That multinational companies should be liable for human rights abuses anywhere in their supply chain

Kush

Human Rights

Let’s start with a little introduction. Human rights are rights and values that belong to every human being born on this world till their demise. These rights CANNOT be denied by any company, corporation, institution, government, and most certainly not by any multi-national companies.

Multi-National Companies

Multi-national companies are companies that are situated in different countries. These companies set their factories in different countries where they are able to find cheap labor and make immense profit. But, more often than not they violate their workers’ human rights.

The first human right as stated in the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ is as follows:

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

This article states that all humans are free and equal. They should not only consider themselves as equal and integral but also should treat their fellow beings with respect and integrity. This declaration was released by the United Nations. So, 193 countries accept this and realize that anyone who violates these rights is punishable in their own country and in the International Court of Law. But the multi-national companies continue to violate these rights.

One such example we will be exploring today is from Israel. A multi-national company (MNC) called Caterpillar Inc. has been supplying the Israeli army with their specialized bulldozers even though they know what they are being used for, destroying Palestinian homes. Caterpillar Inc. continues to supply the government and thus engaging in an internal conflict just because they are making huge profit. Even though every single company has requested Caterpillar to stop helping this tyranny, they have responded but explicitly cutting of the sales of their most productive bulldozers, the D9’s and D10’s.

The UN has requested Caterpillar to end this brigade of corporate violence. The Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights said: "allowing the delivery of your ... bulldozers to the Israeli army ... in the certain knowledge that they are being used for such action, might involve complicity or acceptance on the part of your company to actual and potential violations of human rights..." The UN commission was correct on their forethought. The company continues to supply the Israeli government to this day. But the surprising fact is that not only they don’t follow the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but they also do not seem to follow their own Code of Conduct. The company’s Code of Worldwide Business Conduct states that “Caterpillar accepts the responsibilities of global citizenship.” The company’s commitment to financial success, the code says, “must also take into account social, economic, political and environmental priorities.” A past Human Rights Report that was released specifically said that the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) has demolished over 2,500 Palestinian homes. The surprising fact is that no Israeli homes have been attacked. In 2003, an American activist, Rachel Corrie, was killed by an armed D9. More than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed or severely injured due to the acts of Caterpillar Inc. The fight against this injustice continues.

Now, the question I ask to CON is how is Caterpillar Inc. and various other MNC’s not liable for this heinous act and the violation of human rights?

Citations

· https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights/what-are-human-rights

· https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

· https://laborrights.org/in-the-news/2005-list-14-worst-corporate-evildoers

. https://www.hrw.org/news/2004/11/21/israel-caterpillar-should-suspend-bulldozer-sales