Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 1 of 31 FILED FOR PUBLICATION MAR 27 2009 MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT AKA RAYMOND TANOH; ASSYE No. 09-55138 EUGENE TANOH; OTCHOUMOU JEAN MARIE TANOH; TIRAOGOPAUL D.C. No. 2:06-cv-07038-PA TAONSA; ISSIAKA JEAN PIERRE TAPSOBA NORAOGO SALFO TARBAGDO; NOAGA TARIHIDIGA; OPINION SANOYO TIDIANE BERTE TIECOURA; TRAORE TIEDIOUGOU; KALIFA TRAORE; KONE TIEGBE; ISSA TRAORE; NORAOGO MICHEL TIENDREBEGO; ZANI TOGOLA; TOMINDREU PHILIPPE TOMAN; OUAMBI TONDE; LALLE TOUGOUMA; ABOU DRAMANE TRAORE; ADAME TRAORE; AROUNA TRAORE BOUREIMA TRAORE; DAOUDA TRAORE; LANCINE TRAORE; SALIA TRAORE; SALIFOU TRAORE; SEKOU TRAORE; ABDULAI UMARU; DARIUS KOUASSI VANGAH; SAY FRANCIS VANGAH; DEGUI VOGNIN; SOUMAILA WANGO; FIFOU JEAN MARIE WAONGO; TILADO WAONGO; ANIBE LAURENT WOGNE; AHIMI WOGNES; ANIBE MAURICE WOGNIN; KOUAMENAN JOESPH WOGNIN; KRAIDY EMILE WOGNIN; N’TAYE WOGNIN; PAUL WOGNIN CHRISTOPHE YAMA; AFORI YAW; YEMDAOGO YAMMA; OUATTARA YBROYMAN; ALLEFELIX YANGRA; Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 2 of 31 JOSEPH YANGUE; N’TAYE CELESTIN YAO; KOUDSI YERBANGA; BIGO YORO; KARIM YOUGBARE; BOKARE ZEBA; OUED AHMEND YOUSSOUF; BASSIROU ZARE; IDRISSA ZABRE LAMOUSSA ZAGRE; ARZOURA AUGUSTIN ZANGRE; MOGTAR ZEBA PAWENDSAGRE ZEMBO; MOUMOUNI ZERBO; SEKOU MAHAMADOU ZERBO YACOUBA ZERBO; TANH THEOPHILE ZIAN; SOULEMANE ZOANGA MAHAMOUDOU ZOGONA; PAMOUSSA ZOGONA; BOUKARE ZONGO; LOKRE ZOMODO; KAGARI ALBERT ZONGO; KOUDBI ZONGO; KOUKA ZONGO KOULIBI DIT JEAN ZONGO; NOBILE ZONGO; PATIGNMA ZONGO PIREGMA REMI ZONGO; TIBO ZONGO; KONATE ZOUMANA; YAOBGOAMDA ZONGO; OUAMNANEGBA ZOUNDI; BOUREIMA ZONGONA; SAIDOU ZONGONA TAPHA ZOROMI; BILA ISSIAKA ZOUGMORE; ATHANASE ZOUGNORE TILADO ZOUGNORE; GANOAGA ADAMA ZOUGRANA; JEAN MARIE ZOUGRANA; PASSAMWINDE ZOUNDI, Plaintiffs - Appellees, v. DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, Defendant - Appellant. Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 3 of 31 AKEBO ABAGNININ; AMANGOUA No. 09-55145 ABLI; MIESSAN ETIENNE ABLI; ABA ABOU; YAPO PIERRE ABOUA; KOFFI D.C. No. 2:06-cv-07061-PA ANTOINE ABRI; AMPOH ADAMA TOURE ABRY; HARUNA ABUBAKARAY; KROYA ACA; SIMPLICE ACHIEPO AVENIE ADJA; BEHIRA VENANCE ADJA; NAOULE ADJA; WOGNIN BARTHELEMY ADJA; ANOUMAN VANANCE ADJE; KOUAME EMILE AGNEY AKA FRANCOIS ADJOBI; KADJO DANIEL AHICOH; PASCAL ADJOBI ASSMOI LAMBERT ADJOBY; ASSI ADON; ADJA BERNARD ADOUKO; ANIBE ADOUKO; KOUASSI ANTONIN ADOUKO; MICHEL ADOUKOK; CHEIKH