09 Oct Oiljustice on tour – education-law-politics-entertainment!

Gilberto Torres, the trade unionist who was kidnapped and tortured after he challenged oil companies in Colombia is coming to England, Scotland and Wales to tell his story. Oiljustice will be touring cities around the UK to educate, agitate and organise about the effects of Big Oil on the small rural community that Gilberto had to flee, and thousands of other similar communities. There will be an update on Gilberto’s legal case against BP in the UK, and other pending cases. Gilberto Torres said “I want to discuss what action British people can take to stop the damage that multinationals are causing to human rights and the environment around the globe”.

Other speakers at the events include the Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett: Gilberto’s lawyers from DPG Sue Willman and Dan Carey; lecturer in International Relations and International Development University of Sussex, Lara Montesinos Coleman; Tom Lebert of War on Want’s Resources and Conflict Programme; Amnesty International Colombia expert, Peter Drury and novelist Vladimir Carillo Rozo.

Sue Willman said:

“Gilberto Torres is risking his safety by suing oil companies in UK and by coming here to seek the truth. He and his community face huge barriers in accessing justice. We hope his courage and the Oiljustice initiative will be a small step in breaking down those barriers, and changing the behaviour of corporations.”

Tom Lebert said:

“Big oil companies are devastating communities across the world. Their operations have forced people from their land, polluted the environment, and led to widespread human rights violations. It’s time these companies were held to account..”

For more details of the Oiljustice tour and to register for events:

http://www.waronwant.org/media/oil-justice-now-stop-corporate-impunity

http://oiljustice.org/events/2015-10

The Oiljustice project is a partnership between Deighton Pierce Glynn, War on Want and the Colombian NGO, COSPACC.

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