Info For You Lot Ogoni People: Aboriginal Nigerian Fossil Oil Rich Niger Delta Persecuted Tribe That Never Lost A Sole To Slavery

“The military machine dictatorship holds downward oil-producing areas such equally Ogoni past times military machine decrees as well as the threat or actual utilisation of physical violence so that Shell tin can wage its ecological state of war without hindrance… This cozy, if criminal, human relationship was perceived to live rudely disrupted past times the non-violent struggle of the Ogoni people nether MOSOP. The allies decided to bloody the Ogoni inwards monastic tell to halt their instance from spreading through the oil-rich Niger Delta.”
– Ken Saro-Wiwa’s closing argument at the trial of the Ogoni 9

The environmental costs of the oil exploration have got been as well as soundless are, really high. The agricultural as well as line-fishing communities experienced huge oil spills as well as pollution of drinking water, line-fishing grounds as well as farmlands. Large flares burnt gas from the oil extraction process, illuminating the heaven twenty-four hr menstruum as well as nighttime as well as polluting the air. The 1970's brought increasing activity from the oil companies, claiming to a greater extent than infinite inwards an already crowded territory, as well as resulting inwards a deteriorating surroundings as well as inwards decreasing crop yields as well as fish catches.

Religion
The Ogoni people believe as well as worship a Supreme Deity as well as creator called Waa Bari. Ogoni people regards Waa Bari equally a woman somebody God. Her role as well as seat stems from traditional thinking nearly inventiveness as well as motherhood. According to Paul Bedey:
"… the Ogoni people have got the implicit belief that this woman somebody creator resides inwards the basis as well as that human being as well as all animals as well as plants are created out of the earth. All libations as well as incarnation to Waa Bari are poured on the basis as well as it is believed she receives it equally the vino or H2O sinks downward into the earth. The dead are buried inwards the basis to homecoming to Waa Bari Ogoni from where they come. It is clear inwards the traditional belief of the people that Waa Bari Ogoni is omnipotent as well as omniscient ."

Ogoni (Eleme) missy dancing

The Earth on which they alive as well as the rivers that surround them are really of import to the Ogoni people. They non only provided plenty food, they are also believed to live a god as well as are worshiped equally such.
This explains why the Ogoni people have got so many difficulties with the degradation of the surroundings equally a outcome of oil pollution.

Ogoni people

The fruit of the land, especially yams, are honoured inwards festivals. The annual festival of the Ogoni people is held during the menstruum of the yam harvest.
The planting flavor is non simply a menstruum of agricultural activity, but it is a spiritual, religious as well as social occasion. 'Tradition' inwards Ogoni agency inwards the local natural language (doonu kuneke) the honouring of the land. The Ogoni people believe that the soul of every human beingness has the powerfulness to exit its human shape as well as come inwards into that of an animal, taking on the shape of that animal. These characteristics demo that nature is really of import for the Ogoni people.

OGONI PEOPLE

OGONI FESTIVALS
Socially, the Ogoni is endowed with a large diverseness of cultural practices. These include masks as well as masquerades, human figure representation of the ancestors, equally maybe used inwards Ka-elu performances as well as the puppet shows which are performed exclusively past times the Amanikpo Society. Majority of these cultural performances inwards this relatively little part are extraordinarily varied. Most if non all, Ogoni villages have got their ain festivals, some of long standing, others introduced inside living memory. The festivals are mainly held to commemorate the founding of the villages, to pay allegiance to particular ancestral Earth or H2O spirits, to grade the planting as well as harvesting seasons, for the fertility deity, to recognize the taking of titles, to restore peace inwards troubled community, to maintain cohesion inside social groupings as well as for full general entertainment.
The Karikpo Mask/Masquerade
Of all their known festivals as well as masquerades, the mask style for which the Ogoni are in all probability most renowned is the 1 called Karikpo. The Marikpo mask represents animals as well as is worn on the front end of the human face past times men as well as boys. It is used for vigorous acrobatic play, performed originally during planting as well as harvesting seasons for fertility, novel yam festivals, as well as burial ceremonies of members as well as late for Christmas as well as New twelvemonth celebrations, including reception for a distinguished invitee or an illustrious son. The masquerade

The Ogoni are renown for their carved masks as well as traditional dancers are an of import component of many ceremonies inwards Bodo. Shown hither are members of the Kanutete cultural trip the low-cal fantastic toe grouping inwards 2002.

Performance is believed, especially inwards Khana to have got originated inwards a sure community known equally Bien-Gwara. Although in that location may non live substantial proof to this, but it is believed the community’s interaction with the Ibibios of Akwa Ibom State, where Ekpo mask has its provenance, may have got influenced its adaptation as well as modification hence its call Kari (Carved) Kpo (Ekpo). Membership into the Karikpo Society does non require an elaborate ritual or initiation, but an intending fellow member is made to furnish items similar a bottle of gin, palm wine, a plate of oiled fish. These would live eaten past times the members who as well as so accepts him equally one
of them

                               Ogoni chiefs
(Otuka, V. 2007, ‘Karikpo masquerade of the Ogoni’, The Guardian (Nigeria)
website, fourteen July http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/life_style/article18/140707 – – Accessed 14
Nov 2007 – Attachment 4).

Human Rights Violations
The Ogoni people have got been victims of human right violations for many years. In 1956, 4 years before Nigerian Independence, Royal Dutch/Shell inwards collaboration with the British authorities found a commercially feasible oil patch on the Niger Delta as well as began oil production inwards 1958. In a 15 twelvemonth menstruum from 1976-1991 in that location were reportedly 2, 976 oil spills of nearly 2.1 1000000 barrels of oil inwards Ogoniland accounting for nearly 40% of the total oil spills of the Royal Dutch/Shell fellowship worldwide. In an assessment of over 200 locations inwards Ogoniland done past times the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), they found that the 50 years of oil production inwards the part extended deeper than some may have got predicted. Because of oil spills, oil flaring, as well as waste matter discharge, the 1 time alluvial soil of the Niger Delta is no longer feasible for agricultural utilisation as well as attributes to broad spread Earth degradation. Furthermore, many areas which seemed to live unaffected, groundwater tested to have got high levels of hydrocarbons or were contaminated with benzene a carcinogen at 900 levels to a higher identify WHO guilelines. UNEP estimated that it could choose upwards to 30 years to rehabilitate Ogoniland to its total potential as well as that the firstly 5 years of rehabilitation would require funding of nearly http billion dollars U.S. In 2012, the electrical current Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Alison-Madueke, announced the establishment of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, which intends to follow the UNEP study suggestions of Ogoniland to forestall farther degradation.

                                Ogoni woman,Esther Kiobel

In 1990 nether the leadership of activist as well as environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Movement of the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) planned to choose activity against the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the oil companies. In Oct 1990, MOSOP presented The Ogoni Bill of Rights, to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Bill hoped to gain political as well as economical autonomy for the Ogoni people, leaving them inwards command of the natural resources of Ogoniland as well as to protect the surroundings from farther Earth degradation. In 1993, next protests that were designed to halt contractors from laying a novel pipeline for Shell, the Mobile Police Force men (MPF) raided the expanse to quell the unrest. In the chaos that followed, it has been alleged that 27 villages were raided, resulting inwards the decease of 2,000 Ogoni people as well as displacement of 80,000

                                  Ogoni man,Ken Saro-Wiwa jnr,son of famous Ken Saro Wiwa
Source:http://logbaby.com/encyclopedia/history-and-culture-_14010.html#.UemHKEHVAnw

 KEN BEESON SARO-WIWA: THE OGONI MIGHTY HERO
Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa (10 Oct 1941 – 10 Nov 1995) was a Nigerian writer, tv set producer, environmental activist, as well as winner of the Right Livelihood Award as well as the Goldman Environmental Prize. Saro-Wiwa was a fellow member of the Ogoni people, an ethnic minority inwards Nigeria whose homeland, Ogoniland, inwards the Niger Delta has been targeted for unsmooth oil extraction since the 1950s as well as which has suffered extreme environmental harm from decades of indiscriminate stone oil waste matter dumping.

Initially equally spokesperson, as well as and so equally President, of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Saro-Wiwa led a nonviolent get against environmental degradation of the Earth as well as waters of Ogoniland past times the operations of the multinational stone oil industry, especially the Royal Dutch Shell company. He was also an outspoken critic of the Nigerian government, which he viewed equally reluctant to enforce environmental regulations on the unusual stone oil companies operating inwards the area.

Ken Saro-Wiwa

At the peak of his non-violent campaign, Saro-Wiwa was arrested, hastily tried past times a special military machine tribunal, as well as hanged inwards 1995 past times the military machine authorities of General Sani Abacha, all on charges widely viewed equally solely politically motivated as well as completely unfounded. His execution provoked international outrage as well as resulted inwards Nigeria's interruption from the Commonwealth of Nations for over iii years.

                                          Ken with his begetter as well as sons

Early life

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 boy of Ogoni chieftain Jim Wiwa, Ken was born inwards Bori, inwards the Niger Delta. He spent his childhood inwards an Anglican identify as well as eventually proved himself to live an splendid student; he attended secondary schoolhouse at Government College Umuahia as well as on completion obtained a scholarship to study English linguistic communication at the University of Ibadan as well as briefly became a teaching assistant at the University of Lagos.

Ken Saro-Wiwa`s mother

However, he shortly took upwards a authorities send service equally the Civilian Administrator for the port urban center of Bonny inwards the Niger Delta, as well as during the Nigerian Civil War was a strong supporter of the federal get against the Biafrans. His best known novel, Sozaboy: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Novel inwards Rotten English, tells the story of a naive hamlet man child recruited to the regular army during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970, as well as intimates the political corruption as well as patronage inwards Nigeria's military machine regime of the time. Saro-Wiwa's state of war diaries, On a Darkling Plain, document his experience during the war. He was also a successful human being of affairs as well as tv set producer. His satirical tv set series, Basi & Company, was wildly popular, with an estimated audience of 30 1000000 Nigerians.

In the early on 1970s Saro-Wiwa served equally the Regional Commissioner for Education inwards the Rivers State Cabinet, but was dismissed inwards 1973 because of his back upwards for Ogoni autonomy. In the belatedly 1970s, he established a number of successful occupation organisation ventures inwards retail as well as real-estate, as well as during the 1980s concentrated primarily on his writing, journalism as well as tv set production.

                                         Ken Saro-Wiwa as well as his junior blood brother with their father,Pa Beesom

 His intellectual operate was interrupted inwards 1987 when he re-entered the political scene, appointed past times the newly installed dictator Ibrahim Babangida to assistance the country's transition to democracy. But Saro-Wiwa shortly resigned because he felt Babangida's supposed plans for a homecoming to republic were disingenuous. Saro-Wiwa's sentiments were proven right inwards the coming years, equally Babangida failed to relinquish power. In 1993, Babangida annulled Nigeria's full general elections that would have got transferred powerfulness to a civilian government, sparking volume civil unrest as well as eventually forcing him to stair down, at to the lowest degree officially, that same year.

Noo Saro-Wiwa, missy of the human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed inwards Nigeria inwards 1995. Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian

Activism

In 1990, Saro-Wiwa began devoting most of his fourth dimension to human rights as well as environmental causes, peculiarly inwards Ogoniland. He was 1 of the earliest members of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), which advocated for the rights of the Ogoni people. The Ogoni Bill of Rights, written past times MOSOP, set out the movement's demands, including increased autonomy for the Ogoni people, a fair part of the proceeds of oil extraction, as well as remediation of environmental harm to Ogoni lands. In particular, MOSOP struggled against the degradation of Ogoni lands past times Shell oil company.

