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| Ivorians tried for mass poisoning | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Twelve people have gone on trial in Ivory Coast accused of dumping toxic waste blamed for 17 deaths and led 100,000 to seek medical treatment. | |
| Some 500 tons of chemical waste from the oil industry were dumped two years ago in the biggest city, Abidjan. | Some 500 tons of chemical waste from the oil industry were dumped two years ago in the biggest city, Abidjan. |
| Those on trial are officials from a local company, Tommy, that signed the deal to treat the waste with the Dutch multinational, Trafigura. | |
| They are accused of poisoning and complicity to poison. | They are accused of poisoning and complicity to poison. |
| The BBC's John James reports from Abidjan that families of the victims are happy that the trial has begun, but there is anger that no-one from Tafigura is in court - nor those government and port officials accused of turning a blind eye. | The BBC's John James reports from Abidjan that families of the victims are happy that the trial has begun, but there is anger that no-one from Tafigura is in court - nor those government and port officials accused of turning a blind eye. |
| Soon after the waste was dumped, people began complaining of breathing problems and rashes. | |
| In an earlier out of court settlement, Trafigura agreed to pay the Ivorian government about $200m (£108m) in one of the largest payments of its kind. | In an earlier out of court settlement, Trafigura agreed to pay the Ivorian government about $200m (£108m) in one of the largest payments of its kind. |
| The company never admitted liability, saying the payment was made out of sympathy for Ivorian people. | The company never admitted liability, saying the payment was made out of sympathy for Ivorian people. |
| It also disputes whether the chemical slops were the cause of the large number of medical complaints. | It also disputes whether the chemical slops were the cause of the large number of medical complaints. |
| The firm says it contracted Tommy to handle the waste in good faith. | The firm says it contracted Tommy to handle the waste in good faith. |
| Two years on, much of the waste remains where it was dumped and people still complain of illnesses and abnormal births linked to the waste, our correspondent says. | Two years on, much of the waste remains where it was dumped and people still complain of illnesses and abnormal births linked to the waste, our correspondent says. |