Shell On Earth
Background
The oil-rich Niger Delta has been profitably exploited by oil companies such as Shell for many years. Their multi-billion US dollar investment projects mean environmental pollution and landscape degradation to the people who live in the area.
From 1958 to date, Shell has drilled about 1,000 million barrels of oil from Ogoniland with total disregard for the people living in close proximity to their operations.
The environment is totally devastated and the atmosphere is polluted with carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons; the streams and creeks have been poisoned with acid rains and oil spills; and the rivers are without fish.
While Shell Oil reaps massive profits and sponsors the accommodating Nigerian government, many areas in the Niger Delta have been left in abject poverty with no electricity, pipe-borne water, equipped schools and hospitals, no housing schemes, no roads, no employment opportunities and no control over how their land is governed.
On November 10, 1995, the Nigerian Military government, in spite of a world-wide appeal, “judicially” murdered by hanging writer and human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni environmental activists for campaigning against injustice.
Four years on after these murders and nothing has changed. The Nigerian Government has still not met one demand made in the Ogoni Bill of Rights.
Peaceful occupations of oil installations run by Shell and Chevron have increased since the mobilisation of the Ogoni and other ethnic groups, and the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1995. Increasing numbers of groups across the Niger Delta have been calling for economic and environmental justice and joining the pan-Niger Delta resistance movement.
Anniversary Actions
Several anti-$hell actions, taken to commemorate the executions of the Ogoni Nine, happened around Britain on November 10th along with a number of talks and video showings and the protests outside Shell and the Nigerian High Commission by MOSOP (Movement for the Survival of Ogoni peoples).
In Stockport , activists from Manchester Earth First! hung banners from the canopy of a Shell petrol station while others blockaded the entrances. The police even advised them on how to blockade more effectively until their senior officers arrived. Many people were persuaded to buy fuel at alternative outlets after brief discussions. Leaflets were also handed out, and pumps temporarily shut down. Inevitably the Bill turned up and several police cars and a van unwittingly parked in the forecourt helped to discourage trade. Eventually the EF’ers were given the ultimatum of move or face arrest for breach of the peace. They refused to move on and one arrest shortly followed. A de-arrest was quickly negotiated - "release him or you will have to arrest us all" - and the ten Musketeers left soon after.
In Sunderland over 40 people blockaded, the Grindon Mill Shell garage, shutting down the pumps and talking to motorists about the company’s pollution and links to human rights abuses.
Twenty people all but shut down a Shell station in Norwich as they had done on November 10th for the last three years, with only 10 cars using it all morning.
Several different Shell stations in Leicester were hit by a roving team of three energised protesters switching off the main fuel cut-off switch, locking pumps, ranting about the issues and running around with a banner saying 'Get the Shell out of Nigeria'. They also re-named Gallowtree Gate as ’Ken Saro-Wiwa Street' for the day.
In London a roving team of two shut down a Shell station, two Texaco's and an Esso with great ease using the same masterswitch. These rather effective 10-second actions left forecourt staff completely confused and blocking the entrances themselves, calling head office for advice and the police for a shoulder to cry on.
On 20 November, over 1500 Nigerian soldiers moved into Bayelsa state and began killing, raping and burning down villages. The attacks were launched with no government announcement as a State of Emergency would not look good for the new civilian government. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch fear mass killings of innocent civilians. The attacks represent advance action to hit the communities where resistance against the oil companies and government has been particularly strong.
In an emergency response, on 24th November four people chained themselves together, blocking Northumberland Avenue outside the Nigerian High Commission. 2 chained themselves across the entrance while others held banners (eg ’Civilian government?! STOP THE KILLING’). Niger Delta resistance leaders, London-based Nigerians and British activists gathered to shout 'Stop the killing, stop the drilling'. The 4 blocking the road had their chains cut and were arrested and held for 6 hours, charged with obstruction and in court on Tuesday 30th November. The action was reported in a major national newspaper in Nigeria that night.
Aluta continua! The struggle continues!
Contact: DELTA, Box Z,
13 Biddulph Street, Leicester LE2 1BH, UK
tel/fax: +44 116 2109652
e-mail: lynx@gn. apc.org
web: www.oneworld.org/delta
Letters of protest can be sent to:
His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo, State House, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. Fax: +234 9 523 2136
Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Managing Director, Royal Dutch/Shell Petroleum Company, Carel Van Bylandtlaan 30, 2596 HR, The Hague, The Netherlands. Fax: +31 70 377 2616