In 1992, Saro-Wiwa was imprisoned for several months, without trial, past times the Nigerian military machine government.

Saro-Wiwa was Vice Chair of Unrepresented Nations as well as Peoples Organization (UNPO) General Assembly from 1993 to 1995. UNPO is an international, nonviolent, as well as democratic organisation (of which MOSOP is a member). Its members are indigenous peoples, minorities, as well as unrecognised or occupied territories who have got joined together to protect as well as promote their human as well as cultural rights, to preserve their environments as well as to regain nonviolent solutions to conflicts which carry on them.

In Jan 1993, MOSOP organized peaceful marches of about 300,000 Ogoni people – to a greater extent than than one-half of the Ogoni population – through 4 Ogoni centres, drawing international attending to his people's plight. The same twelvemonth the Nigerian authorities occupied the part militarily.

Arrest as well as execution

Saro-Wiwa was arrested 1 time again as well as detained past times Nigerian authorities inwards June 1993, but was released after a month. On 21 May 1994 4 Ogoni chiefs (all on the conservative side of a schism inside MOSOP over strategy) were brutally murdered. Saro-Wiwa had been denied entry to Ogoniland on the twenty-four hr menstruum of the murders, but he was arrested as well as accused of incitement to them.

 He denied the charges, but was imprisoned for over a twelvemonth before beingness found guilty as well as sentenced to decease past times a specially convened tribunal. The same happened to other MOSOP leaders: (Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, as well as John Kpuine).

Ken Saro-Wiwa`s father,Pa Beesom: Before his death, Mr Saro-Wiwa's father, Pa Beesom, refused to encounter a committee investigating the hangings. "There's no point," he said. "They cannot choose my boy back."

Nearly all of the defendants' lawyers resigned inwards protestation against the trial's cynical rigging past times the Abacha regime. The resignations left the defendants to their ain agency against the tribunal, which continued to choose witnesses to prove against Saro-Wiwa as well as his peers. Many of these supposed witnesses later admitted that they had been bribed past times the Nigerian authorities to back upwards the criminal allegations. At to the lowest degree 2 witnesses who testified that Saro-Wiwa was involved inwards the murders of the Ogoni elders later recanted, stating that they had been bribed with money as well as offers of jobs with Shell to give imitation testimony – inwards the presence of Shell’s lawyer.

The trial was widely criticised past times human rights organizations and, one-half a twelvemonth later, Ken Saro-Wiwa received the Right Livelihood Award  for his courage equally good equally the Goldman Environmental Prize

Very few observers were surprised when the tribunal declared a "guilty" verdict, but most were shocked that the penalty would live decease past times hanging for all ix defendants. Many were sceptical that the punishments would genuinely occur, equally the Nigerian authorities would human face international outrage as well as possible sanctions as well as other legal activity should the penalties live carried out. But on 10 Nov 1995, Saro-Wiwa as well as 8 other MOSOP leaders (the "Ogoni Nine") were killed past times hanging at the hands of military machine personnel. According to most accounts, Saro-Wiwa was the in conclusion to live hanged as well as so was forced to sentinel the decease of his colleagues. Information on the circumstances of Saro-Wiwa's ain decease are unclear, but it is to a greater extent than often than non agreed that multiple attempts were required before he died.

In his satirical slice Africa Kills Her sun firstly published inwards 1989, Saro-Wiwa inwards a resigned, melancholic mood foreshadowed his ain execution: this came to give few years later on 10 Nov 1995 when he was hanged past times the as well as so military machine regime.

His decease provoked international outrage as well as the immediate interruption of Nigeria from the Commonwealth of Nations, equally good equally the calling dorsum of many unusual diplomats for consultation. The U.S.A. as well as other countries considered imposing economical sanctions on Nigeria.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 memorial to Saro-Wiwa was unveiled inwards London on 10 Nov 2006. It consists of a sculpture inwards the shape of a bus, as well as was created past times Nigerian-born creative somebody Sokari Douglas Camp. It toured the Great Britain the next year.

Family lawsuits against Royal Dutch Shell

Beginning inwards 1996, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), EarthRights International (ERI), Paul Hoffman of Schonbrun, DeSimone, Seplow, Harris & Hoffman as well as other human rights attorneys have got brought a serial of cases to withdraw hold Shell accountable for alleged human rights violations inwards Nigeria, including summary execution, crimes against humanity, torture, inhumane handling as well as arbitrary arrest as well as detention. The lawsuits are brought against Royal Dutch Shell as well as Brian Anderson, the caput of its Nigerian operation.

The cases were brought nether the Alien Tort Statute, a 1789 statute giving non-U.S. citizens the right to file suits inwards U.S. courts for international human rights violations, as well as the Torture Victim Protection Act, which allows individuals to seek damages inwards the U.S. for torture or extrajudicial killing, regardless of where the violations choose place.

The U.S.A. District Court for the Southern District of New York set a trial appointment of June 2009. On nine June 2009 Shell agreed to an out-of-court settlement of $15.5 1000000 USD to victims' families. However, the fellowship denied whatever liability for the deaths, stating that the payment was component of a reconciliation process. In a argument given after the settlement, Shell suggested that the money was beingness provided to the relatives of Saro-Wiwa as well as the 8 other victims, inwards monastic tell to comprehend the legal costs of the instance as well as also inwards recognition of the events that took identify inwards the region. Some of the funding is also expected to live used to prepare a evolution trust for the Ogoni people, who inhabit the Niger Delta part of Nigeria. The settlement was made simply days before the trial, which had been brought past times Ken Saro-Wiwa's son, was due to set about inwards New York.

                                     Ken Saro-wiwa jnr, boy of ken Saro-wiwa

Biographies

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 biography, In the Shadow of a Saint: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Son's Journey to Understanding His Father's Legacy, was written past times his son, journalist Ken Wiwa. Published inwards September 2005, shortly before the 10th anniversary of Saro-Wiwa's execution, Canadian author J. Timothy Hunt's The Politics of Bones documented the flying of Saro-Wiwa's blood brother Owens Wiwa, after his brother's execution as well as his ain imminent arrest, to London as well as and so on to Canada, where he is straightaway a citizen as well as continues his brother's create out on behalf of the Ogoni people. Moreover, it is also the story of Owens' personal battle against the Nigerian authorities to locate his brother's remains after they were buried inwards an unmarked mass-grave. Ken Saro-Wiwa's ain diary, Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Month as well as a Day: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Detention Diary, was published inwards Jan 1995, 2 months after his execution. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 volume of essays nearly him entitled Before I Am Hanged: Ken Saro-Wiwa, Literature, Politics, as well as Dissent was published past times Africa World Press inwards Dec 1999. More data on the struggles of the Ogoni people tin can live found inwards the volume Ogoni's Agonies: Ken Saro-Wiwa as well as the Crisis inwards Nigeria (ISBN 0-86543-647-9).

Bibliography[edit]

—— (1973). Tambari. Ikeja: Longman Nigeria. ISBN 978-0-582-60135-2.

—— (1985). Songs inwards a Time of War. Port Harcourt: Saros. ISBN 978-978-2460-00-4.

—— (1986). Sozaboy: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Novel inwards Rotten English. Port Harcourt: Saros. ISBN 978-978-2460-02-8.

—— (1987). Mr. B. Port Harcourt: Saros. ISBN 978-1-870716-01-7.

—— (1987). Basi as well as Company: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Modern African Folktale. Port Harcourt, Nigeria: Saros. ISBN 978-1-870716-00-0.

—— (1987). Basi as well as Company: Four Television Plays. Port Harcourt, Nigeria: Saros. ISBN 978-1-870716-03-1.

—— (1988). Prisoners of Jebs. Port Harcourt [u.a.]: Saros. ISBN 978-1-870716-02-4.

—— (1989). Adaku & Other Stories. London: Saros International. ISBN 1-870716-10-8.

—— (1989). Four Farcical Plays. London: Saros International. ISBN 1-870716-09-4.

—— (1989). On a Darkling Plain: An Account of the Nigerian Civil War. Epsom: Saros. ISBN 1-870716-11-6.

—— (1992). Genocide inwards Nigeria: The Ogoni Tragedy. London: Saros. ISBN 1-870716-22-1.

—— (1995). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Forest of Flowers: Short Stories. Burnt Mill, Harlow, Essex, England: Longman. ISBN 978-0-582-27320-7.

—— (1995). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Month as well as a Day: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Detention Diary. New York, N.Y.: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-025914-8.

—— (1996). Lemona's Tale. London: Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-026086-1.

——; Adinoyi-Ojo, Onukaba (2005). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Bride for Mr B. London: Saros. ISBN 1-870716-26-4.

In pop culture

The Life & Death of Ken Saro-Wiwa: a history of the struggle for judge inwards the Niger Delta
The occupation organisation human relationship given hither is based on a previous document published past times Project Underground. Shell started producing oil inwards the Delta inwards 1958. In 1970 the firstly seeds of the electrical current conflict were sown when Ogoni Chiefs handed a petition to the local Military Governor complaining nearly Shell, as well as so operating a articulation venture with BP. According to the petition, the fellowship was “seriously threatening the well-being, as well as fifty-fifty the really lives” of the Ogoni. That twelvemonth in that location was a major blow-out at the Bomu oilfield inwards Ogoni. It continued for iii weeks, causing widespread pollution as well as outrage.
By the eighties other communities were get-go to protest. The Iko people wrote to Shell inwards 1980 demanding “compensation as well as restitution of our rights to create clean air, H2O as well as a feasible surroundings where nosotros tin can source for our agency of livelihood.” Two years later, when the Iko organised a peaceful rally against Shell, the fellowship called the police.
In 1987, when the Iko 1 time once again held a peaceful demonstration against Shell, the notorious Mobile Police Force (MPF), locally known equally “kill-and-go” was called. xl houses were destroyed as well as 350 people were made homeless past times the MPF’s attack.

In August 1990, the Ogoni elders signed the Ogoni Bill of Rights, which called for “political command of Ogoni affairs past times Ogoni people, command as well as utilisation of Ogoni economical resources for Ogoni development, adequate as well as direct representation equally of right for Ogoni people inwards all Nigerian national institutions as well as the right to protect the Ogoni surroundings as well as ecology from farther degradation”. That twelvemonth the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), a non-violent activity group, was formed. Community protests against Shell continued to spread across the Delta. Next was the turn of the Etche at Umuechem.
In response to a peaceful demonstration, Shell specifically requested the presence of the MPF, who later massacred upwards to lxxx people as well as destroyed nearly 500 homes. The community submission to the official enquiry into the disaster argued that Shell’s “drilling operations have got had serious adverse effects on the Umuechem people who are predominantly farmers …Their farmlands are covered past times oil spillage/blow-out as well as rendered unsuitable for farming”.
 Anti-Shell protests spread to other communities including the Omudiogo, Ogbia, Igbide, Izon, Irri, Uzure, as well as Ijaw.

