Business & Human Rights : Top stories

Title: [video] Foreign & Commonwealth Office Human Rights Annual Report 2007 [segment on private security companies - begins at 57:00]

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Visit: [video] Foreign & Commonwealth Office Human Rights Annual Report 2007 [segment on private security companies - begins at 57:00]

Author: UK Foreign Affairs Committee - witnesses Tom Porteous, London Director, Human Rights Watch, & Kate Allen, Director, Amnesty International UK
Dated: 30 May 2008

Andrew Mackinlay: A predecessor Committee did a report on private security companies some years ago and we were also promised some legislation through a Green Paper. A Green Paper was published but nothing has happened. I would like your general views on the issue…Kate Allen: We are very concerned about the situation of private military and security companies…Amnesty would like to see is that private military and security contractors could be brought to justice in the UK for the crimes that they commit abroad, and for there to be complete transparency and oversight over the activities of these companies…Tom Porteous:…[T]hese companies tend to operate in places of weak governance and conflict where, if they or their employees commit abuses, they can get away with impunity. [refers to Blackwater, Dyncorp]

Title: IBM World Community Grid "Supercomputer" to Tackle Rice Crisis

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Visit: IBM World Community Grid "Supercomputer" to Tackle Rice Crisis

Author: IBM
Dated: 15 May 2008

As concerns of a global hunger crises mount, IBM and researchers at the University of Washington today launched a new program to develop stronger strains of rice that could produce crops with larger and more nutritious yields. With the processing power of 167 teraflops, equivalent to the world's Top 3 supercomputer, IBM's World Community Grid will harness the unused and donated power from nearly one million individual PCs in a new initiative -- "Nutritious Rice for the World" project -- that will study rice at the atomic level and then combine it with traditional cross breeding techniques used by farmers throughout history. The project can be completed in less than two years as compared to over 200 years using more conventional computer systems.

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Visit: [video] IBM World Community Grid Tackles Rice Crisis

Author: IBM
Dated: 14 May 2008

Title: [video] Report on Anvil Mining partnership with UK Department for Intl. Development in Dem. Rep. of Congo [begins at 33:00]

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Visit: [video] Report on Anvil Mining partnership with UK Department for Intl. Development in Dem. Rep. of Congo [begins at 33:00]

Author: BBC Newsnight
Dated: 15 May 2008

[Report on development projects by Anvil Mining in partnership with UK Department for Intl. Development (DFID), seen as "groundbreaking" by DFID. Includes criticism of DFID partnership due to concerns about Anvil's alleged complicity with Congolese military in human rights abuses at Kilwa, with eyewitness testimony regarding killings. Also includes statements by Anvil Mining.]

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Visit: Dept for International Development [UK] statement

Author: UK Department for Intl. Development
Dated: 15 May 2008

Title: [PDF] Know your Red Flags: Liability risks for companies operating in high-risk zones

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Visit: [PDF] Know your Red Flags: Liability risks for companies operating in high-risk zones

Author: International Alert
Dated: 23 May 2008

Companies operating in high-risk zones, such as wars and areas of widespread violence, are increasingly facing court actions as the web of liability in this area expands. Consequently, companies, their board members, executives or employees face an increased risk of being held accountable for corporate and individual actions. International Alert and the Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies are launching the Red Flags initiative alerting companies to the risks they face when operating in areas where serious human rights buses occur. On the panel: John Ruggie...[,] Edward Bickham [Anglo-American]...Mark Taylor [Fafo]...Dan Smith [International Alert]...Friday 23 May 2008...Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall, London...

Title: Tribe – ‘Vedanta is destroying us for profit’ [India]

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Visit: Tribe – ‘Vedanta is destroying us for profit’ [India]

Author: Survival International
Dated: 15 May 2008

...India’s remote Dongria Kondh tribe is claiming [Vedanta] will destroy them forever if it goes ahead with plans to mine their sacred mountain. Dongria Kondh spokesman Jitu Jakesika gave a message today to Vedanta’s shareholders: ...We will become beggars if the company destroys our mountain and our forest so that they can make money.’ Vedanta claim that they are investing in tribal development, but Mr Jakesika said, ‘We don’t want any money from this company, we don't want anything from them. We cannot give them our mountain, it is our life.’ India’s Supreme Court is deciding whether to permit Vedanta’s subsidiary, Sterlite, to mine bauxite on the summit of the Dongria Kondh’s sacred mountain, Niyamgiri, in the state of Orissa.

