Dole Food Co. made regular payments for at least a decade in a banana-growing region to illegal far-right Colombian militias that killed thousands, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed Tuesday…The plaintiffs are relatives of 51 men allegedly murdered by a militia belonging to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC. The victims were either involved in labor union organizing or were small farmers fighting attempts by Dole to obtain their land and plant bananas, the suit claims. In a statement, Dole said it "categorically rejects the baseless allegations accusing the company of illegal activity in Colombia." [also refers to Chiquita]