By the early on nineties, the Ogoni, led past times Saro-Wiwa, were get-go to seek international assist for their plight. By now, Saro-Wiwa, who was primarily an author as well as businessman, was spending to a greater extent than as well as to a greater extent than of his fourth dimension abroad, including inwards the United States of America as well as Europe, drumming upwards back upwards for the Ogoni. In August 1991, precisely a twelvemonth after firstly beingness signed, the Ogoni Bill of Rights was amended to authorize MOSOP to brand an appeal to the international community for assistance, after they had received no reply from the Nigerian military machine government.
In July 1992, Saro-Wiwa addressed the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Peoples inwards Geneva. “I speak on behalf of the Ogoni people. You volition forgive me if I am somewhat emotional nearly this matter. I am Ogoni … Petroleum was discovered inwards Ogoni inwards 1958 as well as since as well as so an estimated 100 billion dollars worth of oil as well as gas has been carted away from Ogoniland. In homecoming for this the Ogoni people have got received nothing.”

As component of his evidence to the United Nations Working Group, Saro-Wiwa submitted the Ogoni Bill of Rights as well as a novel volume he had published, called “Genocide inwards Nigeria: The Ogoni Tragedy.” In  the book, Saro-Wiwa wrote nearly how he had watched helplessly equally the Ogoni had “been gradually basis to dust past times the combined travail of the multi-national oil company, Shell Petroleum Development Company, the murderous ethnic bulk inwards Nigeria as well as the country’s military machine dictatorships”. He wrote of Shell’s double standards, comparison the standards of its Nigerian operations to its European ones. Because of this, as well as the carry on oil was having on the Ogoni, he accused Shell of genocide as well as racism.
By the Autumn of 1992 the Ogoni were gearing upwards their get against the oil industry. In Oct Saro-Wiwa was inwards London again. “It’s simply going to acquire worse, unless the international community intervenes”, he warned15. The next calendar month on 3 December, MOSOP presented its demands to those oil companies operating inwards Ogoniland, including Shell, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as Chevron. The companies had to pay back-royalties as well as compensation inside 30 days or quit Ogoniland.

                                            Ken Saro-Wiwa jnr
Ogoni Day – Saro-Wiwa’s Execution
But of course of study the oil companies did non quit. So the 4th Jan 1993, some 300,000 Ogoni celebrated the Year of Indigenous Peoples past times peacefully protesting against Shell's activities as well as the environmental devastation of Ogoniland. It remains the largest demonstration against an oil fellowship ever. “We have got woken upwards to regain our lands devastated past times agents of decease called oil companies. Our atmosphere has been totally polluted, our lands degraded, our waters contaminated, our trees poisoned, so much so that our flora as well as fauna have got virtually disappeared”, said an Ogoni leader to the crowd17. 4th Jan became known equally Ogoni Day. Leaked minutes of meetings held past times Shell the next calendar month dot that the fellowship was
worried past times the protests. The minutes demo that Shell departments inwards London as well as Nigeria were “to hold each other to a greater extent than closely informed to ensure that movements of key players, what they say as well as to whom is to a greater extent than effectively monitored to avoid unpleasant surprises as well as adversely carry on the reputation of the Group equally a whole”.
By Apr 1993 Saro-Wiwa had been arrested twice. Willbros, a contractor working for Shell, called inwards authorities troops inwards response to the demonstrations past times the Ogoni. Eleven people were injured when the safety forces opened fire. One woman, Karalolo Korgbara, later lost her arm. According to a alphabetic character from Willbros to Shell “Fortunately in that location was a military machine presence to command the situation”. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 calendar month later, some other Ogoni was shot dead as well as a farther xx were injured. Shell later admitted that “fields allowances as well as transportation” of an regular army unit of measurement were provided past times Willbros, but denied that this unit of measurement were involved inwards the shooting. Amnesty International later issued an “Urgent Action” request, concerned nearly possible extra-judicial executions past times the military machine against Ogoni protestors.
Saro-Wiwa was repeatedly denied from travelling abroad as well as inwards June he was arrested 1 time again as well as charged with half dozen counts of unlawful assembly as well as conspiring to issue a seditious pamphlet. Soldiers were moved into Port Harcourt, inwards response to demonstrations nearly the arrests. MOSOP reported indiscriminate beatings as well as arrests. Saro-Wiwa’s wellness deteriorated inwards custody, resulting inwards him beingness moved to infirmary as well as suffering serious pump problems during interrogation. He complained of “psychological torture”. Saro-Wiwa later published an occupation organisation human relationship of his detention inwards a volume called “A Month as well as a Day”.
By straightaway the Ogoni were suffering escalating violence, ostensibly it was conflicts with neighbouring tribes, but much of the violence was beingness orchestrated past times the military. MOSOP blamed the military machine for inciting the clashes as well as Shell for its complicity inwards the violence. Throughout the twelvemonth the attacks past times neighbouring tribes against the Ogoni continued. So did the violence against protestors. In Oct 93, 2 Ogoni were wounded, as well as 1 killed past times soldiers, who had been transported past times Shell, inwards the company's words, to “dialogue” with the community.

These soldiers from the 2nd Amphibious Brigade, nether the command of the notorious Major Okuntimo, were paid “field allowances” past times Shell, although Shell has expressed “doubt equally to whether whatever fellow member of the community was shot or wounded.” Saro-Wiwa’s brother, Owens, who is a doctor, carried out the autopsy. Harassment of other key Ogoni continued too. In December, Owens Wiwa as well as senior MOSOP official, Ledum Mitee were arrested as well as detained without accuse until the 4th January.
When General Aback took over command of Nigeria inwards the fall of 1993, the province of affairs worsened for MOSOP. Abacha appointed the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force nether Lt.Col Komo as well as Major Okuntimo. (Its members were re drawn from the Second Amphibious Brigade, Port Harcourt as well as members of the MPF, air forcefulness as well as navy.) In Apr a memo was sent from Komo to Okuntimo, entitled “Restoration of Law as well as Order inwards Ogoniland”. It gave details for an extensive military machine presence inwards Ogoni, drawing resources from the army, air force, navy, as well as police, including both the Mobile Police Force as well as conventional units. In a displace meant to facilitate the reopening of oil installations, 1 of the missions of this
functioning was to ensure that those “carrying out occupation organisation ventures ... inside Ogoniland are non molested”.
Saro-Wiwa, commenting on the memo above, said “This is it -- they are going to arrest us all as well as execute us. All for Shell”. The next calendar month Okuntimo sent a “restricted” memo dorsum to Komo remarking that “Shell operations soundless impossible unless ruthless military machine operations are undertaken for polish economical activities to commence”. To counter this, Okuntimo recommended: “Wasting operations during MOSOP as well as other gatherings making constant military machine presence justifiable.”
Nine days after Okuntimo’s memo, on 21st May, 4 conservative Ogoni leaders were killed inwards Gokana, giving the military machine an excuse to “justify” a military machine presence, to undertake “wasting operations. There is no dubiousness the killings of the Ogoni leaders were brutal. According to Human Rights Watch “ These men were reportedly attacked past times a mob as well as beaten as well as hacked to death, but the precise chain of events leading to the murders is a source of swell controversy”.

There are “disputed” reports equally to what happened that day, according to the Unrepresented Nations as well as Peoples Organisation (UNPO) that sent a delegation to Ogoni inwards 1995 “with questions raised past times other circumstances about the murders”. One of these was the tension betwixt the Gokana Ogoni chiefs as well as MOSOP, but MOSOP denied whatever involvement inwards the killings.
Andrew Rowell writing inwards the volume Green Backlash argues that: “Other suspicious happenings occurred that twenty-four hr menstruum too, which have got led MOSOP to believe that the whole trial was a consummate set-up. Eye witness accounts utter of Ogoni ‘filled with soldiers’ inwards the forenoon before the killings, equally if they were waiting for something to happen. These safety forces did zippo when alerted of the disturbances to forestall the killings, although they were asked to quash the growing dissent. …There are likewise many other coincidences to advise that agent provocateurs were non used, although conclusive proof volition in all probability never live discernible.”

An anonymous Ogoni interviewed for the cinema “Delta Force” shown on Channel Four inwards the Great Britain on 4th May 1995 recalls how: “Everywhere was tranquility as well as and so on the forenoon of May 21st … equally nosotros woke upwards inwards the forenoon most of the Ogoni villages were filled with soldiers as well as mobile policemen armed with sophisticated weapons. We don’t know why they simply came, it was only when 4 prominent Ogoni sons were killed later inwards the afternoon of that twenty-four hr menstruum that nosotros Ogoni e'er knew that in that location was a grand pattern to get disturbances inwards Ogoni inwards monastic tell to create an excuse for the authorities to send inwards to a greater extent than troops”.
The next day, Saro-Wiwa, Ledum Mitee as well as several others were arrested inwards connectedness to the deaths, although non formally charged. Amnesty International issued a argument that SaroWiwa's arrest was “part of the continuing suppression past times the Nigerian authorities of the Ogoni people's get against the oil companies” as well as declared Saro-Wiwa a “prisoner of conscience - held because of his non-violent political activities.”

Whilst Saro-Wiwa was routinely tortured inwards prison, pose inwards leg-irons, as well as denied access to family, friends, a lawyer as well as medication, the Internal Security Task Force, “ostensibly searching for those straight responsible for the killings”, started “deliberately terrorising the whole community, assaulting as well as beating indiscriminately”, according to Amnesty International. Over the side past times side few months, hundreds of Ogoni were arrested, beaten, intimidated as well as killed. Many immature girls, older women as well as pregnant women were raped. Thousands fled inwards terror into the bush equally Okuntimo's soldiers looted hundreds of villages destroying houses inwards a systematic get of terror to “sanitize Ogoni”. Okuntimo told a British environmentalist he detained that “he was doing it all for Shell ... But he was non happy because the in conclusion fourth dimension he had asked Shell to pay his
men their out-station allowances he had been refused which was non the usual procedure”.
Later that twelvemonth Saro-Wiwa as well as MOSOP were awarded the “Right Livelihood Award” (known equally the alternative Nobel peace prize), for Saro-Wiwa’s “exemplary as well as selfless courage as well as inwards striving non-violently for the civil, economical as well as environmental rights of his people”. Some 8 months after beingness arrested inwards Jan 1995, Saro-Wiwa as well as 4 other Ogoni were finally charged with the murder of the 4 Ogoni leaders.

The next calendar month an affidavit was signed past times 1 of the 2 principal prosecution witnesses, Charles Danwi. It alleged that he had been bribed past times Shell as well as others to prove against SaroWiwa. It read: “He was told that he would live given a house, a contract from Shell as well as Ompadec as well as some money ... He was given 30,000 Naira ... At a later coming together safety agents, authorities officials as well as …representatives of Shell as well as Ompadec were all present”. Another affidavit from the other Chief prosecution witness, Nayone Akpa, was signed alleging that he was offered “30,000 Naira, work with the Gokana Local Government, weekly allowances as well as contracts with Ompadec as well as Shell” if he signed a document that implicated Saro-Wiwa too.
Shell of course of study denies bribing the prosecution witnesses, but it was coming together secretly with the Nigerian military machine as well as government. In March 1995, a coming together took identify betwixt 4 senior Shell officials, the Nigerian High Commissioner as well as the Nigerian Army as well as Police at the Shell Centre inwards London where a strategy was planned against the protests.
But the protests continued. Saro-Wiwa's brother, Owens Wiwa, secretly met the caput of Shell
Nigeria, Brian Anderson betwixt May as well as July inwards monastic tell to explore ways of securing SaroWiwa's release. Anderson told Owens that “He would live able to assist us acquire Ken freed if nosotros stopped the protestation get abroad”.
The military machine tribunal / trial against Saro-Wiwa as well as the others started inwards Feb 1995, when the men were finally allowed to regard their lawyers. In May 1995, Saro-Wiwa smuggled a alphabetic character out of a military machine hospital. He wrote “For 2 nights I have got non slept a wink, I am beingness intimidated, harassed as well as de-humanized, fifty-fifty though I am supposed to live receiving medical attending ... I am similar Ogoni, battered, bruised, brutalized, bloodied as well as almost buried”.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Report into Saro-Wiwa’s trial written past times leading British counsel, Michael Birnbaum QC, concluded “It is my view that the breaches of key rights are so serious equally to arouse grave concern that whatever trial before this tribunal volition live fundamentally flawed as well as unfair”. Amongst many misgivings, Birnbaum was peculiarly concerned nearly the undue influence of Major Okuntimo at the trial. In Late October, Saro-Wiwa as well as 8 other Ogoni were sentenced to death. Six of the 15 defendants were released, including Ledum Mitee, Vice President of MOSOP.

