Shell Oil

[Vaska]

Just as I was to call it quits for the day....  About Shell Oil and Nigeria:
a few years ago, the company lent its security forces to the local
government to put down a popular isurrection.  Don't know how many people
were shot dead on that occasion.  The Nigerian junta has now set its sights
on Wole Soyinka, another writer to be hounded by the regime.  I'll be glad
to send a note to the Minister of the Environment.  I'm just wondering why
the message should go to the B.C. rather than the federal minister.  

Vaska

>O.K. I've thought long and hard on the idea of using the list as a
>forum for political issues but two things swayed my decision to do so:
>Shell makes an interesting appearance in Gravity's Rainbow, and
>really messes up the idea that a war has sides and all that.

[snip]

>So, here goes:
>A plea came through the Queen's English department list regarding Shell
>Oil.  Seems they've been nominated by the World Wildlife Fund for their
>progressive environmental policies.  However, to quote from the sender:
>"as the WWF filled out the forms for this nomination, nineteen
>Ogoni activists were likely being tortured in a Nigerian jail.  Their
>
>
>
>crime was protesting Shell for extracting oil from their tribal
>homelands."
>Furthermore, two years ago, on Nov 10/95, Mr. Sara-Wiwa (nominee
>for the Nobel Peace Prize) and 8 other Ogoni activists were executed
>by the military dictatorship in Nigeria.  They died leading
>a peaceful protest against Shell's destruction of Ogoni land in
>Nigeria. (Forty per cent of the dictatorship's revenue comes from
>Shell Nigeria.)
>So, if we award Shell Canada we will be awarding the actions of Shell U.K.,
>ignoring the fate of the 19 activists now in jail.
>A plea has gone out to the international community to condemn Shell Oil;
>while Shell rebuilds its environmental reputation, Ogoni people
>are imprisoned for protesting the drilling and exploring of their land.
>If you can spare a minute, send a note to the B.C. Minister of the
>Environment (Cathy McGregor)
>Parliament Buildings, Victoria British Columbia V8V 1X4 Canada
>
>----------geoboundary--
>