Day 001 - 28 Jun 94 - Page 28
1 the media for their information will recognise that
McDonald's do not destroy the world's rain forests, they
2 do not lay waste the environment by the over use of the
world's resources, they do not endanger their customers'
3 health by the food they sell, they do not exploit the
young people, women and black people, whom they employ.
4
On the contrary, the plaintiffs hope that it will finally
5 be recognised and remembered whenever McDonald's name is
used by the media or public at large that McDonald's have
6 never been responsible, directly or indirectly, for the
destruction of a single rainforest tree; that they have a
7 record awareness and responsibility in the use of
resources of which they can be justly proud; that they
8 sell food which as part of a balanced diet is both
nutritious and singularly free from any kind of health
9 risk and that they take exceptional care to ensure their
employees are properly paid, free from the risk of injury,
10 above all, perhaps, granted equality of opportunity to
which, as human beings, they are entitled whatever their
11 gender or ethnic origin.
12 My Lord there is, so the plaintiffs say, an urgent need
for the resolution of these issues. The reasons are
13 these: First, my Lord, this leaflet and similar material
has been distributed throughout the world. Your Lordship
14 has seen the defendants' own claims to that effect. There
are literally hundreds of leaflets in the two first pink
15 bundles, 1 and 1B. There are the group's own boasts that
the leaflet complained of has been used over the world,
16 and the repeated invitation (which I have drawn to your
Lordship's attention) to readers of subsequent leaflets to
17 copy them and use them for their own purposes.
18 My Lord, following that, there are many recent
publications affirming the truth of the words complained
19 of and threatening to continue publication. Only
yesterday outside the High Court in the Strand the
20 defendants were, or causing others, to distribute copies
of a leaflet which I would like your Lordship to see. It
21 is already in your Lordship's bundle. It is the last
document in the main tab 1 of the pink bundle 1B.
22
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Tab?
23
MR. RAMPTON: It has a tab. It is the last document before
24 B2. 184 is the last tab. It is the last document in that
tab. I will not read this out for the reason I gave
25 before. If your Lordship will forgive me, I would ask
your Lordship just to read it. I preface that by saying
26 three things about it: In some areas it is rather more
guarded than some of the earlier material, perhaps for
27 reasons your Lordship will understand. It mentions,
however, an allegation which has not been made publicly
28 before about methane and it contains at the end of it the
injunction: "Talk to friends and family, neighbours and
29 workmates about these issues. Please copy and circulate
this leaflet as widely as you can". That was on 27th July
30 1984. Perhaps your Lordship will indicate when you have
read that document?
