Mia Farrow Calls for Justice for Chevron's Amazon Devastation

American actress and humanitarian Mia Farrow visited the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador this week to witness first-hand the devastation caused by Chevron when it operated in the region between 1964 and 1990.

During that time, Chevron used illegal disposal methods to systematically dump roughly 18 billion gallons of toxic waste into unprotected pools and local waterways, contaminating soil and water sources for local communities and leaving lasting environmental damage and a public health crisis.

"I came here to see for myself the effects, the terrible mess by Chevron-Texaco and to speak to the people that were profoundly affected by this toxic mess," Farrow said from Ecuador. "We must all demand that the oil companies drilling in our countries be responsible and transparent."

Chevron has been ordered to pay $9.5 billion to indigenous Ecuadorians, but has so far refused to honor the 2011 judgment from an Ecuadorian court, even after fighting for years to move the case from the United States to Ecuador. In December 2013, an appellate court in Canada ruled that the plaintiffs have the right to pursue enforcement of the judgment in Canada since Chevron no longer has assets in Ecuador.

Farrow, who was named as one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2008, is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has worked for years on issues related to human rights in Africa. Farrow joins a growing chorus advocating for accountability fromChevron and voicing solidarity with the people of Ecuador, including: Al Gore, Brad Pitt, Sting, Danny Glover, Cher, Bianca Jagger and others.

"I personally would drive further to avoid a Chevron station," added Farrow. "I would write Chevron and I would encourage anyone to write to them and say 'step up and do the right thing for Ecuador and for this planet.'"

For more information on the Ecuadorian Government's campaign for justice in the Amazon and background on the 20-year legal battle between indigenous Ecuadorians and Chevron, visit http://www.thedirtyhand.com/.

Photo: © Ricky Fitchett/ZUMAPRESS.com