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Visit: Manifestation de masse contre la compagnie britannique Vedanta

Author: Survival International
Dated: 8 mai 2008

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Visit: Vedanta rejects claim that new mine will destroy Indian tribe's way of life

Author: David Litterick, Telegraph [UK]
Dated: 05 May 2008

Title: Presentación ante la OCDE [Argentina]

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Visit: Presentación ante la OCDE [Argentina]

Author: ComunicaRSE
Dated: Mayo 2008

…Un equipo del OET [Observatorio de las Empresas Trasnacionales] estuvo en…la localidad de Dock Sud…Allí se encuentra el Polo Petroquímico de Dock Sud, uno de los más importantes del país...La situación socio-ambiental en el lugar es extremadamente grave, y…una de las mayores causantes de contaminación es la empresa Shell…En este contexto, el…OET se encuentra trabajando para presentar ante la OCDE la denuncia sobre la responsabilidad de esta empresa en los problemas que afectan gravemente el ambiente y la salud de los habitantes. [La empresa afirma que sus sistemas ambientales superan por mucho los requisitos legales vigentes].

Title: [audio] Global Reporting Initiative conference 2008 - Special Event: Human Rights

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Author: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) & Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights
Dated: 07 May 2008

…What we’re going to be looking at during this session is the particular question of why is it difficult for companies to be reporting on human rights, what are some of the challenges, and what are some of the decisions that need to be taken internally. We have four panellists here today to present their own perspectives on these questions: Chris Avery, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre; Filippa Bergin, Amnesty Sweden; Ron Popper, ABB; Piet Sprengers, ASN Bank.

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Visit: Podcasts from Global Reporting Initiative conference 2008

Author: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Dated: 7-9 May 2008

Title: [PDF] Initial statement by the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) in response to the 2008 report of the UN Special Representative on Business & Human Rights

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Visit: [PDF] Initial statement by the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) in response to the 2008 report of the UN Special Representative on Business & Human Rights

Author: Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights
Dated: May 2008

In particular, we welcome the recognition of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights. It requires the performance of due diligence, which is not just a passive or reactive process. The responsibility to respect and its due diligence component form a very useful baseline for any business wishing to engage on human rights. Moving forward, it would be helpful to clarify under what circumstances companies might have more extensive responsibilities in order to respect human rights...

Title: [PDF] Joint initial views of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) to he Eighth Session of the Human Rights Council on the Third report of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Business and Human Rights

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Visit: [PDF] Joint initial views of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) to he Eighth Session of the Human Rights Council on the Third report of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Business and Human Rights

Author: ICC, IOE, BIAC
Dated: May 2008

[We] welcome the third report of Professor John Ruggie, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on business and human rights. This report, “Protect, Respect and Remedy: A framework for Business and Human Rights”, presents a well-constructed and clearly articulated framework for addressing business and human rights. Together with the extensive work behind it, the report has significantly advanced the debate on business and human rights.

Title: Cyclone disaster in Myanmar - What can business do?

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Visit: Cyclone disaster in Myanmar - What can business do?

Author: Vijay Ramani, Laura Crow, CSR Asia
Dated: 14 May 2008

Further to the potential macro pressure, the next question is on what is being done by individual companies that have a presence in Myanmar? In the mix of companies operating or investing in the country many take no consideration of the human rights abuses, but a few have issued statements arguing they can make a difference to civilian lives through their investment, jobs and community development projects. Arguably it is the companies on the ground that have the greatest responsibility to provide support...[refers to companies providing some form of support: Total, Exotissimo, PTT, Chevron, Lonely Planet, Abercrombie & Kent, Asia TransPacific Journeys, Google, Microsoft, Intrepid Travel]

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Visit: Business offering support to Burma

Author: Stephen Frost, CSR Asia
Dated: 07 May 2008

Title: Tax-dodging is new slavery - charity

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Visit: Tax-dodging is new slavery - charity

Author: Business Report [So. Africa]
Dated: 14 May 2008

The lives of more than 5 million children in developing countries could be saved if the super-rich and multinational firms paid their fair share in taxes, according to a leading British charity... The charity estimates that governments in the poorest countries are being cheated out of at least $160 billion (R1.2 trillion) a year in tax revenues... Christian Aid director Daleep Mukarji said: "We predict that illegal trade-related tax evasion alone will be responsible for the deaths of 5.6 million children under the age of five between 2000 and 2015. That's almost 1 000 a day."

