By International Senior Lawyers Project | ISLP Communications
Dear Friends,
As supporters of ISLP’s pro bono work on behalf of 200 Cambodian villagers who were the victims of a land-grab, we wanted to share the latest developments in this effort and thank you for helping us move this important case forward.
First – some very exciting news:
One of you - a supporter for this ISLP Cambodia campaign - made a contribution that pushed the total dollars contributed to GlobalGiving member organizations past the $100 million mark. Because of that donation, our project was highlighted by GlobalGiving to its entire network of donors and NGOs!
The special donor, Saunora, was gratified to learn that he had helped GlobalGiving achieve this milestone: “I learned about ISLP’s work on the land-grabbing of these poor farmers in Koh Kong from one of the ISLP volunteer lawyers. I wish I could help lots more.”
We extend our deepest thanks to Saunora and to all of you who participated in this campaign. It means very much that you are there, pitching in to make sure we can cover basic costs such as printing maps showing the villagers’ land holdings and travel for the villagers to meet with their legal team. Because of you, the Cambodian Community Legal Education Center’s (CLEC) team was able to travel to Koh Kong to meet with the villagers to discuss upcoming case deadlines, evidentiary requirements, and to finalize witness statements.
Now on to the most recent positive developments in the case:
As you know, ISLP is backing CLEC's efforts by providing pro bono expert lawyers in the UK, USA, and Cambodia. ISLP’s lawyers and CLEC have filed a case in English Commercial Court against the major sugar conglomerate Tate & Lyle Sugars on behalf of the villagers. The lawsuit calls for the value of the sugar cane produced on their land to be returned to the villagers.
We are pleased to report that this potentially groundbreaking case has been steadily moving forward in the English courts. The current status is that both sides have agreed to push back the court time table, while still holding onto an October trial date, in order to allow negotiations to continue. This means that the villagers will have the opportunity to either reach a settlement or have their case heard in a fair and impartial courtroom. Both of these can be seen as very positive outcomes, indeed.
Finally, our case was mentioned in relation to two substantial decisions tied to corporate social responsibility. According to this announcement on the earthrights.org website, “Bonsucro Suspends Tate & Lyle Over Cambodia Land-Grabbing”:
[On July 16, 2013] the board of Bonsucro, a responsible sugar initiative, announced its decision to suspend Tate & Lyle Sugars (TLS) over complaints that the UK sugar giant profits from land-grabbing by buying sugar from a plantation in Koh Kong, Cambodia, that was illegally taken from local villagers. Coming on the heels of complaints to the U.S. Government and the European Commission, as well as a lawsuit in the UK, this development increases the pressure on TLS to provide justice to the affected communities.
And under the headline, “Coca-Cola pledges 'zero tolerance on land grabbing'”:
Last Friday [November 14, 2013], Coca-Cola took a long awaited and important step in pledging a zero tolerance approach to land grabbing throughout its global supply chains. This is big news for communities around the world affected by land grabbing, forced evictions and other serious human rights violations prevalent in the sugar industry. It is a significant development for communities in Sre Ambel District, Koh Kong Province in Cambodia, who, with the support of the Community Legal Education Centre of Cambodia [CLEC], ERI, and other groups, have been fighting for years to seek remedies for stolen land and livelihoods lost to make way for large scale sugar plantations and processing factories.
The Coca-Cola announcement came after global human rights group Oxfam kicked off a campaign calling on Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Associated British Foods, three of the largest players in the sugar industry, to commit to zero tolerance for land grabs. In the campaign, Oxfam cited, among others, CLEC’s land grab case in Cambodia.
As you can see, your contribution has already made a difference. Please consider forwarding this to others who would like to join in this important fight for justice or send them to the ISLP GlobalGiving site. ISLP remains committed to seeing this case through for the Cambodian villagers, and we are proud and grateful to have your support.
We will keep you updated as the impact of this case continues to reverberate.
Thank you once again!
The International Senior Lawyers Project
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