Protesting Bombardier: Tibet demonstrators cause a ruckus inside and outside AGM

Bombardier was once again reminded of the destructive impact their involvement in the China-Tibet railway will have on the Tibetan people and Tibet’s natural environment. We had a strong presence both inside and outside the company’s annual general meeting yesterday, including the support of Tibetans from Toronto who drove through the night to join fellow protesters in Montreal. Our voices and presence made Tibet the focus of the day and we were covered by local and national media.

Bombardier CEO, Laurent Beaudoin, repeatedly tried to defend his company’s involvement in the railway project, claiming that Bombardier was only “providing the rail cars�? and not building the railway itself. As head of one of the largest rail manufactures in the world, you’d think he would know trains can’t run unless they’re equipped with rail cars. It’s the operation of the train, not the tracks that we’re concerned about! We made this point very clear to shareholders and senior management, especially during the question and answer period…much to the discontent of Mr. Beaudoin who by this point was visibily frustrated that we’d hijacked the meeting.

The company’s blatant disregard for human rights and corporate social responsibility was further demonstrated when a proposed resolution calling on Bombardier to adopt a human rights policy was rejected. It was no surprise when senior management encouraged shareholders to vote against the proposal, which if passed would hold the company accountable when the Chinese government uses the railway to further militarize the region and transfer more non-Tibetan settlers into Tibet, diluting Tibet’s distinct culture and religion. At this point, two members of SFT, Jessica Spanton and Kelsang Doma, unfurled a Tibetan flag and yelled “Shame on Bombardier, Tibetans will hold you accountable for your actions”.

With the railway scheduled to open on July 1^st, we will continue to speak out against Bombardier’s complicity in China’s occupation of Tibet. Bombardier has been made perfectly aware of the implications this railway has for the Tibetan people and must immediately implement safeguards to ensure it is not used by the Chinese government as a tool of repression and cultural genocide. Until such a commitment is made, Bombardier is painting itself as a company that disregards human rights and lacks any sense of accountability or corporate social responsibility. As long as Bombardier’s rail cars are used to link China to Tibet, SFT and other Tibet support groups will be there to shed light on the company’s true colours.

Photos copyright Natalie Bianco