Unilever PLC should redress harm to survivors of post-election attack in Kenya
Unilever PLC should reconsider the way it is dealing with a case brought by hundreds of survivors of attacks at one of its tea plantations in Kenya during the post-election violence in 2007, four human rights groups said in a letter sent to Unilever PLC’s CEO, Paul Polman. The letter was sent on 19 April 2018 ahead of a hearing in this case that will take place on 24-26 April before the Court of Appeal in London. It was sent by REDRESS, the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA), CORE and Kituo Cha Sheria...The claim arises out of allegations that Unilever failed to protect their tea workers from the ethnic violence in 2007 at Unilever Tea Kenya Ltd., one of its subsidiaries...The claim was brought by 218 claimants, including the families of 11 victims who were brutally killed, and a large number of people who suffered serious violent attacks, including gang rape. The claim alleges that Unilever had placed their workers in a position of serious risk because many of the workers were from tribes which were not local to the area, so were specific targets of violence from the majority tribe...at times of social unrest...The claimants allege that the relevant crisis management expertise resided in Unilever PLC and that these experts were responsible for ensuring that proper procedures were in place in Unilever Tea Kenya and that people were trained...