Chevron will do anything: but accept responsibility
Chevron has just filed a civil racketeering lawsuit against the plaintiffs in its environmental battle in the courts with Ecuadorian villagers. Afraid of the looming judgment against it, Chevron is making yet another effort to discredit its opponents. In his article for Greenwire and the New York Times, Lawrence Hurley argues that this is part of a wider legal strategy,
Chevron Corp.’s racketeering suit filed yesterday against the legal team seeking damages for pollution in Ecuador is likely part of a wider strategy aimed at helping the oil giant reach a more favorable settlement, according to legal experts.
I am not sure that I agree that Chevron is vying for more favorable positioning for a settlement. They have said in the past that they will not settle and drag this case out as long as they can. This is yet another attempt to discredit the plaintiffs. As the options run out for Chevron and the finding for up to $27 Billion against them is imminent, they are getting more desperate.
I would love to see Chevron make an offer for a settlement, and stop doing everything it can to discredit, delay and defer its responsibilities. Of course, they refuse to live up to a common social trait that adults do every day – taking responsibility for their actions… and why? Likely because they are afraid, as I’m sure most multi-national oil, mining and forestry companies are afraid, that if this decision goes against Chevron for $27 Billion, it opens up the dam for a flood of lawsuits and liability against multi-nationals that do not maintain high environmental standards in their operations in the developing world. That’s why a decision against Chevron is so important for the eco-systems and individuals of the developing world, and ultimately for all of us.
