Date: Tue, 14 Nov 1995 23:40:04 +0000
From: Road Alert! <roadalert@gn.apc.org>
The following is the text of a leaflet used at blockades of Shell petrol
stations last weekend, to be given out to potential=20
customers etc. Use / amend at will!
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KEN SARO-WIWA : MURDERED BY SHELL's SILENCE
OGONI PROTESTERS HUNG IN NIGERIA
THE NIGERIAN MILITARY GOVERNMENT COMMITTED THE "JUDICIAL MURDER" OF NINE
NIGERIAN=20
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTESTORS ON FRIDAY 10th NOVEMBER 1995. RESPECT AND
CONDOLENCES TO THE=20
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF : KEN SARO-WIWA, Dr BARINEN KIOBEL, JOHN KPUINEN,
BARIBOR BERA,=20
SATURDAY DOBEE, FELIX NUATE, NORDU EAWOH, PAUL LEVURAH, and DANIEL GBOKOO.
Who are the Ogoni?
The Ogoni people live in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The area is oi=
l
rich and provides 90% of the foreign income which=20
is used to prop up the undemocratic military regime.
What has Shell got to do with it?=20
For the last 30 years Shell have been exploiting the oil reserves, laying
pipelines through villages and causing on average 4 oil=20
spills per week. The once fertile land can no longer be farmed and the
rivers are coated in oil. Respiratory diseases have shot up=20
(sound familar?) and the Ogoni are now amongst the poorest people in Africa=
,
meanwhile Shell has extracted around =A3200=20
billion from the area.
What did the Ogoni think of all this then?
The Ogoni, with large input from the writer and environmentalist Ken Saro
Wiwa, founded MOSOP, - Movement for the=20
Survival of the Ogoni people, to protest at the treatment of the land and
the people by Shell.
Could this get in the way of business?
Just a little, Shell have their position in the market to think of, your ca=
r
runs on petrol and the Junta needs that oil money to buy=20
arms, (from UK PLC natch) to keep power. In May '94 Major Paul Okuntimo,
Head of Internal Security for the Ogoni region=20
called for "ruthless military operations" to allow Shell to recommence
drilling. A fair description of the displacement of 20,000=20
Ogoni, over 1,500 killed and 30 villages burnt to the ground.
Did Shell hang Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni protesters on Friday 10t=
h
Nov?
No, the Nigerian military regime did, on trumped up charges of murdering 4
of their own people. This in spite of an=20
international uproar, and total silence from Shell, who presumably had
something to say in a secret meeting with the Nigerian=20
government and military in March '95 to discuss a public relations strategy
(see the news) over the difficulties in Nigeria. Ken=20
Saro Wiwa, before he was hung, claimed Shell gives protection money to the
military.=20
Why should we boycott Shell?
If money is power, who are you giving your power and support to? It is
unacceptable to be shocked at these further killings,=20
and still give Shell your money. People not buying from Shell caused them t=
o
change their minds over littering oil rigs in the=20
ocean. While Shell shows us 'cars in the rolling country' adverts we can
show them that they must put people and the land=20
before profit.=20
BOYCOTT SHELL!