AHMEDOULD; ATCHE AHOBA; GUY HUSTON DE LACOSTA AHOUSSI; BAKA JOACHIN AHOGA; ADIA AHOULOU; KOVA GREGOIRE AHOSSIN; AKA PIERRE AHOUA; KOFFI AHOUA; ADJE LAZARE AHOZE; VINCENT AIME ABEL AKA; ABLI ETIENNE AKA; ALFRED AKA; ALLANGBA BERNARD AKA; ASSOHOUN RAYMOND AKA; BOGNINI AKA; KOUA AKA; KOUASSI JEROME ALLANGBA; NIANGRA JOSEPH AKA; AMON JEAN BAPTISTE ALLOUAN; OHOUMAN VENANCE AKA; WEDJE DENIS AKA; SOUMAHIN JOSEPH AKOHI; KRAIDI MARCELIN AKREDI; KOUAME ALLA; AKA JAQUES ALLANGBA; ANHOBO ERNEST ALLOUAN; WOGNIN SERAPHIN ALLOUAN; AYENOU ALPHONSE ALOU; DAMO ALOU; DIAKITE AMADOU KADJO AMON; Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 4 of 31 ESSI ALPHONSE AMANGOUA; BAKA AMON; KOUAME AMBROISE AMANGOUA; VANGA JACQUES AMANGOUA; KOUASSI ARSENE AMANI; DEMELE AMARA; KONE AMARA; ADOUKO AMON; KADJO BLAI AMON; ELIDJE AMPOH; BANGOURA AMSOUMANY; N’CHOH ASSEMIEN DENIS ANGBENI; YEBI DANIEL ASSI; ELLOH BLAISE ANIBE; HOLY LEON ANIBE; N’TAYE JACQUES CLOTAIR ANIBE; N’TAYE MARC ANIBE AKA MARIUS ANOH; ANOH FELIX ANOH; KRAIDI ETIENNE ANOH NGATTA ANOH; NIAMKE ANOMA; AKA EMMANUEL ASSALE; MOCHE ASSALE; BISSIE BRUNO ASSAMOI; KOFFI ASSAMOI; ANGUIE JEAN CLAUDE ASSI; KRALODY THOMAS ASSEMIEN; DOMINIQUE ASSONGBA GBETONDJI ASSOUAN; OTCHOUMOU MATHIAS ASSOUHOUN; KOUAMELAN JOSEPH ASSOHOUN; BOMOI ATEKE; ABEU JULIEN AYE; YAPO JEAN ATSAIN; ANON JOSEPH ATSE; ADEPO ATTIE; VANGA ASSAMOI, Plaintiffs - Appellees, v. DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, Defendant - Appellant. Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 5 of 31 AHOULOU RAPHAEL KANGAH; No. 09-55147 KANY JACOB KANY; ADAMA KARENE DEMBELE KASSOUM; D.C. No. 2:06-cv-07059-PA NORAOGO KAYENDE; GANDA KAYORGO; ISSA KAYORGO; MAMADI KEITA; OUMAR KEITA; SIBIRI KEREGUE SOMLOUGUIA KEREGUE; NOGBU JEAN KIDRI; NORAOGO FRANCOIS KIEMA; DAOUDA KINDA; MAHAMA KINDO; OUANGO KOALGA; OUSSENI KOANDA; SAIDOU DIT TINKIENGA KOANDA; KOUASSI PIERRE KOCOGNI ABIELEY KODIA; ABLI JEROME KOFFI; ABRI FIRMIN KOFFI; ASSAMOI KOFFI; KARCORE BASILE KOFFI; PATRICE KOFFI; YAO KOFFI NOGBOU NORBERT KOHOBO; AYEMOU FRANCOIS KOKOGNI; ADIKO JEAN MARIE KOKOHI; AMANI ETIENNE KONAN; N’GORAN KONAN; ABDOULAYE KONATE; BOCARY KONATE; DIAKARIDIA KONATE; DRAMANE KONATE IDRISSA KONATE; ISSA KONATE; KAH KONATE; KASSIM KONATE KOTIGUI KONATE; MAMADOU KONATE; MORIBA KONATE; MORIDJE KONATE; SOULEYMANE KONATE; TIEDIAN KONATE; TIENAKAN KONATE KARAWA KONDA; YAMANGOLE KONDA; ABDOULAYE KONE; ADAMA KONE ANADOU KONE; DIABY KONE; DRAMANE KONE; INZA KONE; ISSA