Almost there! Very soon Monsanto will be on trial! 30 witnesses and legal experts from five continents will testify in The Hague before
five international judges. These witnesses will tell the judges, and the world, how Monsanto has ruined their health, their communities, their livelihoods. We will make the theme of this year's World Food Day (October 16th) the damage to health and nature caused by chemical industrial agriculture. Citizens’ tribunals have a long history of drawing widespread attention to corporate corruption, and of ultimately leading to criminal trials. Like you, we want the Monsanto Tribunal to push courts in countries all over the world to hold Monsanto accountable for its crimes.
Thanks to you! This unique event is only possible thanks to the support of people like you. Thank you! Please continue to help us to spread the word, especially just before, during and the days after the event. Forward this newsletter to friends, ask them to sign support, write to journalists you know, share our posts on Facebook on your page and in groups, retweet our messages if you use twitter, compose your own messages on other social media. You can follow the hearings on live stream, the links will be on our website a few days before the Tribunal starts. We will upload videos on our website and our Facebook page during the event. Please share!
The Bayer Monsanto merger Many of you have asked about the pending buyout of Monsanto by Bayer, and how this will affect the Monsanto Tribunal.
Here’s the good news. Bayer’s proposed buyout of Monsanto will have no negative impact on the Monsanto Tribunal. First of all, the buyout will be challenged. And even if it’s approved, it won’t be final until well into 2017. More important, when the tribunal judges issue their final advisory opinions (scheduled for December 10th), those legal opinions will apply to all agribusiness corporations (including Bayer)—not just Monsanto. Besides, the merger of giants is not a sign of strength, analysts have pointed at the signs of
an industry in trouble. The possible consequences of such a merger on people and the environment make the Monsanto Tribunal even more important to send a strong signal to the world.
International Criminal Court widens scope – steps towards prosecution of ecocide
In the near future environmental destruction could lead to governments and individuals being prosecuted for crimes against humanity by the international criminal court. The UN-backed court in The Hague has mostly ruled on cases of genocide and war crimes since it was set up in 2002. It did not investigate major environmental crimes so far. In
a change of focus, the ICC said recently it would also look into crimes that result in the “destruction of the environment”, “exploitation of natural resources” and the “illegal dispossession” of land. This is an interesting development. The Monsanto Tribunal might be a very good preparation for a major case at the ICC.
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