers & Solicitors”
Comentario de Rights Action:
Demos
gracias a los y las companeros Maya Qeqchis de El Estor, Guatemala,
quienes – a pesar de la represión que sufrieron y que siguen sufriendo, a
pesar de la pobreza y discriminación – tomaron la decisión de exigir
justicia y reparación en los tribunales Canadienses. Demos gracias al
bufete “Klippensteins” por haber tomado la decisión de representar ‘pro
bono’ (sin recibir dinero) a los demandantes de El Estor y que ahora los
3 casos civiles han establecido precedentes legales en Canadá.En resumen, un tribunal en Canadá ha establecido que victimas de otros paises (en este caso, los y las companeros Qeqchis de El Estor) pueden presentar demandas legales en los tribunals de Canadá en contra de companias Canadienses por las violaciones que sufrieron. Esta decisión es unica en la historia legal de Canadá.
OJO
– los y las victimas de El Estor no han ganado sus casos. No han
recibido ni justicia ni reparación. Lo que se gano es el derecho de
pelear los casos en los tribunales de Canadá. Esta lucha va por largo y
sigue.
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Comunicado del Bufete de Abogados “Klippensteins Barristers & Solicitors”
22 de julio de 2013
Hudbay
Minerals puede potencialmente ser considerada legalmente responsable en
Canadá por violaciones y asesinatos en el proyecto minero “Fenix”,
anteriormente propiedad del subsidiario de Hudbay en Guatemala (siendo
la CGN, Compañía Guatemalteca de Niquel). Como consecuencia del fallo
de la Juez Brown, del 22 de julio de 2013, las demandas de 13
Guatemaltecos Mayas procederán a juicio en un tribunal canadiense.
“Como
consecuencia de este fallo, las empresas mineras Canadienses ya no
pueden esconderse detrás de su estructura corporativa legal para abdicar
de su responsabilidad por los abusos de derechos humanos que ocurren en
sus operaciones mineras bajo su control en diversos lugares del mundo
fuera de Canadá,” dijo Murray Klippenstein, abogado de los 13 indígenas
mayas. “Ahora, se celebrará un juicio sobre los abusos cometidos en
Guatemala, y este juicio se realizará en una sala de justicia en Canadá,
a pocas cuadras de la sede de Hudbay, que es el lugar apropiado. Nunca
se tolerarían tales abusos en Canadá y las empresas Canadienses no
deberían poder aprovecharse de sistemas legales quebrados o extremamente
débiles en otros países y salirse con la suya acá.”
Hudbay
argumentó ante el tribunal que las sedes corporativas no podrían ser
responsabilizadas legalmente por daños causados por actos de
subsidiaries (en este caso la CGN), independientemente de cuán
involucradas estos estuvieron en operaciones sobre el terreno. La juez,
Sra. Brown, no estuvo de acuerdo y dijo como conclusión que “las
demandas contra Hudbay y HMI no deberían ser descartadas”.
“Hoy
es un gran día para mí y para todos que iniciamos esta demanda,” dijo
Angelica Choc, una demandante y viuda de Adolfo Ich (matado el 27 de
septiembre del 2009). “Esto significa todo para todos nosotros. Ahora
podemos defendernos contra Hudbay en un tribunal Canadiense para pedir
justicia por lo qué nos ocurrió.”
“Esta
decisión será, sin duda alguna, una llamada de alerta a las empresas
mineras Canadienses,” dijo Cory Wanless, abogado adjunto con el Sr.
Klipperstein, quienes representan a los demandantes Mayas en el juicio.
“Por primera vez, un tribunal Canadiense ha determinado que
una reclamación puede ser presentada contra una corporación matriz, por
haber fallado de prevenir violaciones de los derechos humanos en una
mina, administrada por su subsidiario radicada en el extranjero.”
Es la secunda victoria legal significativa para los demandantes Mayas este año. En febrero, Hudbay retiró abruptamente su argumento que la demanda contra la empresa debería escucharse en Guatemala, y no en Canadá, después de haber luchado con uñas y dientes en torno a esta cuestión por más de un año, obligando a sobrevivientes de violación a viajar a Toronto y aguantar contrainterrogartorios extensos y al equipo legal a pasar incontables horas a recopilar pilas de datos, informes de expertos y testimonios de los testigos.
Mas información sobre los casos civiles: www.chocversushudbay.com.
Gracias.
Favor de enviar esta informaciona todos lados.
Grahame Russell, Rights Action
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Precedent Setting Ruling In Canada Against Hudbay Minerals, For Indigenous Plaintiffs In Guatemala
Monday, July 22, 2013
Rights Action Commentary
We are grateful to and in awe of the Mayan Qeqchi people who - despite
on-going poverty, despite already having suffered great repression,
despite on-going threats - took the decision to seek justice and remedy
in Canadian courts. We are deeply grateful to Klippensteins for taking
on these now precedent setting legal cases, on a ‘pro bono’ basis, and
demonstrating both the legal brilliance and heart-felt commitment to
stay with this much needed legal struggle in Canadian courts.
Thank-you to all who have donated funds in support of the health and
humanitarian needs, and the justice and reparations struggles of the
mining harmed people and communities in El Estor. This struggle for
justice and remedy is far from over; more support is needed.