                                       Esther Kiobel
Saro-Wiwa wrote for his closing testimony at the trial: “I as well as my colleagues are non the only ones on trial. Shell is hither on trial as well as it is equally good that it is represented past times counsel said to live holding a watching brief. The Company has, indeed, ducked this particular trial, but its twenty-four hr menstruum volition certainly come upwards as well as the lessons learnt hither may prove useful to it for in that location is no dubiousness inwards my heed that the ecological state of war that the Company has waged inwards the Delta volition live called to interrogation sooner than later as well as the crimes of that state of war live duly punished. The criminal offense of the Company’s muddied wars against the Ogoni people volition also live punished”.
As leaders of the Commonwealth gathered inwards Auckland, the Nigerian government's Provisional Ruling Council confirmed the decease sentences. Despite Shell’s repeated claims it could non acquire involved inwards the legal physical care for inwards Nigeria, the fellowship issued a argument inwards response to the confirmation of the decease sentences which acknowledged that a alphabetic character had been sent to Abacha asking for clemency.
On 10 Nov 1995 Saro-Wiwa as well as 8 others were executed inwards defiance of international appeals for leniency. There was international condemnation as well as outrage against both the military machine junta as well as Shell. The condemnation led to the strengthening of limited sanctions, as well as Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth. U.K. Prime Minister John Major, described the trial equally “a fraudulent trial, a bad verdict, an unjust sentence. It has straightaway been followed past times judicial murder”.

After the Execution
Just days after the murder, Shell announced that it would press ahead with a $3.8 billion liquid natural gas projection inwards Nigeria. “There have got been suggestions that the projection should live deferred or cancelled because of recent events inwards Nigeria. But you lot have got to live clear who would live hurt,” said Shell. Greenpeace criticized the displace equally sending the strongest possible message to the military machine regime that it was “business equally usual”
The side past times side month, Brian Anderson, the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria admitted to the Dominicus Times that a “black hole of corruption” existed inwards Shell’s Nigerian operations. Ledum Mitee interviewed past times the paper recalled that, “He [Okuntimo] admitted he was beingness paid past times Shell”. Mitee also explained that, “Shell provided vehicles for military machine operations”.
In Jan the next twelvemonth thousands of Ogoni celebrated Ogoni Day, despite a military machine clampdown. Soldiers as well as Mobile Police fired tear gas as well as alive ammunition killing 4 youths. Two months later, The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that 1,000 Ogonis had fled to Republic of Benin since Ogoni Day. Though the numbers were relatively little the UNHCR called the charge per unit of measurement of increment “worrisome”. That month, the United States of America State Department declared that Nigeria constituted a “classic motion-picture demo of human rights abuse”. The study described Saro-Wiwa’s trial “completely lacking inwards honor for due process”. In May, the European Parliament condemned Nigeria’s “appalling human rights record” as well as said the European Union
should impose an oil embargo.

In May 1996, Ken Saro-Wiwa was posthumously elected to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Global 500 Roll of Honour for advancing the get of environmental protection. “At all stages of his campaign, Saro-Wiwa advocated peaceful resistance to the forces that would deprive the Ogoni people of a say inwards the evolution of their region”, UNEP said inwards a statement.
Also that calendar month Shell offered a “Plan of Action for Ogoni”, where the fellowship offered to create clean upwards all oil spills inwards the part as well as rehabilitate some of its community projects. But Shell suffered a PR setback when Bopp van Dessel, Shell’s one-time caput of environmental studies inwards Nigeria, spoke on TV programme, World In Action, proverb that Shell ignored repeated warnings that its oil production operations inwards Nigeria were causing widespread environmental damage. “They were non coming together their ain standards, they were non coming together international standards. Any Shell site that I saw was polluted. Any terminal that I saw was polluted. It is clear to me that Shell was devastating the area”, he said.
Also that May, MOSOP reported that Major Obi, the novel Head of the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force, had summoned 2 hole-and-corner meetings of chiefs inwards the Ogoni villages of Kpor as well as Bori, during which they were forced to sign documents calling for Shell’s homecoming to Ogoni.
By July Lt. Col. Komo, the Military Administer of Rivers State was said to live inwards consultation with Shell over the company's homecoming to Ogoni. Komo “expressed pleasance that his talks with Shell have got been positive equally the fellowship volition shortly homecoming to Ogoniland”.
By September Shell had held a coming together with the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force as well as sure groups inwards Ogoni but non MOSOP: “Our programme is to homecoming to Ogoniland as well as create clean upwards the pollution inwards the area, start community assistance projects, choose stock of our facilities as well as when the fourth dimension is right, start production again” said Shell. MOSOP accused Shell of employing “divideand-rule tactics” as well as accused the oil fellowship of paying N50,000 for signatures of Village Chiefs as well as Community Development Committees on a Memorandum inviting the fellowship dorsum into Ogoni.
In the sew together to the firstly Anniversary of Saro-Wiwa’s death, armed soldiers as well as mobile officer raided Ogoni communities as well as detained activists. They were also told to arrest church building ministers that call Ken Saro-Wiwa's name. Thousands of Ogoni defied heavy military machine presence to withdraw hold remembrance church building services at designated locations. Women were raped at Saro-Wiwa’s identify town as well as protestors shot.
Also inwards the sew together to the Anniversary, Shell paid for a number of journalists to see the Niger Delta. After the international condemnation as well as adverse publicly of the twelvemonth before, Shell wanted to regain some of the PR initiative. So it flew journalists to the Delta to pose its side of the story. It was non long before articles started appearing inwards the international press, dismissing the claims of the Ogoni as well as diverse human rights as well as environmental organisations. One journalist was Richard D. North, who has made a living out of attacking environmental activists, as well as whose article inwards The Independent paper also accused Saro-Wiwa of incitement to murder.
In response Saro-Wiwa’s son, Ken Wiwa wrote: “I resent the spin pose on the piece. Surely, equally the championship of your paper suggests, journalists are instructed to shape an thought without undue influence past times interested parties. Yet Mr North flew inwards Shell helicopters as well as was shown about past times the company.
In Jan 1997, over 80,000 Ogonis celebrated Ogoni Day inwards spite of the increased repression. Four people received gun shot wounds whilst 20 people were arrested, tortured as well as detained.
According to MOSOP: “in recent months since the anniversary of the judicial murder of the belatedly Ogoni leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa, as well as 8 others, a frightening moving ridge of province terrorism has been unleashed on the expanse with the deployment of over 2000 armed soldiers. …Ogoni stands inwards the threshold of consummate extinction”.

The World Council of Churches issued a study confirming the dire province of affairs inwards the Delta: “A tranquility province of siege prevails fifty-fifty today inwards Ogoniland. Intimidation, rape, arrests, torture, shooting as well as looting past times the soldiers go on to occur.”
Through 1996–1998 other ethnic groups mainly Ijaw, were inwards vehement confrontations with Shell, Chevron as well as Texaco, resulting inwards the deaths of some 200 people as well as causing estimated harm worth some $50 million. Increasingly protestors were forced to occupy off-shore drilling rigs. The mag of Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the world Nigeria) reported inwards 1998 that “it has come upwards to low-cal that Chevron played a major role inwards the killing of 2 Delta activists before this year. The corporation facilitated an onset past times the feared Nigerian navy as well as notorious Mobile Police on a grouping of villagers who had occupied 1 of Chevron’s off-shore drilling facilities.”
In September 1998, 20 Ogoni who had been imprisoned since May 1994 on the same charges equally Saro-Wiwa were finally released, when all charges against them were dropped. Amnesty International had reported how the “Ogoni 20” equally they were known, had suffered from illtreatment, torture, as well as denied access to lawyers as well as families. One of them, Clement Tusima, died inwards detention due to medical neglect, some other had gone blind through torture.
Two months later, inwards Nov 1998, Shell issued a four-year “Ogoni Workplan”, including inspection as well as repairing of facilities, equally good equally provisions for “new oil”73. The next month, the neighbouring Ijaw tribe adopted the ‘Kaiama Declaration’, which demanded an halt to oil production. “We are tired of gas flaring, oil spillages, blowouts as well as beingness labelled saboteurs as well as terrorists”, said the declaration. The military machine crackdown against the Ijaw was both predictable as well as brutal. There were deaths of, “possibly over 200 people; the torture as well as inhuman handling of others; as well as the arbitrary detention of many more”, recorded Human Rights Watch. Girls equally immature equally 12 were raped or tortured.In 1999, Human Rights Watch issued a major study “The Price of Oil” examining the human rights violations inwards the Delta. Whilst recognising the increasing threat to oil fellowship facilities from protestors, including the utilisation of hostage taking, the study noted that “the oil companies part a responsibleness to oppose human rights violations past times authorities forces inwards the areas inwards which they operate” Human Rights Watch found “repeated incidents inwards which people were brutalised for attempting to heighten grievances with the companies … inwards virtually every community in that location have got been occasion on which the paramilitary Mobile Police, the regular constabulary or the regular army have got beaten, detained or fifty-fifty killed those involve inwards protests” as well as to choose charges against the soldiers for human rights abuses.
In March 1999, United States of America Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich as well as several members of Congress called for a congressional investigation into the killings of civilians, human rights abuses as well as harassment of past times the Nigerian safety forces with the assist of Chevron. Six months later, human rights groups filed a suit against Chevron inwards the United States of America for summary execution, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, violation of the rights to life, liberty as well as safety of somebody as well as of peaceful assembly as well as association, consistent pattern of gross violations of human rights, wrongful death, battery, assault, civil conspiracy, as well as unfair occupation organisation practices.
Civilian dominion was restored inwards Nigeria inwards 1999. But if the Niger Delta communities thought that the ending of military machine dominion would choose stability as well as the withdrawal of the military machine from the Delta they were wrong. The abuses continued. As the quaternary Anniversary of Saro-Wiwa’s decease approached, the Nigerian military machine destroyed Odi, a town of 15,000 inwards Ijawland inwards Nov 1999, demolishing every building, except the bank, the church building as well as the wellness centre. As many equally 2000 people were killed79. Human Rights Watch called on the authorities to with force its troops from the Delta.

