MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) - Over 100 small farmers from Colombia have filed a lawsuit with the UK high court against the oil company BP over deposition of solid materials, The Guardian reported Wednesday.
"Our water supply has been damaged by sedimentation since the pipeline was laid, and I have lost cattle," the newspaper quoted Colombian farmer Velez Montoya as saying. "I can no longer keep pigs or chickens because there is not enough water for them. The reason why we have traveled so far is because we have hope and faith that the high court in London will deliver justice to us."
According to the farmers, the British company Equion Energia, formerly BP Exploration (Colombia) Ltd or BPXC, exercised neglect when the Ocensa oil pipeline was constructed in 1990s. The land, crops and animals of the farmers suffered as a result.
The Guardian stated that the farmers and BP had previously landed an out-of-court agreement over the damage that the pipelines brought about. However, citing reports by the farmers' lawyer, BP did not provide a comprehensive compensation for the environmental damage as was agreed through the contracts signed between the sides.
The suit is expected to last four months, marking the first time that BP has been taken to a UK court over its activities overseas, according to the newspaper.
