지난 9월, 다국적 석유 유통업체인 트라피구라(Trafigura)는 2006년 코트디부아르에서 발생한 유독성 폐기물 오염 사건과 관련해 집단소송을 제기한 3만 여명에게 4천5백만 달러를 지급하기로 합의했다. 영국 웨일즈 고등 법원이 승인한 이 합의안은 향후 코트디부아르 법원의 결정에 따라 좌우되는‘동결 명령(freezing order)’형식이었다.
오늘 코트디부아르 법정은 회사측에 배상금을 지급하라고 판결 내렸다. 그러나 배상금에 관해서 피해자 개개인이 아닌,‘코트디부아르 유독 폐기물 피해자 국가 조정위(CNVDT-CI)’라는 단체 계좌로 보낼 것을 명령했다.
국제앰네스티는 배상금을 받게 될 이 단체의 행적에 사기성이 짙다고 판단하고 있다. 2009년 말,‘코트디부아르 유독 폐기물 피해자 국가 조정위(CNVDT-CI)’는 소송을 뒷받침할 확실한 증거도 준비하지 않은 채 피해자들을 대리해 법정에 섰고, 얼마 안돼 트라피구라 측과‘법정 외 합의(out-of-court settlement)’를 통해 합의했다.
실제 이들의 소송은 ‘리 데이(Leigh Day & Co)’의 마틴 데이(Martyn Day) 변호사가 진행했다.‘리 데이’는 인권관련 문제들을 주로 변호하는 법률회사다. 국제앰네스티 국제법국제기구국의 위드니 브라운(Widney Brown) 선임 국장은“폐기물 오염 피해자 3만 명이 한 푼도 못 받을 수도 있는 상황이다.”라고 말했다.
국제앰네스티는 피해자들이 직접 대법원에 상소하기 전에 해당 단체에 배상금이 지급되지 않도록 코트디부아르 법원이 이번 판결의 집행을 유예할 것을 촉구했다.
Côte d’Ivoire: Travesty of justice for toxic waste victims
An Ivorian court decision to transfer $45 million intended for the victims of the Trafigura toxic waste disaster to a group falsely claiming to represent them is a travesty of justice, Amnesty International said today. The organization called for an immediate stay on the court’s decision so that the money is not transferred before the victims have a chance to appeal.
In late 2009, a group known as the National Coordination of Toxic Waste Victims of Côte d’Ivoire (CNVDT-CI) claimed that it represented some 30,000 victims who had brought a court case against Trafigura in the UK. The claimants and Trafigura had reached an out-of-court settlement for $45 million in September 2009.
All of the claimants in the case were actually represented by UK lawyer Martyn Day of Leigh Day & Co. Amnesty International has seen no credible evidence to support CNVDT-CI’s claim and considers it a blatant attempt to perpetrate fraud. An appeal court today ruled that the $45 million, paid by Trafigura and intended for the victims, should be transferred to CNVDT-CI’s bank account. “Today’s verdict is a devastating blow for the victims of this toxic waste disaster,” said Widney Brown, Senior Director, International Law and Policy at Amnesty International. “We call for an immediate stay on the court’s decision so that this money does not disappear before the victims are able to appeal to the Supreme Court.”
Martyn Day expressed his profound shock at the court ruling and said that documents provided by CNVDT had been shown to be false: “In 30 years of practice I cannot remember a more depressing Court decision. 30,000 Ivorians have been looking to get the compensation due to them. Now there is a very real chance they will not see a penny.”
In August 2006, toxic waste was brought to Abidjan on board the ship Probo Koala, which had been chartered by oil-trading company, Trafigura. This waste was then dumped in various locations around the city, causing a human rights tragedy.
More than 100,000 people sought medical attention for a range of health problems and there were 15 reported deaths. On 23 September 2009, the High Court of England and Wales approved a $45 million settlement between nearly 30,000 victims of the toxic waste dumping and Trafigura. The compensation had been subject to a freezing order pending today’s decision by the Ivorian court.
