Oil contracts signed secretly in Uganda and exposed by PLATFORM will allow major oil companies to flare gas with impunity in the country’s Lake Alberta region on the border with Congo. As the New York Times reports:

“There are no provisions for fines or penalties in the event of an oil spill or other problems,” Mr. Lay said. “This is extraordinary given that companies will be operating in one of the regions with the greatest biodiversity in Africa.”

“Production is going to start in 2010 with no environmental assessment having yet been carried out,” said Platform’s researcher in Uganda, Taimour Lay. “Once we move to major production, the legal rights given to the companies to flare gas will lead to pollution, carbon emissions and local conflict, as has happened in Nigeria.” Mr. Lay added, “Under these Ugandan contracts, the government won’t even have the right to ask them to stop flaring.”

The contracts, known as Production Sharing Agreements, were kept secret until they were leaked to PLATFORM, and analysed in a new report produced by the Civil Society Coalition on Oil in Uganda.

Read more coverage of the report’s findings on the BBC News website and visit PLATFORM’s Carbon Web project for the full press release and further analysis.

Contact details for 176,000 employees and contractors of Royal Dutch Shell have been sent to environmental and human rights campaign groups, ostensibly by disaffected staff calling for a “peaceful corporate revolution” at the company.

The database, from Shell’s internal directory, gives names and telephone numbers for all the company’s workforce worldwide, including some home numbers used for business.

It was e-mailed with a 170-page covering note, explaining that it was being circulated by “116 concerned employees of Shell Oil dispersed throughout the USA, the UK, and the Netherlands”, to highlight the harm allegedly done by the company’s operations in Nigeria.

If substantiated, this leak could represent a major crisis of confidence in Shell’s Nigerian operations. Extracts from the cover email seen by PLATFORM express ‘disgust’ at Shell’s disregard for the environment and human rights in Nigeria, and outline solutions that could easily prevent some of the worst abuses.

Shell Nigeria to appear before Dutch court

Friends of the Earth and Nigerian farmers pleased with first success in lawsuit against Shell

Amsterdam, 30 December – Friends of the Earth Netherlands (in Dutch:
Milieudefensie) are pleased with the ruling from the court of The Hague.
Today, the court held that the Dutch court has jurisdiction over the
operations of Shell Nigeria. Friends of the Earth Netherlands together with
four farmers from Nigeria filed the lawsuit against both Shell Nigeria and
the Shell parent company in the Netherlands earlier this year in order to
expose the oil pollution in the Niger Delta. Shell asked the court to rule
that the Dutch court has no jurisdiction over Shell Nigeria. Given that
Shell has now lost this point, an important hurdle has been overcome, and
the ‘real’ lawsuit can begin.

The four Nigerian farmers, who initiated the lawsuit together with Friends
of the Earth Netherlands, come from three different villages. They have
been severely affected by oil that flowed from a leaking Shell pipeline and
polluted their farm lands and fish ponds. They demand that Shell clean up
the oil left in the soil and compensate them for the damage to the
environment and their possessions. They also want Shell to improve its
maintenance of the pipelines and facilities in the future.

Geert Ritsema, spokesperson of Friends of the Earth Netherlands: ‘For
years, these people have been trying to get Shell to clean up its mess and
stop polluting their habitat. However, again and again they have come away
empty handed. That is why they are now trying to get justice in the
Netherlands. The court decision is an initial victory for all Nigerians
that have been fighting for years for a cleaner habitat and justice.’

The plaintiffs are farmers and fishermen and come from the villages of
Oruma, Goi and Ikot Ada Udo, all three located in the oil-rich Niger Delta.
According to Friends of the Earth Netherlands, the oil spills are not
incidents but represent a pattern of systematic and serious pollution and
contempt for the rights of the local population that has been going on for
decades.

The substantive hearing of the first lawsuit is expected to be held in the
spring of 2010. The first lawsuit involves the oil spill in Oruma. As a
result of an oil spill from a high-pressure oil pipeline in June of 2005,
the fish ponds and farm land of plaintiff Alai Efanga are still unfit for
use today. It is no longer possible to grow fish; the drinking water has
also been seriously contaminated. Efanga: ‘Our village was pleased with the
decision of the Dutch court. We hope that Shell will now quickly clean up
the oil pollution so that we can resume growing food and fishing.’

For more information visit the Milieudefensie website.
Press information: + 31-6-29593873

Speakers are available in Nigeria, UK and Netherlands.

Find out more details about the case here, and read an article by Niger Delta activist and lawyer Chima Williams here.

As Nigerian villagers take Shell to court over huge oil spills, it’s time for the group to take responsibility for polluting practices

A court in The Hague considers on 3 December whether Shell can be held liable for alleged pollution in Nigeria, and a ruling is expected on 30 December. This case could set a precedent for corporations based in Europe that exploit lax environmental regulations and violate the rights of communities in the developing world.