Title: Go easy on biofuels until more clarity-World Bank

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Visit: Go easy on biofuels until more clarity-World Bank

Author: Lesley Wroughton, Reuters
Dated: 08 May 2008

A senior World Bank official said...that countries should not greatly increase biofuels production until there is more clarity about how much they have contributed to the global food price crisis. Juergen Voegele, director for agriculture and rural development department at the World Bank, cautioned against shifting a lot of the blame to biofuels but also said massive subsidies for the biofuel industry was not helping the crisis...He said the World Bank was analyzing biofuels on several fronts, including its economic, environmental and social value...Experts blame the food crisis on the conversion of land to grow crops for biofuel...

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Visit: El Banco Mundial pide que no se incremente la producción de biocombustibles

Author: Europa Press
Dated: 12 mayo 2008

Title: SEP-Congo et le PAM contribuent à la lutte contre le Vih/Sida dans le secteur des transports [Rép. Dém. du Congo]

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Visit: SEP-Congo et le PAM contribuent à la lutte contre le Vih/Sida dans le secteur des transports [Rép. Dém. du Congo]

Author: Le Potentiel [Rép. Dém. du Congo]
Dated: 13 mai 2008

Services des Entreprises Pétrolières Congolaises, une société d’entreposage, de transport et de distribution des produits pétroliers [en] République démocratique du Congo, a remis...une contribution financière au Programme alimentaire mondial des Nations Unies...Ces fonds sont destinés à l’exécution...[d']un programme conjoint des Nations unies ciblant les groupes les plus exposés au Vih/Sida dans le secteur du transport...plan d’action s’articule sur 4 axes, à savoir : l’information et la sensibilisation, la prévention, le dépistage volontaire, enfin l’assistance aux personnes vivant avec le VIH pour leur permettre d’accéder aux soins...

Title: Birmanie: Total verse deux millions USD

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Visit: Birmanie: Total verse deux millions USD

Author: AFP
Dated: 9 mai 2008

Le groupe pétrolier français Total, régulièrement dénoncé par des organisations des droits de l'Homme pour sa présence en Birmanie, va faire un don de deux millions de dollars pour les victimes du cyclone Nargis qui a ravagé le pays la semaine dernière.

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Visit: Total Birmanie réticent à prêter ses hélicoptères

Author: Bakchich [France]
Dated: 10 mai 2008

Title: Power interpellée pour ses intérêts en Birmanie

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Visit: Power interpellée pour ses intérêts en Birmanie

Author: Martin Vallières, La Presse [Canada]
Dated: 10 mai 2008

Les dirigeants de Power (POW) ont dû justifier ses intérêts en Birmanie, par l'entremise de la pétrolière française Total, lors de l'assemblée d'actionnaires...[selon] le président du conseil et co-chef de la direction de Power, Paul Desmarais..."Total...vient même d'annoncer 2 millions en aide d'urgence (après le cyclone) avec les organisations humanitaires"...Power a un intérêt chez Total par l'entreprise...du groupe européen Bruxelles Lambert, qui détient lui 3,9% de la pétrolière française...Total est l'un des principaux investisseurs étrangers en Birmanie, où sévit une junte militaire très critiquée pour ses violations des droits de l'homme. Selon...Ethical Funds, la participation de Power dans Total pourrait contrevenir à la politique du gouvernement canadien envers la Birmanie...Paul Desmarais, jr a admis "être préoccupé de la situation au Myanmar...et...confiants de son rôle de bon citoyen corporatif, en accord avec les politiques du Canada, de l'ONU et de la France"...

Title: [PDF] [How companies can mark 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of human rights]

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Visit: [PDF] [How companies can mark 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of human rights]

Author: Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Georg Kell, Executive Director, UN Global Compact
Dated: 28 Apr 2008

Following our letter dated 1st December 2007 on the subject of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10 December 2008, we received many requests for further information about what can be done to help mark the occasion, as well as enquiries about guidance materials to help with implementation of human rights. We are thus writing to offer some further ideas for what your company and Global Compact Local Network might wish to do to help raise awareness and encourage implementation of the UDHR.