KONE LASSINA KONE; OUMAR KONE; SIAKA KONE; SOULEYMANE KONE SOUMAILA KONE; TIEKORO KONE; YAYA KONE; ZAKARIA Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 6 of 31 KONE; ISSA KONKISRE; YETASSIDA KONKOBO; IBRAHIMA KONTA; BASGA KORSAGA KADJO EDMOND KOUA; KOUASSI EDMOND KOUA; OPOKOU DENIS KOUA MARC KOUADIO; ATSAIN PETER KOUADJO; KOFFI HILAIRE LEON KOUAKOU; KOUAME KOUAME; KOUASSI KOUAME; SANGA GEORGE KOUASSY; MICHEL KOUAME; BAWAYA KOUDA; RAYMOND KOUAME; AHIMIN DENIS KOUAMELAN; ASSEMIAN KOUAMELAN; ANTONIN KOUASSI; EBIA PAUL KOUASSI; GERMAIN AHOU KOUASSI; NOGBOU KOUASSI; OTRON SEVERIN KOUASSI; YAO DJESS KOUASSI; AKA GERMAN KOUMELAN ZAMBENDE KOUDOUGOU; ADAMA KOURAOGO; SOUMANE KOURAOGO RASMANE KOURAOGO, Plaintiffs - Appellees, v. DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, Defendant - Appellant. KALLILOU DIARRASSOUBA; HADO No. 09-55148 DIATIN; DJAKARIDJA DIOURIE IRISSA DIPAMA; VONAN MARCEL D.C. No. 2:06-cv-07043-PA DJAIDJI; JEAN DJAMBLE; DIAKIRO DJIBOUGOU; CAMARA DJIBRIL; Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 7 of 31 EDJA DJIRIKO; N’GATTA GEORGES DJONWAN; LEBENIDIOU DOLO; IDRISSA DOULKOM; AMADOU DOUMBIA BOURLAYE DOUMBIA; CHIO DOUMBIA; DABLE DOUTI; AKA EHIVE ASSALE EHOLE; ASSEMIEN EHOUSSOU; ABLE PIERRE EKRA; MOH ANDRE ELIDJE; GERMAIN ELLO; VANGAH ELLOH; ADJROUFOU MAURICE ESSEY ETKERI ETEKRI; KOUASSI IVES FRANCOIS XAVIER EYA; KASSOURI FANE; YAO BENJAMIN FOTO; OUSMANE GANAME; MOCTAR GANSAGNE KOUAKOU GANZAN; KONATE LAMINE GNAMY; LAYA BONIFACE GNIMINOU ADAMA KONE GOMON; ZILA GUEL; ABLASSE GUIATIN; EDMOND GUIATIN; KOUKA GUIATIN; LAMOUSSA GUIATIN; OUSMANE GUIATIN YAYA GUIATIN; HAMIDOU GUIRE; SOUMAILA GUIRE; TASSARE GUIRE KPALE JULES HAHOBA; SEINI BABA HAMADOU; BOMANE HEBIE; BARBEY HEMA; HANOU FRANCOIS HEMA; MOUONNOUMON HIEN; WINYEL HIEN AHOUA ARSENE HOLLY; N’GUESSAN HOLLY; HOUA TEKE HOUA; YEHOU JULES HOUETCHEMOU; INNOCENT HOUNDONOUGBO; DASSAMSSO ILBOUDO PAGNIMDI ILBOUDO; RAOGO ILBOUDO; TIBYANDE ILBOUDO; YABRE BOUREIMA ILBOUDO; KOYATE ISSA; TRAORE ISSA; KPOLE JEAN NIANGUE JEAN; LANCINA KABAGATE; BOUREIMA KABOLOM; BOUDNOMA KABORE; Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 8 of 31 FRANCOIS XAVIER KABORE; KARIN KABORE; MAMADOU KABORE; OUSMANE KABORE; PASSIGBAMBA TASSERE KABORE PASSINGUE YAOBA KABORE; RATAMALGDA ALFRED KABORE; SIBIRI KABORE; TIBILA KABORE; TOUSSAGA KABORE; SANDAOGO KABRE KRAIDI FREDERIC KACOU; NOGBOU DAVID KACOU; N’TAH JULES KACOU; N’TAYE EMILE KACOU; ASSOHOUN YACINTHE ARMEL KADIO AHOULOU