In the village of Ikot Ada Udot, south-eastern Nigeria, a rusty complex of tubes pokes five feet out of the ground. A familiar sight to locals, it is known as the “Christmas tree”. But unlike its innocuous namesake, this “tree” is an abandoned oil wellhead owned by oil multinational Shell. According to environmentalists, the wellhead spewed toxic oil and gas into the land and fish ponds of local villagers for months in August 2006, and again in 2007. As of May 2008, the area around the Christmas tree was still heavily polluted and villagers remain destitute.

Read the rest of the article here.

Oil Multinational Charged in the Hague For Pollution in Nigeria
Tuesday 1 ^st December

Amsterdam & London – A unique court case, brought by four Nigerian victims of Shell oil spills, in conjunction with Friends of the Earth Netherlands, begins on Thursday 3^rd December in the court at The Hague. This is the first time in history that a Dutch company has been brought to trial before a Dutch court for damages abroad.

Villagers in Ikot Ada Udo survey the damage caused by a Shell well head that sprayed toxic oil and gas onto their farmland in August 2006 and August 2007.

The Nigerian farmers and fishers, who lost their livelihoods after oil
from leaking Shell pipelines streamed over their fields and fishing
ponds, are claiming compensation from the Anglo-Dutch oil giant. They also
want Shell to clean up the oil which remains in the land, so that they
can return to farming and fishing.

The four victims of the leaks are from three Nigerian villages.

They have subpoenaed both Shell’s subsidiary in Nigeria and Shell’s Dutch headquarters. They allege that as the result of Shell’s negligence,
agricultural lands have been devastated, drinking water polluted, fish
ponds made unusable and the environment and health of local people harmed.

Ogoni elder and plaintiff in the Shell oil spills case, Chief Barizaa

Shell denies all responsibility and contends that the Dutch court has no jurisdiction over its Nigerian subsidiary. Therefore, at Shell’s request, the court will first address the question of whether Shell Nigeria can be called to account before the Dutch court. Then it will consider whether the Shell parent company is liable for the pollution in Nigeria, something which the oil giant disputes.

Geert Ritsema of Milieudefensie said, ‘Shell earns billions in
profits. At the same time, the company does not comply with law, is
responsible for environmental pollution and harms the interests of
farmers and fishers in Nigeria, who have no other means of earning a
living. It is sad but predictable that Shell is resorting to legal technicalities to avoid taking responsibility for the environment.’

According to Milieudefensie, the oil leaks in the three Nigerian villages are not just isolated incidents. For the people of the Niger Delta, oil spills are a daily occurrence, part of Shell’s systematic routine of pollution and contempt for the rights of the local population over four decades.

Speaking on behalf of the victims in Nigeria, Lawyer Chima Williams of ERA, Milieudefensie’s Nigerian sister organisation, said: ‘These people have tried in many ways to get Shell to clean up the mess, but they have got nowhere. Now, as a last resort, they are trying to obtain justice in the Netherlands.’

Representatives of the Nigerian community in the Netherlands have announced that they will organise a courthouse rally in solidarity with the four Nigerian farmers during the legal proceedings on Thursday.

Contacts:

NL-

Press office Milieudefensie, (+31) 020 5507 333
Lawyer Chima Williams of ERA, (+31) 06 295 938 76 (only on Wednesday 2^nd and
Thursday 3^rd Dec)

UK-

Ben Amunwa, PLATFORM/remember saro-wiwa, (+44)7891454714, ben[at]remembersarowiwa.com.

‘Shaping the Future’: a PLATFORM residency programme of art, activism and education launched with a fiery spectacle at 5pm on Tuesday 10^th November at the Stephen Lawrence Centre in Lewisham, London. ‘Shaping the Future’ is led by the arts and ecology group PLATFORM, and speakers at the launch included the Mayor of Greenwich, Doreen Lawrence, (mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence), and Maria Saro-Wiwa, (widow of the Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa).

The ground breaking Living Memorial to Ken Saro-Wiwa lit up the night sky with a burst of fire, to highlight the ongoing campaign to stop oil companies, in particular Shell, flaring gas in Nigeria.

The Living Memorial takes the form of a two-tonne steel Bus, created by Sokari Douglas Camp CBE. It is the centrepiece of a new, year-long PLATFORM residency at the Stephen Lawrence Centre, that commences in 2010 and aims to inspire young people to learn creative ways of campaigning for change through workshops and collaborations with established global artists.

Doreen Lawrence of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust said, “Stephen Lawrence dreamed of becoming an architect, and making a positive impact on his community and the wider world. The Trust aims to empower young people to change their communities, both locally and globally. We are delighted to welcome the arts and campaigning group PLATFORM to take up a residency that will promote global awareness about environmental and social issues, and explore the vital role of creativity in bringing about social change.”

Ben Amunwa from PLATFORM said, “The oil fields of Nigeria are notorious for decades of pollution and toxic gas flaring on a massive scale. Fourteen years ago Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others were executed for their campaigning against those gas flares. We now know that gas flaring in Nigeria affect us all, by destroying the global climate. We are launching ‘Shaping the future’ to keep alive the struggle for justice, and to inform young people about their role as global citizens and about responding creatively to these urgent issues.”

