Action Alert: LETTERS NEEDED TO STOP THE BLOODSHED IN THE
> NIGER DELTA
>
>PLEASE CIRCULATE
>
>ACTION ALERT*****ACTION ALERT*****ACTION ALERT*****ACTION ALERT*****ACTION
>ALERT*****ACTION ALERT*****
>
> HELP STOP THE BLOODSHED IN THE NIGER DELTA,
> OIL COMPANY CRITICS TARGETTED BY MILITARY
>>
>>5 JANUARY, 1999
>>
>SUMMARY
>>
>>As many as 240 Ijaws have been reported killed by the security forces in
>>Nigeria over the past few days for non-violently protesting against oil
>>companies in the Niger Delta. Thousands of troops have been ordered into
>>Ijawland, targeting key environmental and human rights activists. Dozens
of
>>people have been imprisoned; thousands of civilians have fled the
violence.
>>Oil companies have continued operating behind the shield of the Nigerian
>>military.
>>
>>BACKROUND: THE KAIAMA DECLARATION
>>
>>After 40 years of environmental pollution, and little or compensation, the
>>Ijaw community mobilized against the oil companies late last year. Just
like
>>the Ogoni before them, the Ijaw demanded their rights to clean air, water
>>and land and the right to peaceful protest.
>>
>>On December 11, 1998, the Ijaw Youth Council issued the "KAIAMA
>>DECLARATION," a call for solidarity from groups around the world to join
the
>>Ijaw in a non-violent campaign for environmental justice targeting the oil
>>and gas companies operating on Ijaw land. The Ijaw had had enough and
asked
>>the companies to entinguish their flares and leave the Delta by midnight,
>>December 30, or they would shut down the oil fields.
>>
>>When the oil companies ignored their declaration, they launched "Operation
>>Climate Change" and last week shut down 40 percent of the gas flares and
oil
>>flowstations in Ijaw land. They want to make it 100 percent to send a
clear
>>message of protest to the industry with actions set to continue until
>>January 10th.
>>
>>But the response from the military has been brutal, with unconfirmed
reports
>>that 240 people have been killed. On December 30, 1998, the Military
>>Administrator of Bayelsa State of Nigeria, 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 military administrator
singled
>>out Chicoco (the pan-Niger Delta rights movement), Ijaw Youths Council and
>>the Egbesu Boys of Africa for unspecified "punishment."
>>
>>Though the state of emergency has since been lifted, it remains unlawful
to
>>peacefully assemble in the Niger Delta. Thousands of troops have been
massed
>>in towns such as Yenagoa, Brass and Warri, eerily reminiscent of the
brutal
>>Ogoni saga of 1993 in which thousnds were killed. In Ogoni, the oil
>>companies colluded with the military in silencing their critics.
Allegedly,
>>industry officials are privately urging a strong military response to the
>>Kaiama Declaration, too. We can expect more repression unless outside
>>pressure is placed on the Nigerian junta to stop killing peaceful
protestors
>>and the oil companies to call off their soldiers.
>>
>>OIL AND GAS: PROPPING UP THE MILITARY
>>
>>Oil giants like Shell, Chevron and Mobil are among those who drill and
>>export Nigeria's 2 million barrels of oil per day from the Niger Delta,
>>making billions in profits from the land of the Ijaw and other oppressed
>>minorities. Ninety percent of oil revenues goes directly to the
illegitimate
>>military junta. These companies are some of the most powerful financial
>>backers of the brutal military regime in Nigeria.
>>
>>WHAT YOU CAN DO
>>
>>The oil companies must hear from you if we are to get the Nigerian
>>dictatorship to listen to the pleas of the Ijaws, to stop the killings,
and
>>to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the crisis in the Niger Delta.
>>
>>Please write AT LEAST ONE of the following CEOs of the multinational oil
>>companies, and demand:
>>
>>1) That they immediately shut down their flow stations, oil wells, and gas
>>flares and begin discussions with the people to avoid unnecessary
conflict;
>>
>>2) Do all in their power to encourage the Nigerian military to peacefully
>>resolve this crisis in dialogue with the true leaders of the oppressed
>>ethnic minorities.
>>
>>******************************
>>Shell (please write the appropriate Shell office nearest you):
>>
>>Mr. Jack Little, President
>>Shell Oil
>>P.O. Box 2463
>>Houston, TX 77252
>>Tel: (800) 248-4257, Fax:(713) 241-4044
>>E-mail: <webmaster@shellus.com>
>>
>>Deutsche Shell
>>Ueberseering 35
>>D-22297 Hamburg, Germany
>>Tel.: 49-40-63240
>>Fax: 49-40-6321051
>>
>>Shell Nederland Verkoopmaatschappij B.V.
>>PO Box 1414
>>3000 DN Rotterdam
>>The Netherlands
>>Tel.: 31-10-469-6911
>>Fax: 31-10-411-6828
>><publicaffairs-sn@ope.shell.com>
>>
>>Shell INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM CO. LTD.
>>Shell CENTRE
>>LONDON SE1 7NA
>><customer.c.customerservice@ope.shell.com>
>>
>>**********************
>>
>>Kenneth T. Derr, Chairman and CEO
>>Chevron Corporation
>>575 Market St.
>>San Francisco, CA 94105-2856
>>Tel.: 415-894-7700
>>Fax: 415-894-0593
>><chevweb@chevron.com>
>>
>>***********************
>>
>>Lucio A. Noto, Chairman and CEO
>>Mobil Corporation
>>3225 Gallows Road
>>Fairfax, VA 22037
>>Tel.: 703-846-3000
>>Fax: 703-846-4669
>><customer_relations_ffx@email.mobil.com>
>>
>>***********************
>>
>>Peter I. Bijur, Chairman and CEO
>>Texaco
>>2000 Westchester Ave.
>>White Plains, NY 10650
>>Tel.: 914-253-4000
>>Fax: 914-253-7753
>><feedback@texaco.com>
>>
>>
>>*********************************
>>
>>Locally, you can get involved in various Nigeria solidarity groups. To
learn
>>more, or to join in the global call for a Nigerian Divestment campaign
>>(visit <http://www.seen.org> or send an e-mail to <dafna@tidalwave.net>
for
>>more details on how to get involved.
>>