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Visit: Help mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Author: UN Global Compact
Dated: 28 Apr 2008

Title: Namibia: Businesses in Denial About HIV/Aids

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Visit: Namibia: Businesses in Denial About HIV/Aids

Author: Desie Heita, New Era [Namibia]
Dated: 12 May 2008

A recent study has revealed that a number of companies…are…in denial about HIV/AIDS...the report, 'Business Decision Makers' Survey on HIV and AIDS: The Boardroom Speaks'…was compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers, who conducted a survey among business leaders in Namibia. Companies that participated include Namibia's multinationals, national companies and parastatals. PricewaterhouseCoopers said the issue of HIV/AIDS is yet to be given the prominence it needs by the business community in Namibia…

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Visit: Business decision makers' survey on HIV and AIDS: The Boardroom speaks [Namibia]

Author: PricewaterhouseCoopers & Namibia Business Coalition on AIDS (NABCOA)
Dated: May 2008

Title: [PDF] UN Global Compact called upon to influence PetroChina to help Darfur - over 80 organizations and individuals ask UN Global Compact to uphold its principles

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Visit: [PDF] UN Global Compact called upon to influence PetroChina to help Darfur - over 80 organizations and individuals ask UN Global Compact to uphold its principles

Author: Investors Against Genocide, SOMO
Dated: 13 May 2008

Three days before PetroChina’s annual meeting of shareholders, over 80 civil society organizations including human rights, corporate accountability, religious and anti-genocide groups from 17 countries have signed an open letter to the United Nations Global Compact. The letter calls upon the UN Global Compact to use its influence with PetroChina, a compact participant, to help bring an end to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. PetroChina, the listed arm of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Sudan's largest oil industry partner, is indisputably linked to the regime perpetuating the five-year humanitarian crisis in Darfur which many consider to be genocide.

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Visit: [PDF] [Letter to Georg Kell, Executive Director, UN Global Compact]

Author: [Letter signed by 80 individuals & organizations]
Dated: 12 May 2008

Title: Mexican farms employ kids illegally, U.N. says

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Visit: Mexican farms employ kids illegally, U.N. says

Author: Chris Hawley, USA Today
Dated: 11 May 2008

About 300,000 youngsters...work illegally in Mexico's fields, the United Nations Children's Fund says. In some cases, child farm labor is used to produce goods that are exported to the USA. The practice persists despite harsh criticism from international groups, rules imposed by U.S. distributors and increasingly strident warnings from the Mexican government... The work they perform is often dangerous. In December, nine children were killed when a truck carrying coffee pickers flipped over in Mexico's central Puebla state. [refers to Agrícola Buen Año, Agrícola Paredes (which sells produce under SPV, Chelita, Paris brands), Agrícola Nieto, H.M. Distributors]

Title: "Todas las bananeras de Urabá le pagaron a las Auc', asegura Salvatore Mancuso a CBS

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Visit: "Todas las bananeras de Urabá le pagaron a las Auc', asegura Salvatore Mancuso a CBS

Author: El Tiempo [Colombia]
Dated: 12 mayo 2008

Aparte de Chiquita Brands, también habrían pagado Del Monte y Dole, dos de las empresas más reconocidas en el campo de los alimentos, aseguró en el programa 60 minutos de esa cadena..."Nos parecíamos a un Estado. Los proveíamos de protección, lo que les permitió seguir haciendo inversiones y obtener beneficios financieros", dijo Mancuso a los periodistas. De acuerdo con su testimonio, no hubo necesidad de ejercer presiones, chantajes o amenazas a las empresas bananeras para que desembolsaran esos porcentajes...Al preguntarle los reporteros de la CBS si los empresarios tenían la opción de no pagar, Mancuso respondió que sí...el presidente de Chiquita Brands, Fernando Aguirre...justificó el pago a las autodefensas por la capacidad de intimidación de estas.

