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Background:
The persistence of poverty, the widening gap between rich and poor worldwide, the over-exploitation of finite resources with wanton disregard of attendant environmental pollution and destruction, militarization on all continents with ever more violence, bloodshed and gross violations of human rights - this has been the global context as we approach the end of this millennium. Moreover, globalization with its bias towards the economic privileges of transnational corporations, has created a vacuum of justice, and a system of resource plunder - occurring in the name of expanding trade and investment that has enriched only a very small part of the world's population while devastating environment: local, national and global.
Against this backdrop, the governments of the world were gathering at the United Nations in June 1997 for Earth Summit II and the preparatory meetings for the Summit made its clear that vital issues were being ignored and could find no place on the Summit's agenda. Accordingly, non-governmental organizations attending Earth Summit II decided to organize the first session of the International Peoples Tribunal on Human Right a and the Environment at the very start of Earth Summit II, focusing on the theme "Sustainable Development in the Context of Globalization." Twelve cases were brought before the Tribunal. What all of these cases have in common is: human rights violations in connection with environmental destruction, justified in the name of development, economic growth, or investment. The commitments made by the governments to the Rio Principles are not being fulfilled. National and local governments have forgotten their promises to implement Agenda 21 programs.
Over the past 50 years, under UN auspices, an impressive body of international human rights law and international environmental law has been brought into existence. All peoples are entitled to human rights: economic, social, cultural, civil and political. All peoples have a human right to sustainable development. Yet, paradoxically, the International Peoples Tribunal found that the cases presented to it indicated a growing global lawlessness with governments failing or unable to hold powerful multinational corporations accountable for the human rights abuses and environmental damages they cause in their ruthless pursuit of profits at any cost, human or environmental.
Mission Statement
The International Peoples Tribunal seeks to hold governments and corporations accountable to the many international standards and conventions that already are in existence but remain, often, not enforced. These include the 27 Principles adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the large number of international conventions and declarations on human rights and the environment.
The International Peoples Tribunal seeks to provide a forum for peoples from around the world who have no other forum in which they can present the situations they face, the harms and wrongs inflicted upon them, the rights that have been violated and their claims for accountability, justice, remedies and compensation. The Tribunal seeks to validate such claims and to mobilize global solidarity in support of their demands for accountability and justice. The Tribunal seeks to mobilize pressure worldwide, to prevent such processes of victimization and outlaw the practices that cause such environmental and human harms and wrongs. The Tribunal seeks to draw attention to problems created by processes of globalization and to protect peoples and their environments and to hold accountable and sanction those responsible for human rights abuses and environmental devastation.
The Tribunal exists to reaffirm that human rights and environmental sustainability are interdependent and indivisible.
Members of the Panel
The people who serve on the Tribunal are people recognized as having expertise in their fields and professions, or as being leaders in their communities, and as being committed to human rights and environmental protection. The panel members share informed concern for human life and have a commitment to social equity. The effectiveness of the Tribunal is derived from the international credibility and expertise of its Panel Members. This Tribunal is international and for all peoples. Therefore, every effort will be made to bring representatives from as many regions of the world as possible to serve on the panel.
Procedures to Ensure Fair Play
The Tribunal will follow the basic principles devised by the Permanent Peoples Tribunal to ensure that its proceedings will be conducted in a fair and just manner. Specifically, notice will be given to anyone alleged to have caused human rights violations or environmental destruction and implicated in the cases brought to the Tribunal for hearing. All such persons will be given copies of the written case summaries and be given the opportunity to respond in writing and by personal appearance before the Tribunal. Copies of the Tribunal's final statement will be provided to all parties, regardless of whether they have chosen to respond to the Tribunal or not. In sum, the Tribunal will be conducted in accordance with the principles of equal access and equal treatment.
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