Press Advisory:
Ontario Court Rules That Lawsuits Against Hudbay Minerals Regarding Shootings, Murder And Gang-Rape At Its Former Mine In Guatemala Can Proceed To Trial In Canada
Ruling Means That Canadian Corporations May Be Held Legally Responsible In Canada For Human Rights Abuse At Their Foreign Mining Projects
July 22, 2013, Toronto, Canada: In a precedent-setting ruling with
national and international implications, Superior Court of Ontario
Justice Carole Brown has ruled that Canadian company Hudbay Minerals can
potentially be held legally responsible in Canada for rapes and murder
at a mining project formerly owned by Hudbay’s subsidiary in Guatemala.
As a result of Justice Brown’s ruling, the claims of 13 Mayan
Guatemalans will proceed to trial in Canadian courts.
“As a result of this ruling, Canadian mining corporations can no longer hide behind their legal corporate structure to abdicate responsibility for human rights abuses that take place at foreign mines under their control at various locations throughout the world,” said Murray Klippenstein, lawyer for the 13 indigenous Mayans. “There will now be a trial regarding the abuses that were committed in Guatemala, and this trial will be in a courtroom in Canada, a few blocks from Hudbay’s headquarters, exactly where it belongs. We would never tolerate these abuses in Canada, and Canadian companies should not be able to take advantage of broken-down or extremely weak legal systems in other countries to get away with them there.”
Hudbay argued in court that corporate head offices could never be held responsible for harms at their subsidiaries, no matter how involved they were in on-the-ground operations. Justice Brown disagreed and concluded that “the actions as against Hudbay and HMI should not be dismissed.”
“Today is a great day for me and all others who brought this lawsuit,” said Angelica Choc, a plaintiff and widow of Adolfo Ich. “It means everything to us that we can now stand up to Hudbay in Canadian courts to seek justice for what happened to us.”
“This judgment should be a wake-up call for Canadian mining companies,” said Cory Wanless, co-counsel for the Mayans along with Mr. Klippenstein. “It is the first time that a Canadian court has ruled that a claim can be made against a Canadian parent corporation for negligently failing to prevent human rights abuses at its foreign mining project. We fully expect that more claims like this one will be brought against Canadian mining companies until these kinds of abuses stop.”
“As a result of this ruling, Canadian mining corporations can no longer hide behind their legal corporate structure to abdicate responsibility for human rights abuses that take place at foreign mines under their control at various locations throughout the world,” said Murray Klippenstein, lawyer for the 13 indigenous Mayans. “There will now be a trial regarding the abuses that were committed in Guatemala, and this trial will be in a courtroom in Canada, a few blocks from Hudbay’s headquarters, exactly where it belongs. We would never tolerate these abuses in Canada, and Canadian companies should not be able to take advantage of broken-down or extremely weak legal systems in other countries to get away with them there.”
Hudbay argued in court that corporate head offices could never be held responsible for harms at their subsidiaries, no matter how involved they were in on-the-ground operations. Justice Brown disagreed and concluded that “the actions as against Hudbay and HMI should not be dismissed.”
“Today is a great day for me and all others who brought this lawsuit,” said Angelica Choc, a plaintiff and widow of Adolfo Ich. “It means everything to us that we can now stand up to Hudbay in Canadian courts to seek justice for what happened to us.”
“This judgment should be a wake-up call for Canadian mining companies,” said Cory Wanless, co-counsel for the Mayans along with Mr. Klippenstein. “It is the first time that a Canadian court has ruled that a claim can be made against a Canadian parent corporation for negligently failing to prevent human rights abuses at its foreign mining project. We fully expect that more claims like this one will be brought against Canadian mining companies until these kinds of abuses stop.”
This is the second significant legal victory for the Mayan plaintiffs
this year. In February, Hudbay abruptly dropped its argument that the
lawsuit against it should be heard in Guatemala, not Canada, after
fighting tooth and nail over this issue for over a year, forcing
survivors of rape to travel to Toronto to endure extensive
cross-examination and the legal team to spend countless hours compiling
stacks of evidence, expert reports, and witness testimony.
For more information about the claims, see: www.chocversushudbay.com
Further Information:
Klippensteins Barristers & Solicitors
Murray Klippenstein, (416) 598-0288 or (416) 937-8634
Cory Wanless, (416) 598-0288 or (647) 886-1914
Murray Klippenstein, (416) 598-0288 or (416) 937-8634
Cory Wanless, (416) 598-0288 or (647) 886-1914
Background Info:
- (5 minute trailer) DEFENSORA, www.defensorathefilm.com. “Defensora” documents the Mayan Qeqchi people's struggle, in eastern Guatemala, to reclaim their ancestral lands, to promote community development and environmental well-being, and to seek justice and remedy for the murder, shootings and rapes committed against them by Canadian mining companies in Guatemala.
- (10 minute film) EL ESTOR EVICTIONS, January 2007, http://rightsaction.org/video/elestor/index.htm. About Canadian nickel mining company (Skye Resources/ HudBay Minerals) related illegal, forced evictions of indigenous Mayan Qeqchi communities in eastern Guatemala.
- (Article) CLASHING WORLD VIEWS AT THE CROSSROADS: “Avatar” overlaps with a “John Grisham” novel in the Mayan Qeqchi plaintiffs versus Hudbay Minerals lawsuits, by Grahame Russell, http://rightsaction.org/action-content/clashing-world-views-crossroads
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More Information:
Grahame Russell
info@rightsaction.org
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