In Jan 2000 a study past times United States of America NGOs Essential Action as well as Global Exchange who had toured the Delta concluded “that oil extraction as well as the related operations of multinational oil corporations pose a serious threat to the livelihood of the people of the Niger Delta”.
In Apr 2000 in that location was a symbolic burial for Saro-Wiwa after the authorities blocked the release of his remains. Placed inwards his coffin were 2 of his favourite novels as well as his pipe, requests that he had made inwards his will. Over 100,000 Ogonis attended ceremonies inwards the week-long events to grade the occasion. In October, according to the Ijaw National Congress, 10 activists were killed protesting against the Italian oil company, Agip.
Early the next year, inwards 2001, the Niger Delta Development Commission began operating. The committee had been prepare past times President Obasanjo inwards response to community demands for greater ownership of oil resources, but its formation did non halt the violence. Nor did it alter the demeanour of the oil companies. In Oct 2002, the commissioner for the surroundings inwards Bayelsa State inwards the Delta told Human Rights Watch that: “The province of affairs of Shell is abysmal. It has non changed as well as nosotros do non believe in that location is a possibility of alter … As far equally relations with communities are concerned nosotros have got non seen whatever changes at all. The flow stations are protected past times armed soldiers, they don't give whatever work to the youth. As commissioner of the surroundings I have got non seen whatever changes inwards corporate philosophy.”
Six months later, inwards Apr 2003, Human Rights Watch wrote to Shell as well as other oil companies expressing their “concern regarding recent vehement clashes inwards Nigeria's Niger delta … since March 13, 2003, clashes about Warri have got resulted inwards the deaths of scores of people as well as the devastation of dozens of villages. ” The groups called on the Nigerian authorities as well as oil companies to choose immediate measures to forestall farther violence as well as abuses about Warri, where scores of people had been killed. However over the side past times side couplet of months, hundreds were killed, thousands displaced, as well as hundreds of homes destroyed.
The violence continued through 2003 as well as 2004. In Dec 2003, a study past times WAC, consultants to Shell on “Peace as well as Security inwards the Niger Delta” was leaked. The study argued that it was clear that Shell was “part of Niger Delta conflict dynamics as well as that its social license to operate is fast eroding. Its conclusion was alarming: “If electrical current conflict trends go on uninterrupted, it would live surprising if SCIN [Shell companies inwards Nigeria] is able to go on onshore resources extraction inwards the Niger Delta beyond 2008, whilst complying with Shell Business Principles”.
In Jan 2004 Shell’s tape inwards the Delta 1 time once again came nether scrutiny when a study was published past times Christian Aid that looked into claims of Shell’s corporate social responsibility:“Shell claims that it has turned over a novel leafage inwards Nigeria as well as strives to live a ‘good neighbour’. Yet it soundless fails to speedily create clean upwards oil spills that ruin villages as well as runs ‘community development’ projects that are oft ineffective as well as which sometimes split communities living about oilfields …Just equally inwards 1995 as well as before, Shell presides over a province of affairs inwards which the violence inwards the communities about the oilfields, exacerbated past times cash payments made past times the company, is spiraling out of control”.
In 2004 some other factor helped escalate the violence; the create out of 2 competition groups for command of the lucrative oil bunkering trade, whereby oil is siphoned off the large networks of pipelines as well as sold illegally. In September 2004, Alhaji Dokubo Asari, the leader of 1 of the groups, the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force threatened to launch an all out state of war inwards the Delta, sending daze waves through the international oil industry. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hastily arranged peace bargain was arranged past times President Obasanjo calling for the “disbandement of all militias as well as militant groups”.
Also that month, the Financial Times reported how Shell was “unable to milk shiver off troubled Ogoni legacy” equally a dispute over a pipeline deepened. The paper reported how “inappropriate” payments had been made to a local principal past times a contractor working for Shell cleaning upwards an oil tumble inwards Ogoni.
The violence comes right upwards to date. In Feb 2005, Human Rights Watch argued that companies such equally Shell could live doing to a greater extent than to halt the violence inwards the Niger Delta. Also that month, the Ijaw, some other tribe inwards the Delta, accused Shell of escalating the violence which led to upwards to 100 people beingness killed past times the military machine at the town of Odioma.
Just days before the launch of the Remember Saro-Wiwa project, half dozen people were feared dead after an inter-community clash that had been sparked past times an anti-Shell demonstration. Anti-riot constabulary as well as soldiers had also been called inwards past times Shell. One of the communities told the Nigerian press that: “They wanted to engage Shell as well as the authorities inwards give-and-take equally to how sure issues concerning environmental devastation, the loss of their agency of livelihood could live solved. They also wanted to asking for the provision of basic amenities similar potable drinking water, electricity as well as all that but instead of addressing this, Shell invited the military”9.
Source:http://justiceinnigerianow.org/jinn/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/life_death_ksw.pdf

Ken Saro-Wiwa was framed, hole-and-corner evidence shows

Witness statements accuse Nigerian military machine commander of ordering killings as well as taking bribes

Compelling novel evidence suggests the Nigerian military machine killed 4 Ogoni elders whose murders led to the execution of the playwright as well as activist Ken Saro-Wiwa inwards 1995.

The evidence also reveals that the notorious military machine commander Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Okuntimo, whose troops were implicated inwards murder as well as rape, was inwards the pay of Shell at the fourth dimension of the killings as well as was driven about inwards a Shell vehicle.

                Gen Sani Abacha: Oil trans-national fellowship conspired with him to kill Ken Saro-Wiwa

Since the fourth dimension of Saro-Wiwa's death, Shell has insisted that it had no fiscal human relationship with the Nigerian military, although it has admitted paying it "field allowances" on 2 occasions. It has consistently denied whatever widespread collusion as well as payments. However, The Independent on Dominicus has gained exclusive access to witness accounts that were to live used inwards evidence inwards the instance of Wiwa vs Shell, brought past times Ken Saro-Wiwa's family. The instance was settled in conclusion May for $15.5m, simply days before it was due to start inwards New York. The settlement meant the testimonies were never made public.

They furnish fresh insight into Shell's fiscal as well as logistical involvement with the Nigerian military machine as well as with Lt-Col Okuntimo.

One of the key witnesses due to prove was Boniface Ejiogu, Lt-Col Okuntimo's orderly inwards the Internal Security Task Force, a coalition of army, navy as well as police. Mr Ejiogu testified to standing guard equally victims were raped as well as tortured patch Lt-Col Okuntimo was inwards command. Asked if he e'er saw his commander have money from Shell, he said he witnessed it on 2 occasions.

Mr Ejiogu described inwards item how, simply days before the Ogoni elders were murdered, he drove with Lt-Col Okuntimo to Shell's base of operations inwards Port Harcourt, where the officeholder received vii large bags of money. "I was in that location when other soldiers were carrying the Republic of Ghana Must Go bags," he testified. The bags were so heavy the soldiers had difficulty carrying them, as well as 1 fell open. "The thing opened," Mr Ejiogu said. "I saw it was money inwards bundles. He said, wow, this is money. I say, yes man, it is money."

On some other occasion, Mr Ejiogu witnessed 4 bags beingness given past times a Shell safety official to Lt-Col Okuntimo at the official's theatre belatedly at night.

Another witness, Raphael Kponee, also due to testify, was a officer working for Shell. On a different occasion, he saw iii bags beingness loaded into Lt-Col Okuntimo's pick-up truck past times his driver as well as some other driver inwards front end of the safety edifice at the Shell base. Shell officials have got admitted that money was paid to the officer, but purely equally patch allowances for his men, who were protecting Shell belongings inwards Ogoniland.

MrEjiogu also offers compelling evidence equally to who may have got murdered the 4 Ogoni elders at a coming together on 21 May 1994. Saro-Wiwa was due to speak but was turned away past times the military. Mr Ejiogu said he heard Lt-Col Okuntimo tell his task forcefulness commander to "waste them... inwards the regular army you lot waste matter them is when you lot are shooting rapidly".

Within 24 hours Saro-Wiwa was arrested as well as charged with the murders. It was implied that he had had the elders killed because of their moderate opinion on Ogoni issues. Despite an international outcry, he was hanged inwards Nov 1995, next a sham trial described past times the as well as so British prime number minister, John Major, equally "judicial murder".

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Shell spokesman said yesterday: "Allegations concerning Okuntimo as well as Shell are non new. There is a lack of whatever credible evidence inwards back upwards of these allegations. Shell Petroleum Development Corporation as well as Shell at the fourth dimension spoke out oft against violence as well as publicly condemned its use."(http://www.independent.co.uk/new)

The Ogoni Bill of Rights which was presented to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria inwards 1990 called for, amidst other things, political autonomy to participate inwards the affairs of the Republic equally a distinct as well as separate unit of measurement (by whatever call called), provided that this autonomy guarantees political command of Ogoni affairs past times Ogoni people; the right to command as well as utilisation a fair proportion of Ogoni economical resources for Ogoni development; adequate representations, equally of right, inwards all Nigerian national institutions, as well as the right to protect the Ogoni surroundings as well as ecology from farther degradation.

OGONI BILL OF RIGHTS

PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT
AND PEOPLE OF NIGERIA
October, 1990

WITH

AN APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

by

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People
(MOSOP) December, 1991

Published past times Saros International Publishers, 24 Aggrey Road, PO Box 193, Port Harcourt, Nigeria for The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) June 1992.

FOREWORD

In August 1990 the Chiefs as well as people of Ogoni inwards Nigeria met to sign 1 of  the most of import declarations to come upwards out of Africa inwards recent times: the Ogoni Bill of Rights By the Bill, the Ogoni people, patch underlining their loyalty to the Nigerian nation, set claim equally a people to their independence which British colonialism had firstly violated as well as and so handed over to some other Nigerian ethnic groups inwards Oct 1960.

The Bill of Rights presented to the Government as well as people of Nigeria called for political command of Ogoni affairs past times Ogoni people, command as well as utilisation of Ogoni economical resources for Ogoni development, adequate as well as direct representation equally of right for Ogoni people inwards all Nigerian national institutions as well as the right to protect the Ogoni surroundings as well as ecology from farther degradation.

These rights which should have got reverted to the Ogoni after the termination of British rule, have got been usurped inwards the past times 30 years past times the bulk ethnic groups of Nigeria. They have got non only been usurped; they have got been misused as well as abused, turning Nigeria into a hell on basis for the Ogoni as well as similar ethnic minorities. Thirty years of Nigerian independence has done no to a greater extent than than outline the wretched character of the leadership of the Nigerian bulk ethnic groups as well as their cruelty equally they have got plunged the land into ethnic strife, carnage, war, dictatorship, retrogression as well as the greatest waste matter of national resources e'er witnessed inwards world history, turning generations of Nigerians, born as well as unborn into perpetual debtors.

The Ogoni Bill of Rights rejects 1 time as well as for all this incompetent indigenous colonialism as well as calls for a novel monastic tell inwards Nigeria, an monastic tell inwards which each ethnic grouping volition have got total responsibleness for its ain affairs as well as contest betwixt the diverse peoples of Nigeria volition live fair, thus ushering inwards a novel era of peaceful co-existence, co-operation as well as national progress.

This is the path which has been chosen past times the European tribes inwards the European Community, as well as past times the Russians as well as their neighbours inwards the novel Commonwealth which they are straightaway fashioning. The Yugoslav tribes are beingness forced into similar ways. The lesson is that high fences brand expert neighbours. The Ogoni people are so inwards the mainstream of international thought.

