"If corporations are arguing for constitutional rights, how can they turn around and say to the shareholders who own them you have no right to speak?"

The large corporations being sued argue that they are not responsible for the actions of the contractors.

IN A sense, corporations can argue a degree of color-blindness in their widespread staff cuts.

In terms of employment, the corporation argues that between 1981 and 1987 about 10,000 jobs were brought into the area.

American corporations argue that they can be a positive force in repressive countries.

But corporations that leave the issue there are being remarkably shortsighted, two business professors argue.

At Friday's hearing, the corporation argued in part that because the tanker was owned and operated by the subsidiary, it was wrong to charge the parent company.

"Those are the kinds of things corporations argued and didn't get away with," Mr. Bogle said.

Otherwise, the corporations argue, they will have no financial choice but to log and develop the region, destroying the precious habitat.

The corporation may argue that a direction given to it by the National Rivers Authority to improve water is unreasonable.