> > > ----Original Message Follows---- > Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 15:20:00 -0500 > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > From: Steve Kretzmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Multiple recipients of list SHELL-NIGERIA-ACTION > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: OIL PROTESTS LEAD TO STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NIGER DELTA > > > PROJECT UNDERGROUND > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 31, 1998 > > CONTACT: Steve Kretzmann, or Anne Rolfes: (510) 705-8981 or (510) > 653-0914 -h > > STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN NIGER DELTA > BECAUSE OF NONVIOLENT PROTEST AGAINST BIG OIL > > Three Ijaw youths were killed yesterday during a nonviolent > demonstration > yesterday in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta. > Human Rights Watch reports another twelve deaths but their names not > confirmed. Following the demonstration, which was to demand the > withdrawal > of oil companies operating in Nigeria, Military Administrator of Bayelsa > State declared a state of emergency, imposed a dusk to dawn curfew, and > banned all meetings. At least twelve demonstrators were arrested and > taken > to an army camp outside Port Harcourt. > > The Nigerian military authorities have created a Naval Special Security > Task > Force to police the Delta to "protect oil installations against > vandalisation." The creation of this Task Force is eerily similar to > the > formation of the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force, which > preceded > the Nigerian government crack down on the Ogoni. > > The state of emergency was declared in response to the Kaiama > Declaration, > which called on oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to suspend > all > operations on December 30, 1998, or face a nonviolent campaign of civil > disobedience. > > Project Underground condemns the killings of the protestors, and holds > oil > companies continuing their operations in Nigeria today responsible for > the > ongoing crisis. "The deaths of nonviolent protestors is not an > acceptable > cost of doing business" said Steve Kretzmann, Oil Campaign Director for > Project Underground. "If Shell, Chevron, Mobil and others can't > continue > their operations in Nigeria without military intervention, they should > immediately suspend business. Halting oil activities is the single > greatest > contribution that oil companies could make towards the interests of > peace > and reconciliation in the Delta." > > A report entitled Shell-shocked Refugees, released yesterday by > Berkeley > based Project Underground, tells of the fate of previous anti-oil > protestors in Nigeria. The Ogoni, like the Ijaw, are from an > oil-producing > region of Nigeria. Their powerful nonviolent protests against Royal > Dutch > Shell's devastation of their land led to a corporate supported military > crackdown in the early 90's. Since 1995, thousands of Ogoni have fled > the > country. Shell-shocked Refugees tells of the 800 that are now refugees > in Benin. > > There are fears that the deadly pattern of collusion between the > military > and oil corporations revealed in the Ogoni struggle may be repeating > itself > in Ijawland. Military helicopters move into Ijawland as the deadline > approaches. "When the Ogoni refugees hear about militarization and > violence > in oil producing lands in Nigeria today, they scoot over to make room in > the > refugee camp," said Kretzmann. "Shell and other oil companies in > Nigeria > need to heed the demands of communities for compensation, consultation, > and > cleanup, lest they create more corporate refugees". > > Shell-shocked Refugees further exposes Royal Dutch Shell's role in > forcing > the Ogoni to flee Nigeria to a refugee camp in Benin. In October of > 1998, > Project Underground's Anne Rolfes went to Benin and conducted interviews > with 33 of the refugees. "This report gives the refugees' stories," > said > Rolfes. "The men and women of the refugee camp tell of Shell's oil > spills > and blowouts on their land. When they protested, the military rampaged > through their villages, often during midnight raids aimed at destroying > the > villages. The refugees have nothing to do all day now but remember the > terror." > > ### > > -- > Steve Kretzmann > > "You are the young wonder-tree plant, grown out of ruins" > -African Folk Tale
----Original Message Follows---- Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 15:20:00 -0500 Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Steve Kretzmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Multiple recipients of list SHELL-NIGERIA-ACTION <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: OIL PROTESTS LEAD TO STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NIGER DELTA PROJECT UNDERGROUND FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 31, 1998 CONTACT: Steve Kretzmann, or Anne Rolfes: (510) 705-8981 or (510) 653-0914 -h STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN NIGER DELTA BECAUSE OF NONVIOLENT PROTEST AGAINST BIG OIL Three Ijaw youths were killed yesterday during a nonviolent demonstration yesterday in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta. Human Rights Watch reports another twelve deaths but their names not confirmed. Following the demonstration, which was to demand the withdrawal of oil companies operating in Nigeria, Military Administrator of Bayelsa State declared a state of emergency, imposed a dusk to dawn curfew, and banned all meetings. At least twelve demonstrators were arrested and taken to an army camp outside Port Harcourt. The Nigerian military authorities have created a Naval Special Security Task Force to police the Delta to "protect oil installations against vandalisation." The creation of this Task Force is eerily similar to the formation of the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force, which preceded the Nigerian government crack down on the Ogoni. The state of emergency was declared in response to the Kaiama Declaration, which called on oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to suspend all operations on December 30, 1998, or face a nonviolent campaign of civil disobedience. Project Underground condemns the killings of the protestors, and holds oil companies continuing their operations in Nigeria today responsible for the ongoing crisis. "The deaths of nonviolent protestors is not an acceptable cost of doing business" said Steve Kretzmann, Oil Campaign Director for Project Underground. "If Shell, Chevron, Mobil and others can't continue their operations in Nigeria without military intervention, they should immediately suspend business. Halting oil activities is the single greatest contribution that oil companies could make towards the interests of peace and reconciliation in the Delta." A report entitled Shell-shocked Refugees, released yesterday by Berkeley based Project Underground, tells of the fate of previous anti-oil protestors in Nigeria. The Ogoni, like the Ijaw, are from an oil-producing region of Nigeria. Their powerful nonviolent protests against Royal Dutch Shell's devastation of their land led to a corporate supported military crackdown in the early 90's. Since 1995, thousands of Ogoni have fled the country. Shell-shocked Refugees tells of the 800 that are now refugees in Benin. There are fears that the deadly pattern of collusion between the military and oil corporations revealed in the Ogoni struggle may be repeating itself in Ijawland. Military helicopters move into Ijawland as the deadline approaches. "When the Ogoni refugees hear about militarization and violence in oil producing lands in Nigeria today, they scoot over to make room in the refugee camp," said Kretzmann. "Shell and other oil companies in Nigeria need to heed the demands of communities for compensation, consultation, and cleanup, lest they create more corporate refugees". Shell-shocked Refugees further exposes Royal Dutch Shell's role in forcing the Ogoni to flee Nigeria to a refugee camp in Benin. In October of 1998, Project Underground's Anne Rolfes went to Benin and conducted interviews with 33 of the refugees. "This report gives the refugees' stories," said Rolfes. "The men and women of the refugee camp tell of Shell's oil spills and blowouts on their land. When they protested, the military rampaged through their villages, often during midnight raids aimed at destroying the villages. The refugees have nothing to do all day now but remember the terror." ### -- Steve Kretzmann "You are the young wonder-tree plant, grown out of ruins" -African Folk Tale -- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
