Greenpeace - Making Waves: Trafigura background

UPDATE: Freedom of press win! Gag rule lifted!

Here's a little background on Trafigura, and how we've crossed paths with the company (which is getting a lot of heat on Twitter.

On July 2, 2006, the Probo Koala (chartered by Trafigura) attempted to unload waste in Amsterdam. Noting the strong-smelling nature of the waste and probable toxic nature, harbour authorities told the ship that the waste would be more expensive to dispose of. The ship refused to pay extra treatment costs and left Amsterdam.

Apparently, from there it went to the Ivory Coast, where the BBC picks up the story...

BBC Newsnight has uncovered evidence revealing that oil-trading company Trafigura knew that waste dumped in Ivory Coast in 2006 was hazardous.
Trafigura had persistently denied that the waste was harmful but internal e-mails show staff knew it was hazardous.
...
The chemical waste came from a ship called Probo Koala and in August 2006 truckload after truckload of it was illegally fly-tipped at 15 locations around Abidjan, the biggest city in Ivory Coast.

In the weeks that followed the dumping, tens of thousands of people reported a range of similar symptoms, including breathing problems, sickness and diarrhoea.

Blockade of the Probo Koala

By the time we heard about the dumping, the Probo Koala was back in Europe, presumably picking up another load of something dangerous. Our ship, the Arctic Sunrise, moved in a blockaded the Probo Koala - keeping it from leaving port until the international judicial process worked it's way through. After three days, authorities detained the Probo Koala and launched their own investigation.

Trafigura claimed it wasn't liable, but our lawyers and many in the Ivory Coast disagree. More recently, reports have surfaced in the media since then that Trafigura knew the waste was dangerous.

Meanwhile, Trafigura's lawyers are busy trying to gag the UK media with heavy handed tactics.

But the details are leaking out, with some speculating that this is the question the Guardian isn't allowed to publish...

Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legislation to protect (a) whistleblowers and (b) press freedom following the injunctions obtained in the High Court by (i) Barclays and Freshfields solicitors on 19 March 2009 on the publication of internal Barclays reports documenting alleged tax avoidance schemes and (ii) Trafigura and Carter-Ruck solicitors on 11 September 2009 on the publication of the Minton report on the alleged dumping of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast, commissioned by Trafigura.

That's where we are today. For those of you in London, there's a Flash mob protest planned at lunch time.

And for any UK citizen there's an online Trafigura / gag rule petition.

More reading: Guardian's Trafigura topic page.

Comments

If you care about the issue raised by the article, this Trafigura case and the media go to-

38 degrees.org.uk/Stop-the-gag

Posted by: Tosin Aro | October 13, 2009 1:39 PM

Oil companies like Trafigura make me sick. I wish there would be a world-wide focus to increase all environmental penalties substantially to make a conviction matter to these polluters.

Posted by: Brian Lord | October 14, 2009 3:25 PM