THE SUPREME COURT GRANTS REQUEST BY NESTLE and CARGILL TO CONSIDER GIVING CORPORATIONS LEGAL IMMUNITY FROM USING CHILD SLAVES TO HARVEST COCOA. HELP STOP THEM
Thu, 07/02/2020 - 15:36 -- admin
Contact: Terry Collingsworth, Executive Director
tc@iradvocates.org Twitter @tpcollingsworth
There is no question that young African children are harvesting cocoa for Nestle, Cargill and other large companies in Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana. The U.S. Department of Labor recently funded a study by the University of Chicago’s NORC which found that TWO MILLION AFRICAN CHILDREN ARE STILL harvesting cocoa. http://iradvocates.org/news/nestle/department-labor-study-child-labor. Here are two young boys who were trafficked from Burkina Faso. Our researchers found them performing hazardous work on a cocoa plantation producing for a Cargill cooperative in Cote D’Ivoire:
cocoa harvesting picture 1.png
Media Folder:
In Doe v Nestle/Cargill , we sued Nestle and Cargill in 2005 on behalf of six children who were trafficked, enslaved and forced to harvest cocoa for the cocoa industry. The Court of Appeals ruled for the second time that our case should go forward, but today, the Supreme Court agreed to review Nestle and Cargill’s request to grant them legal immunity under international law. Believe it or not, Cargill and Nestle are arguing that corporations should be absolutely immune under international law and only individuals can face liability for human rights violations. Rather than work with IRAdvocates and others to STOP CHILD SLAVERY, Nestle and Cargill want legal immunity to continue profiting from child slavery. Win or lose in the Supreme Court, we must and will continue the fight to force these companies to FREE THE CHILDREN.
Please help us by donating or taking a few minutes to contact the companies with a direct message that African children’s lives matter and slavery was outlawed in 1865. HERE’S HOW:
DONATE NOW: https://iradvocates.nationbuilder.com/donate
CONTACT CARGILL
Cargill’s CEO Dave MacLennan put out yesterday on the company’s twitter ( @Cargill and @CargillEMEA) and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Cargill/): “We stand with all who have spoken up to say Black lives matter and ‘not ever again.’”
Please respond to this cynical and false assertion of solidarity by posting on the company’s facebook and twitter accounts (they do not give out the direct contacts for officers):
Cargill CEO Dave MacLennon and General Counsel Anna Richo, the Lives of African Children Matter and Slavery ended in 1865! Stop using Black child slaves to harvest your cocoa. Instead of seeking legal immunity, work with IRAdvocates to end child slavery and establish meaningful independent monitoring and certification systems.
CONTACT NESTLE
Please send this message directly to the email accounts of the officers below and also post on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nestle.USA/) and twitter (@Nestle and @Nestle USA):
Nestle, the Lives of African Children Matter and Slavery ended in 1865! Stop using Black child slaves to harvest your cocoa. Instead of seeking legal immunity, work with IRAdvocates to end child slavery and establish meaningful independent monitoring and certification systems.
• Nestle CEO Mark Schneider: mark.schneider@nestle.com
• Nestle Executive VP Laurent Freixe: laurent.freixe@nestle.com
• Nestle USA CEO Steve Presley: steve.presley@us.nestle.com; @NestleUSA
• Nestle USA VP Molly Fogarty: molly.fogarty@us.nestle.com
PLEASE ALSO POST YOUR MESSAGES ANYWHERE THAT CAN HELP GET OUR URGENT MESSAGE OUT. THANKS VERY MUCH!