MOISE KADJO; AYEMOU LAURENT KADJO; AYEMOU RAYMOND KADJO; MIESSAN DENIS KADJO; RENE KADJO; VANGAH KADJO; TANGA RASMANE KAFANDO; AMON BARTHELEMY KAKJO; ESSE KAKOU; OMPIRE KAMBOU; MAMADOU KANATE, Plaintiffs - Appellees, v. DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, Defendant - Appellant. POUPOIN JEAN PIMMA; DANSINE No. 09-55153 PLEA; ACHIEDO JONAS POKOU KOUKOUA FRANCOIS POPOUIN; D.C. No. 2:06-cv-07058-PA SOUMAILA PORGO; ISSIAKA POROGO ABDOU QUEDRAOGO; GNISSIRI RAMDE; RAOGO Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 9 of 31 RANDWIDI; TIENOKO SAGNON; TRAORE SAIDOU; IRISSA SAKANDE; NARAOGO SALOU; MOUSSA SAMAKE; IDRISSA SANA; SALFO SANA; SAOUMAILA SANA; EDMOND SANDWIDI; IRISSA SANDWIDI; LARBA HAMADO SANDWIDI; NONGMA SANDWIDI; NOUFOU SANDWIDI; RAMANE SANDWIDI; SAYDOU SANDWIDI EMMANUEL SANGA; ABDOULAYE SANGARE; ADAMA SANGARE; BIRAMA SANGARE; BRAHIMA SANGARE; MAMADOU SANGARE; SALIFOU SANGARE SIDIKI SANGARE; SOULEYMANE SANGARE; HAMADE SANKARA; MAROU SANKARA; LANOUSSA SANKE; YOUSSOUFI SANOGO; KODJO AMBOISE SANTIN; ADAMA SARBA; DARIQUINO RASMANE SAVADOGO; KARIM SAVADOGO; LEONARD SAVADOGO; RATOGZITA MARCEL SAVADOGO ARDOUL RAHIN SAWADOGO; HANIDOU SAWADOGO; ISSA SAWADOGO OUSSENI SAWADOGO; PALIKIDI SAWADOGO; RAFAEL SAWADOGO; SEIDOU BODGO SAWADOGO; TOUKOUMNOGO SAWADOGO; YABRE HAMADO SAWADOGO MOUSSA SEDOGO; OUTTARA SEIDOU; KONTA SEKOU; NAUD SERGE; KONE SIAKA; ABDOURAHAME SIDIBE; SATIGUI SIDIBE; YAYA SIDIBE MAMOUROU SIDIDE; BERTHE SIDIKI; MOUSSA SIMPORE; PAKI NWEOGO SIMPORE; YAMBA SINARE; TOURE SIRAMANA; DOGOBIE SIRIBIE LASSINA SIRIBIE; Case: 09-55160 03/27/2009 ID: 6862598 DktEntry: 20-1 Page: 10 of 31 YAYA SIRIBIE; NOUFOU SODRE; SEKOU SOGODOGO KISSI ANTOINE SOMAHIN; SAMOUOR SOMDA; TIKORA SOMDA; ALFRED SOME; ANYEL SOME; BELIYAN JEAN PIERRE SOME; DAR SOME FRANCOIS XAVIER SOME; GNONOUOR SOME; KOUNYERE SOME; WINEYEL SOME; WINIDEMA SOME; SALIFOU SONDO; MOUSSA SORE; SONGDA SORGHO; BOUREIMA SORO; SIDIKI SOUGUE; KONATE SOULEYMANE LAMINE OUATTARA SOULEYMANE; BOUKARE SOULGA; ZOUMANA SOUMAHORO; KONE SOUMAILA; JEROME TADE; BI TAH RENE TAH CAMARA TAMBA; LEBENDE SANDWIDI, Plaintiffs - Appellees, v. DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, Defendant - Appellant. AKA GEORGES AYEMOU; ATTEKE No. 09-55156 ADOLPHE AYEMOU; NOGBOU ANATOLE AYEMOU; YACOUBA BA; D.C. No. 2:06-cv-07060-PA OUATTARA BABALA; DOUNGASSE BABEM; NOAGA BABOLOUM; BAGUIBDUE BADO; OUMAROU BADOLO; YACOUBA BADOLO KWASI BADU; DIAKITE BOURLAYE; GOURASSA BOUSSIM; BADIOU