Supreme Court: Former Child Slaves Used in Cocoa Production Can Sue Nestle
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled a lawsuit filed by former child slaves against mega-corporation Nestle can move forward.
Carey Wedler, TheAntiMedia.orgOn Monday, the Supreme Court ruled a lawsuit filed by former child
slaves against mega-corporation Nestle can move forward. The decision
finalizes a lower court’s prior ruling, which Nestle previously
attempted to overturn in an attempt to halt suits from individuals who
worked in the African cocoa trade as children.
As Reuters reports, three former Malian child laborers, known as “John Does” in the case, “contend
the companies aided and abetted human rights violations through their
active involvement in purchasing cocoa from Ivory Coast. While aware of
the child slavery problem, the companies offered financial and technical
assistance to local farmers in a bid to guarantee the cheapest source
of cocoa, the plaintiffs said.” West African nations are some of the largest exporters of cocoa,
and though Nestle does not employ child slaves directly, the company
consistently engages in business deals with farmers who do.
