By Mikhaila Crowie
10 April 2009
A U.S. judge ruled that lawsuits seeking monetary damages can continue against five large companies accused of aiding South Africa's former apartheid system of racial segregation.
The judge allowed at least some claims made by tens of thousands of South African plaintiffs in two lawsuits in U.S. federal court to proceed against automakers General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co and Daimler AG as well as International Business Machines and Rheinmetall AG.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified monetary damages against companies that they say helped support South Africa's former racial system in which a minority white government oppressed a majority black population.
The decision was hailed as a victory by attorneys for the plaintiffs.
Their lawsuits accuse the companies of aiding and abetting the apartheid system, torture and extrajudicial killings.
Shirley Gunn, Board Member of Khulumani Support Group said she was very happy with the decision.
“It’s been a 7 year battle. We have finally got to a point where we can dip in and discover the documents that have been denied us up till now.”
Charles Abrahams, attorney for Khulumani plaintiffs said the court battle was a very lengthy and difficult process.
“This is a very significant and momentous occasion for the survivors or plaintiffs who decided to take this lawsuit 7 years ago to the United District Court.”
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1 comment:
Of course they would be satisfied - this is what has been driving them for so long. At least the team representing the plaintiffs would, for as long as it pursues this case, be assured of a job, won't it!?
The plaintiffs, to a large degree, represent the Safrican masses - they will for a long time still feel vindictive and expect the world to feel sorry for them.
Should they now pursue the certain language speakers too - their languages were, after all, instrumental in aiding the Apartheid system. Then can we resolve to lay waste this land so the like-minded masses can start afresh?
Did the plaintiffs not benefit an iota from colonialism? Ink, paper, telephone, email, internet, et cetera, et cetera? So what's the fuss about?
Oh - they should not have been colonialised!? Tough, man, it happened - so get over it!
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