Citations to articles about the Alien Tort Claims Act can be found by searching on, among others, Westlaw, Lexis, Legaltrac and Wilson's Index to Legal Periodical databases.

Some citations to legislative materials on the Alien Tort Claims Act have been provided. Some of these materials are available in the Moakley Law Library or accessible through the Internet.

Miscellaneous Articles & Websites about Aguinda v. Texaco, Inc.

Summary: A group of Ecuadoran farmers filed suit against DynCorp charging the company

with illegally spraying a toxic fumigant over the Colombian border into Ecuador, causing serious health effects, crop and property damage, and death.
By http://www.earthrights.org

Summary: Victims of toxic gas disaster at chemical plant in India, their next-of-kin, and groups representing victims, brought suit against American chemical company and its former chief executive officer (CEO). Plaintiffs alleged that defendants' conduct leading up to the disaster violated various norms of international law, and sought relief under the Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA).
By http://www.earthrights.org

Summary: In May of 1999, victims of gross human rights abuses associated with Chevron's

oil production activities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria filed suit against Chevron in

federal court in San Francisco. The case is based on two incidents: the shooting of peaceful protestors at Chevron's Parabe offshore platform and the destruction of two villages by soldiers in Chevron helicopters and boats. It was filed under the Alien Tort Claims Act, which permits suits in U.S. courts against individuals or corporations that commit international human rights violations anywhere in the world, if that person or corporation resides in or visits the United States. By http://www.earthrights.org

Summary: Poor Peru residents brought personal injury claims against American company, alleging that environmental pollution from company's Peru mining operations caused their asthma and lung disease, and asserting federal jurisdiction under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA).
By http://www.earthrights.org

Summary: Plaintiffs are Sinaltrainal, and five individuals who have been murdered, tortured, and/or unlawfully detained. They are seeking to hold Coca-Cola, and two of its Colombian bottlers liable for using paramilitaries to engage in anti-union violence. This case also presents the issue of corporate liability for acts of subsidiaries or agents under the ATCA. By http://www.earthrights.org


Doe v. Unocal Corp 963 F.Supp. 880, C.D.Cal., Mar 25, 1997; 27 F.Supp.2d 1174, C.D.Cal., Nov 18, 1998; 67 F.Supp.2d 1140, C.D.Cal., Aug 05, 1999; 110 F.Supp.2d 1294, C.D.Cal., Aug 31, 2000 ; 248 F.3d 915, 9th Cir.(Cal.), Apr 27, 2001; 2002 WL 31063976, 9th Cir.(Cal.), Sep 18, 2002; 2003 WL 359787, 9th Cir., Feb 14, 2003.

Summary: The first ATCA case brought against a corporate defendant. Burmese villagers brought this action against a California oil company for international human rights violations perpetrated by the Burmese military junta. The plaintiffs' allege that the violations were committed in furtherance and for the benefit of Unocal's pipeline project, in Burma, pursuant

to a joint venture-type relationship between Unocal and the Burmese military dictatorship.

In a precedent-setting decision, the Ninth Circuit most recently held that Unocal could be

held liable for aiding and abetting the Burmese military's human rights violations.
By http://www.earthrights.org

against them in retaliation for their political opposition to companies' oil exploration activities

in Nigeria. The case revolves around the murder, by hanging, of Nigerian activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa in November of 1995, the torture and detention of his brother, and the

shooting of a woman peacefully protesting Shell's planned pipeline in Nigeria.
By http://www.earthrights.org

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Lusiella Fazzino , Reference/ Electronic Services Librarian.
Last modified: June 26, 2006.