It is good known that since the issuance of the Bill of Rights the Babangida direction has continued inwards the reactionary ways of all the military machine rulers of Nigeria from Ironsi through Gowon, Obasanjo as well as Buhari, seeking to turn Nigeria into a unitary province against the wishes of the Nigerian peoples as well as trends inwards world history. The split of the province into 30 states as well as 600 local governments inwards 1991 is a waste matter of resources, a veritable exercise inwards futility. It is a farther travail to transfer the seized resources of the Ogoni as well as other minority groups inwards the delta to the bulk ethnic groups of the country. Without oil, these states as well as local governments volition non be for 1 twenty-four hr menstruum longer.

The import of the creation of these states is that the Ogoni as well as other minority groups volition go on to live slaves of the bulk ethnic groups. It is a gross abuse of human rights, a notable undemocratic human activity which flies inwards the human face of modern history. The Ogoni people are right to reject it. While they are willing, for the reasons of Africa, to part their resources with other Africans, they insist that it must live on the principles of mutuality, of fairness, of equity as well as justice.

It has been assumed that because the Ogoni are few inwards number, they tin can live abused as well as denied their rights as well as that their surroundings tin can live destroyed without compunction. This has been the received wisdom of Nigeria according to military machine dictatorships. 1992 volition pose paid to this equally the Ogoni pose their instance to the international community.

It is the intention of the Ogoni people to force the attending of the American authorities as well as people to the fact that the oil which they purchase from Nigeria is stolen belongings as well as that it is against American law to have stolen goods.

The Ogoni people volition live telling the European Community that their need of the Yugoslav tribes that they honor human rights as well as republic should also apply to Nigeria as well as that they should non hold back for Nigeria to flare-up into ethnic strife as well as carnage before enjoining these civilized values on a Nigeria which depends on European investment, engineering as well as credit.

The Ogoni people volition live appealing to the British Government as well as the leaders of the Commonwealth who have got urged on Commonwealth countries the virtues of expert government, democracy, human rights as well as environmental protection that no authorities tin can live expert if it imposes as well as operates laws which cheat a subdivision of its peoples; that republic does non be where laws do non protect minorities as well as that the surroundings of the Ogoni as well as other delta minorities has been ruined beyond repair past times multi-national oil companies nether the protection of successive Nigerian administrations run past times Nigerians of the bulk ethnic groups.

The Ogoni people volition brand representation to the World Bank as well as the IMF to the effect that giving loans as well as credit to the Nigerian Government on the understanding that oil money volition live used to repay such loans is to encourage the Nigerian authorities to go on to dehumanise the Ogoni people as well as to devastate the surroundings as well as ecology of the Ogoni as well as other delta minorities amidst whom oil is found.

The Ogoni people volition inform the United Nations as well as the Organisation of African Unity that the Nigerian Constitution as well as the actions of the powerfulness elite inwards Nigeria flagrantly violate the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights as well as the African Charter of Human as well as Peoples Rights; as well as that Nigeria inwards 1992 is no different from Apartheid South Africa. The Ogoni people volition enquire that Nigeria live duly chastised past times both organizations for its inhuman actions as well as uncivilized behaviour. And if Nigeria persists inwards its perversity, as well as so it should live expelled shape both organizations.

These actions of the Ogoni people aim at the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Ogoni people equally a distinct ethnic community inwards Nigeria, as well as at the establishment of a democratic Nigeria, a progressive multi-ethnic nation, a realistic social club of equals, a simply nation.

What the Ogoni need for themselves, namely autonomy, they also enquire for others throughout Nigeria and, indeed, the continent of Africa.

It is their promise that the international community volition respond to these demands equally they have got done to similar demands inwards other parts of the world.

Ken Saro-Wiwa
Port Harcourt 24/12/91

STATEMENT BY DR. G.B. LETON, OON JP

President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP)

1. The Ogoni instance is of genocide beingness committed inwards the dying years of the twentieth century past times multi-national oil companies nether the supervision of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is that of a distinct ethnic minority inwards Nigeria who experience so suffocated past times existing political, economical as well as social atmospheric condition inwards Nigeria that they have got no choice but to cry out to the international community for salvation.

2. The Ogoni are a distinct ethnic grouping inhabiting the coastal plains terraces to the north- east of the Niger delta. On occupation organisation human relationship of the hitherto really rich plateau soil, the people are mainly subsistence farmers but they also engage inwards migrant as well as nomadic fishing. They occupy an expanse of nearly 400 foursquare miles as well as number an estimated 500,000. The population density of nearly 1,250 persons per foursquare mile is amidst the highest inwards whatever rural expanse inwards the world as well as compares with the Nigerian national average of 300. The obvious job is the pressure level on land.

3. Petroleum was discovered inwards Ogoni at Bomu (Dere) inwards 1958; since as well as so an estimated United States of America 100 billion dollars worth of oil has been carted away from Ogoniland. In homecoming for this, the Ogoni have got no pipe-borne water, no electricity, really few roads, ill-equipped schools as well as hospitals as well as no manufacture whatsoever.

4. Ogoni has suffered as well as continues to endure the degrading effects of oil exploration as well as exploitation: lands, streams as well as creeks are totally as well as continually polluted; the atmosphere is for e'er charged with hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide as well as carbon dioxide; many villages experience the infernal quaking of the wrath of gas flares which have got been burning 24 hours a twenty-four hr menstruum for 33 years; acid rain, oil spillages as well as blowouts are common. The outcome of such unchecked environmental pollution as well as degradation are that (i) The Ogoni tin can no longer farm successfully. Once the nutrient handbasket of the eastern Niger Delta, the Ogoni straightaway purchase nutrient (when they tin can afford it); (ii) Fish, 1 time a mutual source of protein, is straightaway rare. Owing to the constant as well as continual pollution of our streams as well as creeks, fish tin can only live caught inwards deeper as well as offshore waters for which the Ogoni are non equipped. (iii) All wild animals is dead. (iv) The ecology is changing fast. The mangrove tree, the aerial roots of which usually furnish a natural as well as welcome habitat for many a ocean nutrient - crabs, periwinkles, mudskippers, cockles, mussels, shrimps as well as all - is straightaway beingness gradually replaced past times unknown as well as otherwise useless plams. (v) The wellness hazards generated past times an atmosphere charged with hydrocarbon vapour, carbon monoxide as well as carbon dioxide are innumerable.

5. The 1 time beautiful Ogoni countryside is no to a greater extent than a source of fresh air as well as greenish vegetation. All 1 sees as well as feels about is death. Death is everywhere inwards Ogoni. Ogoni languages are dying; Ogoni civilization is dying; Ogoni people, Ogoni animals, Ogoni fishes are dying because of 33 years of hazardous environmental pollution as well as resulting nutrient scarcity. In spite of an alarming density of population, American as well as British oil companies greedily encroach on to a greater extent than as well as to a greater extent than Ogoni land, depriving the peasants of their only agency of livelihood. Mining rents as well as royalties for Ogoni oil are seized past times the Federal Government of Nigeria which offers the Ogoni people NOTHING inwards return. Ogoni is beingness killed so that Nigeria tin can live.

6. Politically, the Ogoni are beingness basis to the dust nether dictatorial decrees imposed past times successive military machine regimes inwards Nigeria as well as laws smuggled past times military machine dictatorships into the Nigerian Constitution which Constitution does non protect ethnic minorities as well as which today bears no resemblance whatsoever to the covenant entered into past times the federating Nigerian ethnic groups at Independence.

7. Ethnicity is a fact of Nigerian life. Nigeria is a federation of ethnic groups. In practice, however, ethnocentrism is the monastic tell of the twenty-four hr menstruum inwards the country. The rights as well as resources of the Ogoni have got been usurped past times the bulk ethnic groups as well as the Ogoni consigned to slavery as well as possible extinction. The Ogoni people reject the electrical current political as well as administrative structuring of Nigeria imposed past times the Military Government. They believe with Obafemi Awolowo that inwards a truthful federation, each ethnic gourp, no thing how little is entitled to the same handling equally whatever other ethnic group, no thing how large.

8. The Ogoni people so need POLITICAL AUTONOMY equally a distinct as well as separate unit of measurement of the Nigerian federation - autonomy which volition guarantee them sure basic rights essential to their survival equally a people. This need has been spelt out inwards the Ogoni Bill of Rights. The Ogoni people stand upwards past times the Bill as well as straightaway appeal to the international community, equally a in conclusion resort, to preserve them from extinction.

(Sgd) Dr. G.B. Leton
President, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP)

OGONI BILL OF RIGHTS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF NIGERIA

We, the people of Ogoni (Babbe, Gokana, Ken Khana, Nyo Khana as well as Tai) numbering nearly 500,000 beingness a separate as well as distinct ethnic nationality inside the Federal Republic of Nigeria, wishing to force the attending of the Governments as well as people of Nigeria to the undermentioned facts:

1. That the Ogoni people, before the advent of British colonialism, were non conquered or colonized 

2.  That British colonization forced us into the administrative segmentation of Opobo from 1908 to 1947.

3.  That nosotros protested against this forced spousal human relationship until the Ogoni Native Authority was created inwards 1947 as well as placed nether the as well as so Rivers Province.

4.  That inwards 1951 nosotros were forcibly included inwards the Eastern Region of Nigeria where nosotros suffered utter neglect.

5.  That nosotros protested against this neglect past times voting against the political party inwards powerfulness inwards the Region inwards 1957, as well as against the forced spousal human relationship past times testimony before the Willink Commission of Inquiry into Minority Fears inwards 1958.

6.  That this protestation led to the inclusion of our nationality inwards Rivers State inwards 1967, which State consists of several ethnic nationalities with differing cultures, languages as well as aspirations.

7.  That oil was struck as well as produced inwards commercial quantities on our Earth inwards 1958 at K. Dere (Bomu oilfield).

8.  That oil has been mined on our Earth since 1958 to this twenty-four hr menstruum from the next oilfields: (i) Bomu (ii) Bodo West (iii) Tai (iv) Korokoro (v) Yorla (vi) Lubara Creek as well as (vii) Afam past times Shell Petroleum Development Company (Nigeria) Limited.

9.  That inwards over 30 years of oil mining, the Ogoni nationality have got provided the Nigerian land with a total revenue estimated at over xl billion Naira (N40 billion) or 30 billion dollars.

10. That inwards homecoming for the to a higher identify contribution, the Ogoni people have got received NOTHING.

11. That today, the Ogoni people have:

(i)   No representation whatsoever inwards ALL institutions of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

(ii)  No pipe-borne water.

(iii) No electricity.

(iv) No task opportunities for the citizens inwards Federal, State, world sector or private sector companies.

(v) No social or economical projection of the Federal Government.

12. That the Ogoni languages of Gokana as well as Khana are underdeveloped as well as are nearly to disappear, whereas other Nigerian languages are beingness forced on us.

13. That the Ethnic policies of successive Federal as well as State Governments are gradually pushing the Ogoni people to slavery as well as possible extinction.

14. That the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited does non employ Ogoni people at a meaningful or whatever floor at all, inwards defiance of the Federal authorities s regulations.

15. That the search for oil has caused severe Earth as well as nutrient shortages inwards Ogoni 1 of the most densely populated areas of Africa (average: 1,500 per foursquare mile; national average: 300 per foursquare mile).

16. That neglectful environmental pollution laws as well as substandard inspection techniques of the Federal authorities have got led to the consummate degradation of the Ogoni environment, turning our homeland into an ecological disaster.