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Visit: [video] The Price Of Bananas

Author: Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes, CBS News [USA]
Dated: 11 May 2008

Title: [video] The Price Of Bananas

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Visit: [video] The Price Of Bananas

Author: Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes, CBS News [USA]
Dated: 11 May 2008

...[O]ver the past 25 years no place has been more perilous [for American corporations abroad] than Colombia... Chiquita...found out the hard way. It made millions growing bananas there, only to emerge with its reputation splattered in blood after acknowledging it had paid nearly $2 million in protection money to a murderous paramilitary group that has killed or massacred thousands of people. [also refers to Dole, Fresh Del Monte]

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Visit: "Todas las bananeras de Urabá le pagaron a las Auc', asegura Salvatore Mancuso a CBS

Author: El Tiempo [Colombia]
Dated: 12 mayo 2008

Title: Court won't block US lawsuit by apartheid victims

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Visit: Court won't block US lawsuit by apartheid victims

Author: Mark Sherman, Associated Press
Dated: 12 May 2008

The Supreme Court said...that it can't intervene in an important dispute over the rights of apartheid victims to sue U.S. corporations in U.S. courts because four of the nine justices had to sit out the case over apparent conflicts…. The court's hands were tied by federal laws that require at least six justices to hear any case before them. Short of the required number by one, the court took the only path available to it and upheld an appeals court ruling allowing the suit to proceed…. The lawyers [for the South Africans bringing the complaint] said they plan to narrow their complaint, perhaps omitting some corporations and showing more clearly how the companies assisted the apartheid government. [refers to Bank of America, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Colgate-Palmolive, Credit Suisse, ExxonMobil, HP, IBM, Isuzu, Nestle]

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Visit: Une méga-plainte liée à l'apartheid avalisée par la Cour suprême [Etats-Unis]

Author: Agence France-Presse
Dated: 12 mai 2008

Title: Podcasts from Global Reporting Initiative conference 2008

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Visit: Podcasts from Global Reporting Initiative conference 2008

Author: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Dated: 7-9 May 2008

[podcasts include:
Special Event: Sustainability and Biofuels Management – Hosted by Petrobras
Special Event: Human Rights
SMEs and Supply Chain Reporting
Arena Debate I: Civil Society and Labor Unions’ Views on Sustainability Reporting Today]

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Visit: [audio] Global Reporting Initiative conference 2008 - Special Event: Human Rights

Author: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) & Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights
Dated: 07 May 2008

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Title: [video] Foreign & Commonwealth Office Human Rights Annual Report 2007 [segment on private security companies - begins at 57:00]

Title: IBM World Community Grid "Supercomputer" to Tackle Rice Crisis

List item: 1

Title: [video] Report on Anvil Mining partnership with UK Department for Intl. Development in Dem. Rep. of Congo [begins at 33:00]

List item: 1

Title: [PDF] Know your Red Flags: Liability risks for companies operating in high-risk zones

Title: Tribe – ‘Vedanta is destroying us for profit’ [India]

List item: 1

List item: 2

Title: Presentación ante la OCDE [Argentina]

Title: [audio] Global Reporting Initiative conference 2008 - Special Event: Human Rights

List item: 1

Title: [PDF] Initial statement by the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) in response to the 2008 report of the UN Special Representative on Business & Human Rights

Title: Cyclone disaster in Myanmar - What can business do?

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Title: Tax-dodging is new slavery - charity

Title: Go easy on biofuels until more clarity-World Bank

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Title: SEP-Congo et le PAM contribuent à la lutte contre le Vih/Sida dans le secteur des transports [Rép. Dém. du Congo]

Title: Birmanie: Total verse deux millions USD

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Title: Power interpellée pour ses intérêts en Birmanie

Title: [PDF] [How companies can mark 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of human rights]

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Title: Namibia: Businesses in Denial About HIV/Aids

List item: 1

Title: [PDF] UN Global Compact called upon to influence PetroChina to help Darfur - over 80 organizations and individuals ask UN Global Compact to uphold its principles

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Title: Mexican farms employ kids illegally, U.N. says

Title: "Todas las bananeras de Urabá le pagaron a las Auc', asegura Salvatore Mancuso a CBS

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Title: [video] The Price Of Bananas

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Title: Court won't block US lawsuit by apartheid victims

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Title: Podcasts from Global Reporting Initiative conference 2008

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