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Headlines : CorporationsNigerians sue Chevron for alleged human rights violations at protest
The claims of a Nigerian delta community affected by oil exploitation find their way into the California court system. If a government had been responsible for this, then they would have been pilloried in the ‘international community’, but Chevron barely even feel the need to keep themselves updated on the lawsuit. Oh well, let’s hope this brings home to more people the human price of oil dependence.
[Posted By Szamko]Republished from San Diego Mercury News
SAN FRANCISCO – Ten Nigerian citizens have sued Chevron Corp. in federal court in San Francisco for alleged human rights violations during a protest at a Chevron oil terminal in Nigeria last year.
The lawsuit, filed Monday, claims that Nigerian police and soldiers who were paid and supported by Chevron shot and seriously injured some of the plaintiffs and killed family members of others.
The alleged attack took place during a protest on Feb. 4, 2005 at Chevron’s Escravos oil terminal on the coast of the Niger River Delta in southern Nigeria.
The plaintiffs were among more than 200 members of the Ugborodo community who were protesting Chevron’s alleged failure to provide jobs and development projects for members of the community as promised in a 2002 agreement, according to the lawsuit.
Stephen Garcia, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said four villagers died and at least 30 others were injured during the attack by soldiers and police with rifle butts, tear gas and live ammunition.
Garcia said, ‘We will never believe this is the America that our fellow Americans want or will stand for, no matter how much we need or want the Niger Delta’s oil and gas.’
Chevron spokesman Jeff Moore said he could not comment…
Posted by Szamko
Just tries to tell the truth.
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Posted by gaanjah_mama on Thursday, November 10th 2005
Dear fellow earthlings,
We have work to do! It is time to get it togeter! All this greed is going to wipe us out! Let us redirect our focus from wealth to health! Fortunately, doing this is very rewarding and the place to do the work is easy to find. Just listen for the sound of children crying and care for their needs.
Thanks for your time,
A fellow earthling
MEND, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, wants Shell to cough up $1.5 Billion in pollution compensation.
If it turns out that people can successfully prosecute US companies in the US for their adventures overseas – we’ll have set a major precedent. But. It hasn’t happened yet for Ecuador. Their “clean-up” after the Valdez spill was a joke.
So nice that people can still speak so highly of a people who think the problem with Iraq is that we’re spending too much money and it doesn’t look like we’re going to win.
Chevron is where Condi used to work. Think she might have some cash still riding on that horse?