Permanent People's Tribunal indicted Parent States of Six Agrochemical Multinational Corporations

A panel of jurors of the Permanent People's Tribunal, an international opinion tribunal, presented its findings following three days of depositions by citizens from around the world. The findings of the panel indicted parent states of six agrochemical multinational corporations, host countries such as India, and international bodies (such as the United National, Food and Agricultural Organisation and the World Trade Organisation).

The panel highlighted that the failure of states to regulate, monitor and discipline the activities of the companies made culpable along with the host states.

Witnesses from around the world had testified in the four-day Permanent People's Tribunal regarding the health impact, human rights violations and unethical practices by six transnational corporations — Bayer, BASF, Dupont, Monsanto, Syngenta and Dow Chemical.

German economist Elmar Altvater presented the facets of the findings and also mentioned on the occassion that economic liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation of formerly public goods have led to human rights violations and unethical practices by six transnational corporations.

The conclusion drawn maintained that transnational have not been responsible in their pursuit of higher profits, and for this people have had to pay a hefty price.