17. That the Ogoni people lack education, wellness as well as other social facilities.

18. That it is intolerable that 1 of the richest areas of Nigeria should wallow inwards abject poverty as well as destitution.

19. That successive Federal administrations have got trampled on every minority right enshrined inwards the Nigerian Constitution to the detriment of the Ogoni as well as have got past times administrative structuring as well as other noxious acts transferred Ogoni wealth exclusively to other parts of the Republic.

20. That the Ogoni people wishing to care their ain affairs.

NOW, therefore, patch reaffirming our wishing to stay a component of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nosotros brand need upon the Republic equally follows:

That the Ogoni people live granted POLITICAL AUTONOMY to participate inwards the affairs of the Republic equally a distinct as well as separate unit of measurement past times whatever call called, provided that this Autonomy guarantees the following:

(i)   Political command of Ogoni affairs past times Ogoni people.

(ii) The right to the command as well as utilisation of a fair proportion of OGONI economical resources for Ogoni development.

(iii) Adequate as well as direct representation equally of right inwards all Nigerian national institutions.

(iv) The utilisation as well as evolution of Ogoni languages inwards all Nigerian territory.

(v)  The total evolution of Ogoni culture.

(vi) The right to religious freedom.

(vii) The right to protect the OGONI surroundings as well as ecology from farther degradation.

We brand the to a higher identify need inwards the knowledge that it does non deny whatever other ethnic grouping inwards the Nigerian Federation of their rights as well as that it tin can only conduce to peace, judge as well as fairplay as well as hence stability as well as progress inwards the Nigerian nation.

We brand the need inwards the belief that, equally Obafemi Awolowo has written: In a truthful federation, each ethnic grouping no thing how small, is entitled to the same handling equally whatever other ethnic group, no thing how large.

We need these rights equally equal members of the Nigerian Federation who contribute as well as have got contributed to the growth of the Federation as well as have got a right to facial expression total returns from that Federation.

Adopted past times full general acclaim of the Ogoni people on the 26th twenty-four hr menstruum of August, 1990 at Bori, Rivers State as well as signed by: (see under).

ADDENDUM TO THE OGONI BILL OF RIGHTS

We, the people of Ogoni, beingness a separate as well as distinct ethnic nationality inside the Federal Republic of Nigeria, hereby province equally follows:

(a) That on Oct 2, 1990 nosotros addressed an Ogoni Bill of Rights to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida as well as members of the Armed Forces Ruling Council;

(b)  That after a one-year wait, the President has been unable to grant us the audience which nosotros sought to have got with him inwards monastic tell to utter over the legitimate demands contained inwards the Ogoni Bill of Rights;

(c) That our demands equally outlined inwards the Ogoni Bill of Rights are legitimate, simply as well as our inalienable right as well as inwards accord with civilized values worldwide;

(d) That the Government of the Federal Republic has continued, since Oct 2, 1990, to decree measures as well as implement policies which farther marginalize the Ogoni people, denying us political autonomy, our rights to our resources, to the evolution of our languages as well as culture, to adequate representation equally of right inwards all Nigerian national institutions as well as to the protection of our surroundings as well as ecology from farther degradation;

(e) That nosotros cannot sit down idly past times patch nosotros are, equally a people, dehumanized as well as tardily exterminated as well as driven to extinction fifty-fifty equally our rich resources are siphoned off to the exclusive comfort as well as improvement of other Nigerian communities, as well as the shareholders of multi-national oil companies.

Now therefore, patch re-affirming our wishing to stay a component of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nosotros hereby authorize the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) to brand representation, for equally long equally these injustices continue, to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the African Commission on Human as well as Peoples rights, the European Community as well as all international bodies which have got a role to play inwards the preservation of our nationality, equally follows:

1.  That the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has, inwards utter disregard as well as contempt for human rights, since independence inwards 1960 till date, denied us our political rights to self-determination, economical rights to our resources, cultural rights to the evolution of our languages as well as culture, as well as social rights to education, wellness as well as adequate housing as well as to representation equally of right inwards national institutions;

2.  That, inwards particular, the Federal Republic of Nigeria has refused to pay us oil royalties as well as mining rents amounting to an estimated 20 billion United States of America dollars for stone oil mined from our soil for over 

3.  That the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does non protect whatever of our rights whatsoever equally an ethnic minority of 500,000 inwards a land of nearly 100 1000000 people as well as that the voting powerfulness as well as military machine powerfulness of the bulk ethnic groups have got been used remorselessly against us at every dot inwards time;

4. That multi-national oil companies, namely Shell (Dutch/British) as well as Chevron (American) have got severally as well as jointly devastated our surroundings as well as ecology, having flared gas inwards our villages for 33 years as well as caused oil spillages, blow-outs etc., as well as have got dehumanised our people, denying them work as well as those benefits which industrial organizations inwards Europe as well as America routinely contribute to their areas of operation;

5.  That the Nigerian elite (bureaucratic, military, industrial as well as academic) have got turned a blind oculus as well as a deaf ear to these acts of dehumanisation past times the ethnic bulk as well as have got colluded with all the agents of devastation aimed at us;

6.  That nosotros cannot seek restitution inwards the courts of law inwards Nigeria equally the human activity of expropriation of our rights as well as resources has been institutionalised inwards the 1979 as well as 1989 Constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which Constitutions were acts of a Constituent Assembly imposed past times a military machine regime as well as do non , inwards whatever way, protect minority rights or carry resemblance to the tacit understanding made at Nigerian independence.

7.  That the Ogoni people abjure violence inwards their simply struggle for their rights inside the Federal Republic of Nigeria but will, through every lawful means, as well as for equally long equally is necessary, create out for social judge as well as equity for themselves as well as their progeny, as well as inwards particular need political autonomy equally a distinct as well as separate unit of measurement inside the Nigerian land with total right to (i) command Ogoni political affairs, (ii) utilisation at to the lowest degree 50 per cent of Ogoni economical resources for Ogoni development; (iii) protect the Ogoni surroundings as well as ecology from farther degradation; (iv) ensure the total restitution of the harm done to the wellness of our people past times the flaring of gas, oil spillages, oil blow- outs, etc. past times the next oil companies: Shell, Chevron as well as their Nigerian accomplices.

8.  That without the intervention of the international community the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the ethnic bulk volition go on these noxious policies until the Ogoni people are obliterated from the human face of the earth.

Adopted past times full general acclaim of the Ogoni people on the 26th twenty-four hr menstruum of August 1991 at Bori, Rivers State of Nigeria.

Signed on behalf of the Ogoni people by:

BABBE:

HRH Mark Tsaro-Igbara, Gbenemene Babbe; HRH F.M.K. Noryaa, Menebua, Ka-Babbe; Chief M.A.M. Tornwe III, JP; Prince J.S. Sangha; Dr. State of Israel Kue; Chief A.M.N. Gua.

GOKANA:

HRH James P. Bagia, Gberesako XI, Gberemene Gokana; Chief E.N. Kobani, JP Tonsimene Gokana; Dr. B.N. Birabi; Chief Kemte Giadom, JP; Chief S.N. Orage.

KEN-KHANA:

HRH M.H.S. Eguru, Gbenemene Ken-Khana; HRH C.B.S. Nwikina, Emah III, Menebua Bom; Mr. M.C. Daanwii; Chief T.N. Nwieke; Mr. Ken Saro-wiwa; Mr. Simeon Idemyor.

NYO-KHANA:

HRH W.Z.P. Nzidee, Genemene Baa I of Nyo-Khana; Dr. G.B. Leton, OON, JP; Mr. Lekue Lah-Loolo; Mr. L.E. Mwara; Chief E.A. Apenu; Pastor M.P. Maeba. TAI: HRH B.A. Mballey, Gbenemene Tai; HRH G.N. Gininwa, Menebua Tua Tua; Chief J.S. Agbara; Chief D.J.K. Kumbe; Chief Fred Gwezia; HRH A. Demor-Kanni, Meneba Nonwa.

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD:

1. Prevail on the American Government to halt buying Nigerian oil. It is stolen property.

2.   Prevail on Shell as well as Chevron to halt flaring gas inwards Ogoni.

3.  Prevail on the Federal Government of Nigeria to honour the rights of the Ogoni people to self-determination as well as AUTONOMY.

4.  Prevail on the Federal Government of Nigeria to pay all royalties as well as mining rents collected on oil mined from Ogoni since 1958.

5.  Prevail on the World Bank as well as the IMF to halt giving loans to the Federal Government of Nigeria; all loans which depend for their repayment on the exploitation of Ogoni oil resources.

6.  Send urgent medical as well as other assistance to the Ogoni people.

7.  Prevail on the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity as well as the Commonwealth of Nations to either acquire the Federal Government of Nigeria to obey the rules as well as mores of these organisations, human face sanctions or live expelled from them.

8.  Prevail on European as well as American Governments to halt giving assistance as well as credit to the Federal Government of Nigeria equally assistance as well as credit only go to encourage the farther dehumanisation of the Ogoni people.

9.  Prevail on European as well as American Governments to grant political refugee status to all Ogoni people seeking protection from the political persecution as well as genocide at the hands of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

10. Prevail on Shell as well as Chevron to pay compensation to the Ogoni People for ruining the Ogoni surroundings as well as the wellness of Ogoni men, women as well as children.

The Role of Women inwards the Struggle for Environmental Justice inwards Ogoni

Author: DianaBarikor-Wiwa

CSQ Issue: 21.3 (Fall 1997) 25 Years of the Indigenous Movement: Africa as well as Asia

On the Apr 25, 1997, the Federation of Ogoni Women's Associations (FOWA), an umbrella organisation for all women's groups inwards Ogoni, the oil rich Niger Delta part of Nigeria, made a resolution. It stated "It is resolved that Shell cannot as well as must non live allowed inwards Ogoni...we say no to Shell equally it remains Persona non grata inwards Ogoni." This pronouncement, with 5 other resolutions, were made as well as signed (those who could non sign, pollex printed) past times over 300 women leaders inwards Ogoni who represented FOWA's 57,000 registered members.

This activity was made past times a well-organized African women's movement; 1 that has played a key role inwards 1 of the largest non-violent struggles for environmental as well as social judge inwards African history. How did these women acquire so well-organized? And where do they agree into their people's struggle? The era of the most intense protests began on Jan 4th, 1993, when the Ogoni people took their hereafter into their hands as well as peacefully protested nearly 4 decades of environmental devastation past times the Shell oil company. Over 300,000 people participated from a total Ogoni population of 500,000 as well as non a unmarried stone was thrown.

Women played a key role inwards organizing that massive protest. FOWA was prepare inwards 1993, along with 8 other units which brand upwards the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP). MOSOP is the democratic organisation which represents the vocalization of the Ogoni people inwards the Niger Delta. MOSOP acts equally an umbrella organisation for a number of Ogoni groups, which together have got a total membership of over 250,000 individuals: FOWA; National Youth Council of the Ogoni People (NYCOP); Council of Ogoni Churches (COC); Council of Ogoni Professionals (COP); Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers (COTRA); National Union of Ogoni Students (NUOS); Ogoni Students Union (OSU); Ogoni Teachers Union (OTU); as well as Ogoni Central Union (OCU). FOWA, similar residuum of the MOSOP units, is independent but guided past times MOSOP policies. However, it is widely recognized that FOWA has grown to live the strongest element of the ix existing units of MOSOP.

