> > Update on yesterday's Ogoni Day Occupation of Shell's London offices. > > Contents: > 1. News Release from London Activists > 2. Article from Environmental News Services > 3. Update from NoMoreShell UK webpage > > ------------------------------------------------- > 1. News Release from London Activists > ------------------------------------------------- > UKOOA > News release Tuesday, January 5, 1999 > Shell protest activists pledge to step up campaigns through 1999 > > Yesterday's protest at Shell-Mex House in the Strand, London, ended with > the environmental and human rights activists released without charge and > pledging to continue challenging corporate hegemony. Police ejected the > protesters from the building for a second time today as they leafleted > Shell workers in the building's foyer. > > The action on January 4 involved a dozen smartly dressed anti-corporate > executives breaching security to enter the building. They then > barricaded themselves into top management offices including those of the > new Shell-UK boss Malcolm Brinded and outgoing boss Chris Fay. From the > offices the protesters used a lap-top computer and mobile phone to relay > live pictures and updates of the protest to a Shell-style website at > <http://www.kemptown.org/shell> > After 6 hours, riot police smashed through the office walls and arrested > all the protesters. > > The activists described the protest as an act of solidarity with > indigenous resistance to Shell in Nigeria. The protesters in London > demanded compliance with the demands of the Ijaw ethnic group for Shell > to leave their traditional lands and for an end to corporate-backed > military repression. Chris Fay refused to negotiate with the activists > and called the Ijaw demands 'irrational.' > > Killings of Niger Delta activists by soldiers were reported yesterday by > Nigerian based groups Environmental Rights Action and ND-HERO as having > reached 240 since the New Year. The killings follow an increase of > direct action in the Niger Delta over the last 2 years by youths angry > at the continuing poverty of the oil-rich areas and the pollution caused > by oil companies's outdated equipment and negligent performance. > > 500 Ijaw communities from across the Niger Delta had issued the Kaiama > Declaration on 11 December 1998 giving Shell, Chevron and other > transnationals until 30 December 1998 to leave their land - or face > eviction. Military Administrator of Bayelsa State, Lt. Col Paul Obi, > declared a State of Emergency, suspending all civil liberties and > imposing a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the entire state, the first such > declaration since the Biafra-Nigeria civil war. > > They Ijaws launched Operation Climate Change on January 1, 1999, saying > that activists would shut down oil flow stations and their polluting gas > flares between January 1 and 10. Thousands of troops have now been sent > to smash occupations of oil installations, disperse rallies and provide > a military shield for continued oil production across the Delta. > > The activists in London chose the first day of work in the last year > before the new Millenium to send a message to corporations that 1999 > will be a year of increased globalisation of protest. Activists said > that the Shell protest gave a foretaste of direct action to come. A > spokesperson said yesterday, "We mean business. This is the turning > point that will see the end of corporate dominance." > For further information, contact (+44) (0) 958 795198, or DELTA on (+44) > (0) 116 270 9616 or (+44) (0) 181 806 2253. Visit > <http://www.kemptown.org/shell>www.kemptown.org/shell for more details > and images of the protest. > > ends
Update on yesterday's Ogoni Day Occupation of Shell's London offices. Contents: 1. News Release from London Activists 2. Article from Environmental News Services 3. Update from NoMoreShell UK webpage ------------------------------------------------- 1. News Release from London Activists ------------------------------------------------- UKOOA News release Tuesday, January 5, 1999 Shell protest activists pledge to step up campaigns through 1999 Yesterday's protest at Shell-Mex House in the Strand, London, ended with the environmental and human rights activists released without charge and pledging to continue challenging corporate hegemony. Police ejected the protesters from the building for a second time today as they leafleted Shell workers in the building's foyer. The action on January 4 involved a dozen smartly dressed anti-corporate executives breaching security to enter the building. They then barricaded themselves into top management offices including those of the new Shell-UK boss Malcolm Brinded and outgoing boss Chris Fay. From the offices the protesters used a lap-top computer and mobile phone to relay live pictures and updates of the protest to a Shell-style website at <http://www.kemptown.org/shell> After 6 hours, riot police smashed through the office walls and arrested all the protesters. The activists described the protest as an act of solidarity with indigenous resistance to Shell in Nigeria. The protesters in London demanded compliance with the demands of the Ijaw ethnic group for Shell to leave their traditional lands and for an end to corporate-backed military repression. Chris Fay refused to negotiate with the activists and called the Ijaw demands 'irrational.' Killings of Niger Delta activists by soldiers were reported yesterday by Nigerian based groups Environmental Rights Action and ND-HERO as having reached 240 since the New Year. The killings follow an increase of direct action in the Niger Delta over the last 2 years by youths angry at the continuing poverty of the oil-rich areas and the pollution caused by oil companies's outdated equipment and negligent performance. 500 Ijaw communities from across the Niger Delta had issued the Kaiama Declaration on 11 December 1998 giving Shell, Chevron and other transnationals until 30 December 1998 to leave their land - or face eviction. Military Administrator of Bayelsa State, Lt. Col Paul Obi, declared a State of Emergency, suspending all civil liberties and imposing a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the entire state, the first such declaration since the Biafra-Nigeria civil war. They Ijaws launched Operation Climate Change on January 1, 1999, saying that activists would shut down oil flow stations and their polluting gas flares between January 1 and 10. Thousands of troops have now been sent to smash occupations of oil installations, disperse rallies and provide a military shield for continued oil production across the Delta. The activists in London chose the first day of work in the last year before the new Millenium to send a message to corporations that 1999 will be a year of increased globalisation of protest. Activists said that the Shell protest gave a foretaste of direct action to come. A spokesperson said yesterday, "We mean business. This is the turning point that will see the end of corporate dominance." For further information, contact (+44) (0) 958 795198, or DELTA on (+44) (0) 116 270 9616 or (+44) (0) 181 806 2253. Visit <http://www.kemptown.org/shell>www.kemptown.org/shell for more details and images of the protest. ends ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