C WORDS is an exhibition which tackles some of the most pressing issues of our time – this is climate change seen from the perspective of artists working within the global justice movement. It is about issues where global inequality, race and capitalism interlock.  The combined work of 60 artists, activists and campaigners results an exciting season of events at the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol.

As part of C WORDS on 7th November at 6.30pm, remember saro-wiwa joins forces with coalition partners African Writers Abroad for a night of poetry, performance that is ecclectic, Trans-Atlantic, inspired and dedicated to the memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa. The next day remember saro-wiwa hosts a discussion with guest speakers on the future of the oil-rich Niger Delta. We hope to see some of you there.

Event programme:

Saturday 7th November

No Condition is Permanent: an event by African Writers Abroad and remember saro-wiwa.

6.30pm – 8.30pm, Arnolfini Bristol, Gallery 3, free admission.

Poetry and performance with Dorothea Smartt, Simon Murray, Zena Edwards, Ross Martin, Edson Burton and others. Hosted by PLATFORM’s remember saro-wiwa project.

Join three performance poets and young writers, on intimate journeys that take you from the frontlines of climate injustice to radical hopes for a sustainable future. The event marks the 14th anniversary since the writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed by Nigerian government for his campaign against the impact of oil companies, in particular Shell, on the environment in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

Sunday 8th November

What’s the future of the Niger Delta?

2pm – 5pm

Arnolfini Bristol, Gallery 3, free admission.

Join a panel discussion with presentations from artist Sokari Douglas-Camp CBE, human rights campaigner Alice Ukoku, Stakeholder Democracy Network and remember saro-wiwa.

PLATFORM’s C Words exhibition highlights our uncomfortable dependence on Nigerian oil, asking the how can we respond, as artists and activists to the ongoing environmental devastation and injustice, corporate power and conflict? Where is the struggle for justice today, and what lies ahead for the region?

Speakers:

-Alice Ukoku is a campaigner from Delta State, who witnessed to the remarkable protest of hundreds of women who barricaded Shell’s office at Ogunu in July and August 2002 and managed to shut-in 25% of Nigeria’s oil production for 10 days, before the military forced the protestors from the site.

-Sokari Douglas-Camp CBE is a British artist of Nigerian origin and the creator of the groundbreaking Living Memorial to Ken Saro-Wiwa. She has worked with large-scale steel sculpture for over two decades. Short-listed for the Fourth Plinth in 2003, she currently exhibits nationally and internationally, including at the British Museum.

-Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) works to empower those worst affected by the activities of extractive industries in Nigeria and to help them to get a better deal.

-PLATFORM brings together artists, campaigners and researchers for projects driven by the need for social change. For over a decade, PLATFORM has been highlighted the social and environmental impact of the oil industry in key areas, including Nigeria.

MOBO award winning artist-activist NNEKA will play London’s ULU on 4th November, and when NNEKA sings, the outrage of the Niger Delta collides with hip-hop, Afrobeat and soul. The result is an outstanding performance that has made her music a huge success.

Her songs call for justice with an unforgettable voice. This is an act not to miss.

Visit her website for your free download and for a chance to win NNEKA concert tickets.

We hope to see some of you there!

My heart is beating?

Many times she sang those words, wrapping up the pain and endurance of Niger Deltans, for years she shook the wall of indifference around her, and finally, we were moved.

On 1st October, NNEKA was awarded this years’ MOBO (Music of Black Origin) prize for best African Artist. NNEKA is an artist of rare achievement, whose outspoken views about the exploitation of the oil-rich Niger Delta burns deep into her lyrics. Her music has lifted the Niger Delta struggle into powerful songs,  charging the airwaves of the BBC and the UK Top 40 with her politics.

Her story begins far away from the media spotlight in the oil-city of Warri, in the Niger Delta. A few years after she arrived on the European music scene she is now clocking up +1.5 million hits on her new music video, ‘Heartbeat’. NNEKA’s success has heightened her awareness of the development denied to her people in the Delta, in spite of the oil wealth extracted from the region.

A long-time supporter of the Niger Delta cause, and a headline artist at remember saro-wiwa events, NNEKA takes every opportunity to remind the West of the heavy cost of Nigerian oil, heaping criticism on the destructive impact of companies like Shell, Chevron and the Nigerian government.

As the BBC reports:

The singer says her influences include Nigeria’s iconic Afro-beat performer Fela Kuti as well more contemporary acts like a US rapper Mos Def.

She also cites Nigeria writer and human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa as an inspiration. Mr Saro-Wiwa was executed by the Sani Abacha government in 1995 for his efforts to campaign against corruption in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

“Stand up against; corruption, against injustice, against bribery and hypocrisy…….RAISE UR VOICES,” she says on her MySpace page.