Business & human rights: Weekly Update - November 21, 2007

From the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre:
Weekly Update: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre - 21 November
2007

CLICK THIS LINK FOR ALL TOP STORIES added past 7 days / Principales
noticias / Articles de premier plan:
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Topstories?date=2007/11/21

The top stories include / Las noticias incluyen / Les articles
incluent:

* Mary Robinson letter to Economist: "Your article on business & human
rights sees a 'storm' where in fact there is healthy & productive
intellectual debate"
- Economist article: "Business and human rights - Doing the wrong
thing"
- Letter to Economist from Arvind Ganesan, Human Rights Watch
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/823216

* Human Rights Watch calls on UN and govts. to ban new investment in
Burma's oil & gas sector
- Report names 27 companies investing in Burma oil & gas
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/147662

* South African Human Rights Commission investigates banks & estate
agents, following allegations of "inhumane treatment" in evictions
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/533636

* Wal-Mart's first report on its sustainability drive:
Environmentalists & social investors welcome progress but call for more measurable data
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/501442

* Zimbabwe: Swedish development agency (SIDA) launches project to
combat workplace HIV/AIDS
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/964351

* China: Central Bank cuts loans to 12 companies after they allegedly
flouted environmental laws
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/906739

* Chiquita sued for $7.86 billion in USA for alleged involvement in
killings by paramilitaries in Colombia - case on behalf of 393 victims &
their relatives
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/549301

* Czech Republic: NGOs say Czech companies lag behind other EU nations
in adopting diversity policies
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/430324

* "Business & human rights - advancing the debate": Novartis Foundation
for Sustainable Development
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/802251

* India: Gap pulls 50 percent of orders from subcontractor found using
child labour - will make $200,000 grant to improve working conditions
in India
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/892128

* So. Africa: Treatment Action Campaign, AIDS Law Project file
complaint against Merck over drug access
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/340037

* Telecom firm MTN Uganda launches community development foundation,
building on its housing, education projects
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/111066

* BankTrack paper: "State duty to protect - the relevance of private
finance"
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/412577

* "Progress not Perfection": Impactt reports on 10 years of supply
chain labour standards monitoring
- Case study topics include migrant labour, worker representation in
China, child labour
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/955417

* Chile: Indigenous group awaits Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights decision on salmon companies they accuse of pollution & rights
abuses
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/435907

* Español: Demanda contra Chiquita en EE.UU. por su supuesta
complicidad en asesinatos de grupos paramilitares en Colombia.  La demanda es en
nombre de 393 víctimas y pide US$ 7.8 billones en compensación
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/483784

* Español: Bolivia: Negociaciones sobre derechos sobre tierras entre
indígenas Guaraníes y Repsol tensionadas debido a "la actitud de la
empresa", según los Guaraníes
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/725252

* Español: Guatemala: Conferencia de RSE del Banco Interamericano de
Desarrollo se enfoca en la cadena productiva - conferencia incluye
mejores prácticas
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/536912

* Español: Brasil: Liberan 820 indígenas sometidos a trabajo esclavo en
hacienda de Compañía Brasileña de Azúcar y Etanol (Agrisul)
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/449822

* Français : Une ONG d'Ouzbékistan appelle au boycot du coton produit
par le travail forcé des enfants en ce pays
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/873716

* Français : Thaïlande : Advance Agro développe un mode de production
du papier qui réduit les impacts sur l'environnement et fourni un revenu
supplémentaire aux villageois
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/224373

* Français : Chine : Banque centrale rappelle les crédits bancaires de
12 entreprises à cause de leur pollution
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Links/Repository/691453