{"id":7692,"date":"2016-10-07T16:56:35","date_gmt":"2016-10-07T16:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitederitreamedia.com\/blog12\/?p=7692"},"modified":"2016-10-07T16:56:35","modified_gmt":"2016-10-07T16:56:35","slug":"court-allows-eritrean-mine-workers-sue-nevsun-updated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/unitederitreamedia.com\/blog12\/2016\/10\/07\/court-allows-eritrean-mine-workers-sue-nevsun-updated\/","title":{"rendered":"Court allows Eritrean mine workers to sue Nevsun (Updated)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Precedent setting ruling allows Eritreans to bring civil action against Nevsun Resources<\/div>\n

By Nelson Bennett<\/a> |<\/span> Oct. 6, 2016, 2:46 p.m.<\/p>\n

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In a decision that is likely to have every Canadian mining and oil and gas company that operates in a developing country sitting up and taking notes, the BC Supreme Court today ruled that a civil action brought by three Eritrean workers against Vancouver\u2019s Nevsun Resources Ltd. (TSX:NSU) can be heard in a Canadian court.
\nThe case involves three Eritrean workers who allege Nevsun was complicit in the Eritrean government\u2019s use of slave labour. They say they were forced to work at Nevsun\u2019s Bisha copper mine in Eritrea, where they claim they were subjected to harsh treatment.<\/p>\n

On October 6, Justice Patrice Abrioux rejected Nevsun\u2019s move to dismiss the case.<\/p>\n

The ruling may set an important precedent for Canadian companies operating outside of Canada. More than three-quarters of the world\u2019s mining and exploration companies are based in Canada and operate in 100 countries, according to a McCarthy T\u00e9trault report on mining and the courts.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a very important precedent,\u201d said Penelope Simons, an associate professor of law at the University of Ottawa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Nevsun case is the first case of this kind against an extractive company that had been operating overseas, in this context, to go forward.\u201d
\nCanadian courts have jurisdiction to try Canadian companies for alleged criminal acts that occurred in other countries, but have been reluctant to do so.<\/p>\n

In cases where the country in which the alleged crimes occurred has a functioning court system, Canadian courts have deferred to those courts.<\/p>\n

But Eritrea has been widely condemned by international organizations as a rogue state that has no real functioning civil government, constitution or reliable court system.<\/p>\n

The United Nations says Eritrea is plagued with \u201cwidespread and gross\u201d human rights violations, including forced labour and a \u201ctotal lack of rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n

In rejecting Nevsun\u2019s motion to have the action against it dismissed, Abrioux said there was some doubt that the three Eritreans would get a fair trial in Eritrea, where soldiers conscripted into the army are alleged to be forced to work for mining companies and other non-military projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is sufficient cogent evidence from which I can conclude that there is a real risk that the plaintiffs could not be provided with justice in Eritrea,\u201d said Abrioux, according to a press release issued by the Canadian Centre for International Justice (CCIJ).<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s historic judgment allows the case to move forward to a trial on the merits,\u201d said Joe Fiorante of Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman, who is representing the Eritreans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe now intend to use the court\u2019s discovery processes to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the truth of what Nevsun really knew about the human rights situation at the mine.\u201d
\nAs detailed in a special Business in Vancouver feature in April, Nevsun is one of three Canadian mining companies that have had civil actions brought against them in Canadian courts over incidents that occurred in other countries.<\/p>\n

Toronto\u2019s HudBay Minerals Inc. (TSX:HBM) faces three separate claims, which include allegations of rape and murder committed by security forces acting on behalf of HudBay at Guatemala\u2019s Fenix mine, which it acquired through a merger in 2008 and sold in 2011.<\/p>\n

Tahoe Resources Inc. (TSX:THO) also faced allegations by seven Guatemalans who say a private security force employed by Tahoe at its Escobal silver mine used excessive force in breaking up a violent protest.<\/p>\n

In the Tahoe case, the BC Supreme Court dismissed the case, saying the case should be heard in Guatemala, not Canada. The CCIJ has appealed that decision on the Guatemalan protestors\u2019 behalf.<\/p>\n

In a written statement, Nevsun said it is confident that the court case will confirm that the company\u2019s subsidiary, Bisha Mining Share Company, operates \u201caccording to international standards of governance, workplace conditions, health, safety and human rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are contractual commitments in place that strictly prohibit the use of national service employees by BMSC\u2019s contractors and subcontractors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nevsun said it is studying the court\u2019s decision and considering appealing it.
\nnbennett@biv.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Precedent setting ruling allows Eritreans to bring civil action against Nevsun Resources By Nelson Bennett | Oct. 6, 2016, 2:46 p.m.     In a decision that is likely to have every Canadian mining and oil and gas company that operates in a developing country sitting up and taking notes, the BC Supreme Court today […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_ml_titleColor":"#000000","_ml_titleFont":"Roboto","_ml_titleFontSize":1.1359999999999998987476601541857235133647918701171875,"_ml_titleFontWeight":"400","_ml_titleLineHeight":1.3000000000000000444089209850062616169452667236328125,"_ml_metaColor":"#708090","_ml_metaFont":"Montserrat","_ml_metaFontSize":0.67849999999999999200639422269887290894985198974609375,"_ml_metaFontWeight":"400","_ml_metaLineHeight":0.92000000000000003996802888650563545525074005126953125,"_ml_bodyColor":"#a9a9a9","_ml_bodyFont":"Open Sans","_ml_bodyFontSize":0.84999999999999997779553950749686919152736663818359375,"_ml_bodyFontWeight":"400","_ml_bodyLineHeight":1.1999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875,"_ml_wooPriceColor":"#666","_ml_wooPriceFont":"Open Sans","_ml_wooPriceFontSize":0.90000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,"_ml_wooPriceFontWeight":"400","_ml_wooPriceLineHeight":1.270000000000000017763568394002504646778106689453125,"_ml_headingColor":"#000","_ml_headingFont":"Merriweather","_ml_headingFontSize":2.020000000000000017763568394002504646778106689453125,"_ml_headingFontWeight":"700","_ml_headingLineHeight":1.4699999999999999733546474089962430298328399658203125,"_mlglobal_userfontcolors":{"headingColorUser":[],"titleColorUser":[],"metaColorUser":[],"bodyColorUser":[],"wooPriceColorUser":[]},"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nCourt allows Eritrean mine workers to sue Nevsun (Updated) - 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