The Ogoni are an indigenous ethnic grouping inwards the oil rich Niger Delta of Nigeria. Its 500,000 people alive inwards an expanse of or so 404 foursquare miles. The people depend on fishing, farming, as well as trading for sustenance. This unopen human relationship with the Earth agency Ogoni communities have got placed strong emphasis on the attention of the environment, believing it to live the life-giving source of the people as well as the abode identify of their ancestors.

The Oil Industry inwards Ogoni

With the regain of oil inwards the 1950s, the Ogoni were completely unaware of the consequences of oil drilling as well as were forced to accommodate the arrival of the oil industry. Being the producers of much of the nutrient that was eaten inwards the Niger Delta, the Ogoni were non poor, as well as had hoped that the oil could brand a relatively prosperous province of affairs better. It did non choose long for the Ogoni to regard that this was non to live the case. Beyond the fact that the revenues from the oil did non homecoming to the people, the social consequences of the unleashed environmental nightmare have got been unbearable. The Ogoni saw their farmland beingness expropriated without compensation for oil extraction as well as faced no alternative agency of survival. Pipelines often crisscrossed valuable farmland as well as poisonous gases flared into the atmosphere unopen to communities. Aging oil equipment often failed as well as leaked oil into communities as well as farms without adequate clean-up or compensation. The standards applied past times Shell were completely destructive of the environment, equally good equally the Ogoni that were subject upon the Earth as well as rivers for their survival. Those who suffered most were the women as well as children who, different the immature men, could non easily migrate as well as escape to the urban areas.

Traditionally, when an Ogoni adult woman gets married, her married adult man is required to give her a slice of Earth to farm. It is from this farm that she feeds her identify unit of measurement as well as grows nutrient for sale inwards monastic tell to purchase other staples. This tradition also allowed women to taste a mensurate of independence. The fertility of Ogoni soil made it really fruitful for agriculture, producing high yields. The bountiful harvests left fourth dimension for Ogoni women to invest inwards cultural activities such equally art, dancing, singing, as well as pottery. From the testimonies of older women, it is clear in that location were less tensions inwards the home. However, the constant acquisition of novel territory for oil exploitation as well as the resulting pollution from the industry, has left the Ogoni women with no agency to feed or back upwards their families. This has given ascent to tensions inwards the identify as well as community.

Polluted streams are an added burden for the women who have got to go farther away from identify to acquire H2O for their domestic chores. Their children have got non received work inwards the oil manufacture that had disposed them of their birthright (some 50 Ogoni were employed mainly equally cleaners as well as drivers betwixt 1958 as well as 1993), making immature men as well as women a continuing responsibleness for their mothers long after they should have got been independent.

The physical wellness of a household has usually been subject upon women, who commonly had specific knowledge of local medicines. She learned nearly the local cures during her "fattening room" period. This is a menstruum which starts after the nativity of her firstly kid as well as lasts for 1 year. During this time, she is non allowed out of the identify unit of measurement compound. Besides beingness a fourth dimension for her to rest, it is also a fourth dimension of schooling when she learns how to facial expression after her kid as well as home. She is attended to past times women from her identify unit of measurement as well as older women inwards the community. As pressure level grows for immature women to devote to a greater extent than fourth dimension as well as liberate energy on shrinking agricultural resources, really piddling fourth dimension is left for them to acquire specialized wellness knowledge through the fattening room period. For those women who do pass fourth dimension inwards the fattening room, the menstruum rarely exceeds 2 months after which the immature adult woman must homecoming to farming. The loss of the fattening room as well as other traditions led the Ogoni women to brand a witting determination to organize against the oil manufacture on their land, a forcefulness they saw equally beingness clearly responsible for cultural degradation inwards Ogoni.

Violence Against Ogoni Women

Since the grand protestation of Jan 4th, 1993, Ogoni women have got experienced, first-hand, the vehement reprisals instigated past times the Nigerian military machine as well as their Shell counterparts. The firstly incidence of violence was on Apr 28th, 1993. Mrs. Karalole, an Ogoni woman, went to her farm really early on inwards the morning. Upon arriving, she discovered it beingness bulldozed past times Wilbros (a sub-contracted fellowship working for Shell) who were accompanied past times well-armed soldiers. She attempted to protect what was left of her farm but was badly beaten. Mrs. Karalole as well as so left to inform the residuum of the villagers nearly what was happening. Thousands of villagers came out carrying leaves (a symbol of protest) as well as protested peacefully. The soldiers shot into the crowd of protesters. An Ogoni man, Mr. Atu, was shot dead as well as several others seriously wounded, including Mrs. Karalole, who later had her arm amputated from the gun shot wound she sustained. Despite this event, the Ogoni continued to organize. FOWA established units all over Ogoni as well as expanded its activities inwards all Ogoni communities.

FOWA's Actions

FOWA's activities are non solely based about protest. FOWA has made efforts to revive threatened cultural practices, such equally pottery as well as handbasket weaving. FOWA has also developed plans as well as programs into areas similar traditional identify unit of measurement planning methods, health, as well as the didactics of immature girls. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 key computer program was created to inform as well as educate immature Ogoni women nearly sexually transmitted diseases as well as nativity command (prostitution was on the ascent believed to have got some link with the oil industry). FOWA planned to prepare a resources middle for its activities. In monastic tell to implement these programs, funds were raised through membership fees as well as contributions from existing as well as novel women's cooperatives.

The identify unit of measurement planning discussions started inwards some Ogoni communities when the side past times side moving ridge of military machine attacks striking the Ogoni people inwards August 1993. The people were caught completely unaware. By August 1994, 30 villages were destroyed, over 2,000 people killed, to a greater extent than than 3,000 injured, as well as or so 100,000 Ogoni became internal refugees. The women acted equally swiftly equally they could. Most of the money raised for women's evolution programs was pose into securing nutrient as well as medicine. Every Ogoni adult woman was asked to donate something to assist resettle as well as rehabilitate the swell number of refugees.

Ogoni had acquire a state of war zone. MOSOP released a plea for assist to the wider Nigerian as well as international community. We finally received assist from the Daughters of Charity, a Catholic relief agency inwards Nigeria. Despite the danger as well as hardship, the Ogoni women collected a garage total of nutrient inwards less than iii weeks. FOWA worked closely with the advertizing hoc Relief as well as Rehabilitation Committee (set upwards past times MOSOP to withdraw hold the crisis), as well as the Daughters of Charity to distribute nutrient as well as aid. By July, 1994, the women's resources were completely exhausted.

The refugees as well as ruined villages were soundless a problem, marketplace squares where women traded their goods with neighboring communities had been destroyed. They had no way of raising farther funds to back upwards the internal refugees. In response to this continuing crisis, FOWA initiated an assimilation computer program inwards which Ogoni families absorbed refugees into their homes. FOWA also worked with MOSOP to formulate a programme past times which the destroyed homes as well as villages could live rebuilt. The Ogoni people had started rebuilding some of the villages when the Canadian authorities as well as some other international organisation supplemented their efforts. Seven villages were rebuilt including a schoolhouse as well as a major marketplace inwards Kaa.

Still, no thing how FOWA as well as the Ogoni people worked to recover, the Nigerian military machine gave them no respite. On the forenoon of Apr 21st, 1994, Ogoni leader as well as spokesperson Ken Saro-Wiwa was arrested on inflated charges. He was incarcerated for ix months before beingness charged as well as arraigned before a special military machine tribunal. To quiet the good publicized get of the Ogoni for environmental justice, an Internal Security Task Force (ISTF) was prepare past times the Nigerian dictatorship to terrorize the Ogoni. What followed was some other story of horror. The ISTF set out, inwards the words of the commander of the force, to "sanitize Ogoni." The military machine went on a rampage-beating, killing, maiming, detaining, extorting money, looting, as well as raping throughout Ogoni; women were often the targets.

In June 1994, during an onset of the ISTF against an Ogoni village, Miss B. (prefers that her existent call is non mentioned) fled into the wood along with her iii younger siblings. She was only 16. Being inwards the wood several days without nutrient for her siblings as well as non beingness able to halt their cries of hunger, she ventured dorsum into the hamlet with the promise of procuring nutrient as well as H2O from their abandoned home. On her way back, as well as simply a few feet from her makeshift home, she was attacked past times the soldiers who had before driven away the villagers. She was raped as well as beaten inwards broad daylight as well as inwards the presence of her siblings. In the travail to preserve her they were also severely beaten. Now, iii years later, she is soundless traumatized.

This is simply 1 of the many stories of rape as well as repression Ogoni women have, as well as go on to experience because of their demands for judge from Shell. Its presence has non only devastated their Earth but has impoverished Ogoni women as well as subsequently, the community. Although the Ogoni women have got suffered spectacular physical as well as cultural losses from the genocidal state of war fought against them, they have got non stopped their activities. They go on to feed as well as attend to the hundreds of Ogoni detainees taken past times the Nigerian soldiers, equally good equally organize as well as assist each other to the best of their ability.

This activity has been difficult, as well as inwards many cases impossible to go on since the local economic scheme has been badly damaged past times the serial of attacks, looting, as well as extortion past times Nigerian soldiers. Still, the women, both equally individuals as well as equally a collective, have got somehow found ways to back upwards their families as well as communities. With less cloth support, the women have got provided moral back upwards for those detained or despairing the atmospheric condition inwards Ogoni today. Being a religious people(although most are Christian, many Ogoni soundless retain their traditional beliefs), Ogoni women have got continued to organize religious events similar prayer meetings despite the many arrests as well as threats from Nigerian soldiers who continually harass them. This spirit is at the amount of the Ogoni struggle.

The struggle of Ogoni women culminated Apr 25th, 1997 when FOWA established their resolution against Shell for the injuries they have got caused to the Ogoni over the past times 4 decades as well as to insult Shell's arrogance. While Shell may facial expression on the surroundings equally a source of profits for their shareholders as well as jobs for their staff, the Ogoni facial expression upon the surroundings equally a source of their being. Its devastation irrevocably affects the Ogoni people. When all the oil is gone as well as their is no to a greater extent than money to live made, Shell volition leave. The women, men, as well as children of Ogoni volition have got to relieve what is left.

FOWA has united women of all generations. It has also been able to choose the thoughts of the women inwards the community together inwards 1 voice. There are 126 branches of FOWA, as well as 1 inwards every Ogoni village. In January, 1997, an international utilisation was prepare inwards Toronto, Canada. FOWA also has offices inwards St. Louis, Missouri as well as Ohio.

The international offices' aim is to heighten awareness inwards the international community nearly the destructive nature of oil exploitation to the Ogoni community equally a whole, but paying special attending to the most vulnerable members of Ogoni society. FOWA also seeks to create a back upwards base of operations for the Ogoni women inwards Ogoni as well as abroad. FOWA aims to larn from, as well as network with other women from about the world who have got had to create out to preserve their lands. In 1993, Ogoni women found that they as well as all Ogoni had no choice but to effectively organize their protests against Shell as well as the Nigerian dictatorship. Through early on grassroots organizing inwards all Ogoni communities as well as past times ensuring a democratic physical care for inwards determination making, FOWA won the consummate loyalty of Ogoni women. Its success was non only rooted inwards its commitment to organizing the protests against oil exploitation, but inwards its commitment to strengthening cultural practices as well as increasing the political role of Ogoni women at the hamlet level. By ensuring cultural survival patch fighting for environmental justice, FOWA has made itself 1 of the most effective grassroots women's movements inwards Africa.

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