This video presents ” Shell Blamed for ‘Cover-Up’ of Nigeria Oil Spills”:
- “According to a leading human rights group, the Shell Corporation has been covering up catastrophic oil spills in the Niger Delta by blaming them on sabotage by local people
- Amnesty International says those living there are suffering a “human rights tragedy” inflicted by decades of environmental damage caused in large part by Royal Dutch Shell
- Independent auditors estimate that up to 13 million barrels of oil have been spilled in the Delta, an amount equivalent to an Exxon Valdez disaster every year for 40 years
- Nigeria’s own watchdog reports that there are 2,000 current spills, the majority of them from Shell operations“
In the following letter, the Avaaz team is asking for our help:
- to urge the Members of Nigerian Parliament to:
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enforce the $5 billion fine against Shell to compensate the millions of people affected by the 2011 Bonga oil spill
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end oil impunity by endorsing the NOSDRA Amendment Bill that holds polluters accountable with clear penalties
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support a Petroleum Industry Bill with strong transparency, accountability and environmental provisions to reform Nigeria’s oil sector
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- Please click on the “Sign The Petition” banner in the Avaaz letter below to win justice for Nigeria’s people:
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Our call, delivered in Parliament and on TV, helped win this round!
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When we hit a million signers , the Avaaz team will bring our unprecedented global call to the steps of Nigeria’s Parliament
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Also, please send this email letter widely to build our numbers for the full vote just around the corner
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At the present time of this blog posting, 713,661 have signed the petition
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Please help us get to a million signers by signing the petition below in the following Avaaz letter:
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“Dear friends,
In days, Nigeria’s Parliament could approve a $5 billion fine against giant oil polluter Shell and set in motion a law that would hold oil companies to account for the first time ever. The President endorses the penalty, but Big Oil are lobbying MPs like crazy to vote against reform. Our voices can drown them out to win justice for Nigeria’s people. Join the urgent call now!  |
In days, Nigeria’s Parliament could approve a $5 billion fine against giant oil polluter Shell for a spill that devastated the lives of millions of people, and pass a law to hold all oil companies to account for polluting and plundering. This is a watershed moment, but unless we all speak out, oil giants will crush it.
Finally, Big Oil is having to pay for the wasteland and violence that they’ve created. President Jonathan supports the Shell fine, and progressive Senators are pushing for strong regulations, but oil companies are slick, and without huge international support MPs could buckle under the pressure.
Politicians are deciding their positions right now — sign the urgent petition for the Nigerian Parliament to fine Shell and support the bill, and then forward this to everyone — when we hit a million signers we’ll bring our unprecedented global call to the steps of Nigeria’s Parliament:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_shell_pay_rb/?bkyeWbb&v=19285
Experts say that every year Big Oil spills as much crude into the Niger Delta as an Exxon Valdez, but as it is Africa, it gets little media play. After a leak occurred at Shell’s Bonga oil facility last December, millions of gallons poured into the ocean and washed up on the densely populated coast — resulting in one of the largest African oil spills ever. The fine and bill on the table are a once in a lifetime chance to stand up to Big Oil.
Oil companies have made $600 billion in the last 50 years in Nigeria, but locals don’t see the benefits. Their land, drinking water and fishing grounds are ruined. And Shell has spent hundreds of millions of dollars a year on security forces, repressing protest against its harmful practices.
The oil industry is crucial to the economy, but companies have never been held to account for the devastation of drilling. Now, the Nigerian President and a few brave MPs are speaking out and they could finally slam the oil giants with tough fines and give fair pay outs to the victims. If we show MPs that the world supports these crucial steps, we can literally change the lives of millions. Click below to sign the urgent petition:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_shell_pay_rb/?bkyeWbb&v=19285
Avaazers have stood up to Big Oil all over the world, from Chevron in Ecuador, to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, to ending fossil fuel subsidies at the Rio Summit. Now let’s do it for Nigeria too. Make sure the politicians send a message to Big Oil: your days of impunity are over.
With hope and determination,
Pascal, Patricia, Alex, Ricken, David, Rewan, and the Avaaz team
Shell Faces $5 Billion Nigeria Fine (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303933704577532723563488122.html
Shell urged to pay Nigeria $5bn over Bonga oil spill (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18875731
Shell’s grip on Nigerian state revealed (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/08/wikileaks-cables-shell-nigeria-spying
U.N. slams Shell as Nigeria needs biggest ever oil clean-up (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/04/us-nigeria-ogoniland-idUSTRE7734MQ20110804
Nigeria: Oil spill investigations ‘a fiasco’ in the Niger Delta (Amnesty International)
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/nigeria-oil-spill-investigations-fiasco-niger-delta-2012-08-02 “
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