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Forum Post: Avaaz on Shell oil in Nigeria.

Posted 11 years ago on Nov. 4, 2012, 9:35 p.m. EST by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

In days, Nigeria's Parliament could approve a $5 billion fine against giant oil polluter Shell for a spill that devastated the lives of millions of people, and pass a law to hold all oil companies to account for polluting and plundering. This is a watershed moment, but unless we all speak out, oil giants will crush it.

Finally, Big Oil is having to pay for the wasteland and violence that they’ve created. President Jonathan supports the Shell fine, and progressive Senators are pushing for strong regulations, but oil companies are slick, and without huge international support MPs could buckle under the pressure.

Politicians are deciding their positions right now -- sign the urgent petition for the Nigerian Parliament to fine Shell and support the bill, and then forward this to everyone -- when we hit a million signers we'll bring our unprecedented global call to the steps of Nigeria's Parliament:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_shell_pay_b/?bGfGZcb&v=19071

Experts say that every year Big Oil spills as much crude into the Niger Delta as an Exxon Valdez, but as it is Africa, it gets little media play. After a leak occurred at Shell's Bonga oil facility last December, millions of gallons poured into the ocean and washed up on the densely populated coast -- resulting in one of the largest African oil spills ever. The fine and bill on the table are a once in a lifetime chance to stand up to Big Oil.

Oil companies have made $600 billion in the last 50 years in Nigeria, but locals don't see the benefits. Their land, drinking water and fishing grounds are ruined. And Shell has spent hundreds of millions of dollars a year on security forces, repressing protest against its harmful practices.

The oil industry is crucial to the economy, but companies have never been held to account for the devastation of drilling. Now, the Nigerian President and a few brave MPs are speaking out and they could finally slam the oil giants with tough fines and give fair pay outs to the victims. If we show MPs that the world supports these crucial steps, we can literally change the lives of millions. Click below to sign the urgent petition:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/make_shell_pay_b/?bGfGZcb&v=19071

Avaazers have stood up to Big Oil all over the world, from Chevron in Ecuador, to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, to ending fossil fuel subsidies at the Rio Summit. Now let’s do it for Nigeria too. Make sure the politicians send a message to Big Oil: your days of impunity are over.

With hope and determination,

Pascal, Patricia, Alex, Ricken, David, Rewan, and the Avaaz team

Shell Faces $5 Billion Nigeria Fine (Wall Street Journal) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303933704577532723563488122.html

Shell urged to pay Nigeria $5bn over Bonga oil spill (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18875731

Shell's grip on Nigerian state revealed (The Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/08/wikileaks-cables-shell-nigeria-spying

U.N. slams Shell as Nigeria needs biggest ever oil clean-up (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/04/us-nigeria-ogoniland-idUSTRE7734MQ20110804

Nigeria: Oil spill investigations 'a fiasco' in the Niger Delta (Amnesty International) http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/nigeria-oil-spill-investigations-fiasco-niger-delta-2012-08-02

Avaaz.org is a 16-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 19 countries on 6 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

33 Comments

33 Comments


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[-] 4 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Great post!

[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

It really is a ray of sunshine - Hey? Slap those filthy world rapers - slap em hard. Time for fossil fuel to go away - and the world needs to make sure they understand. You can not go around the world destroying the environment.

[-] 2 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

GEttin the judgement is easy. Its the collection that is the hard part.

Good post though.

[-] 1 points by richardkentgates (3269) 11 years ago

When people around this topic begin showing up dead, will the international community act? Fuck no, and that is why the Niger gov will not finish the job. These issues take a lot more than a petition, they require international pressure on the companies. Mysterious deaths around such issues need international investigation. The US needs to support cooperative governments instead of corporations and that isn't going to happen unless the corporations allow it. Why would they? They have the US and all it's might to back any actions they take, legal or not.

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

Thousands of oil spills have occurred in Nigeria since the 1970s, but Shell is refusing to take responsibility for many of them. Please sign the petition today!

Shell: It's Time to Pay Up for ALL Oil Spill Damages!

take action

please share

it helps!

share on facebook share on twitter share via email

Shell owns almost all of the oil wells in Nigeria. That means it's responsible, at least in part, for the thousands of oil spills that have occurred there since the 1970s. But Shell is refusing to pay for much of the devastation its wells have caused.

Thousands of Nigerians' lives have been destroyed over the years by the wells' pollution. Now, some of those people are suing the corporation to ask for justice.

So far, though, Shell is having none of it. It's continuing to argue about just how much damage it's liable for, claiming that sabotage is behind most of the spills.

Since the corporation has raked in vast profits at the expense of Nigeria's people and environment, it should, at the very least, provide compensation to the victims.

Tell Shell that it can't keep ignoring the devastating consequences of its actions.

care2

Thank you for taking action,

Kathleen Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team


We ( everyone in the world ) need to get off of using fossil fuel. Global warming is real - climate change is happening. This along with the fact that fossil fuel extraction and transportation - Kills - Is more than enough reason to stop it's use. Then there are the wars it promotes for control of foreign oil fields. ALL OF THE ABOVE IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. We have alternative technology available to be implemented TODAY. Alternative technology which is clean to the environment and to all life. One example a recent episode of NOVA shows many new tech answers for pollution problems - Making Stuff: Cleaner http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/making-stuff-cleaner.html Aired: Aug 28, 2013 Consider this information share this information. We can do so much better than we are. 43 minutes into the above program it talks about liquid metal batteries - this would be the most significant up-grade to every power grid in the world - as significant as stopping the use of fossil fuel. A much better use of employment and public funds for upgrading our power grid for pumping money into the economy - not throw it away like the ongoing 85 billion a month bailout of Wallstreet.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

the oil companies should be beholden to the people

[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

BTW - TWEET

DKAtoday ‏@DKAtoday

Shell – Stop Disputing... http://www.thepetitionsite.com/268/485/760/shell-stop-disputing-amount-of-oil-spilt-in-nigeria/

Fossil Fuel CEAN-UP Your TOXIC Messes

Sign

Share

Circulate

re-TWEET

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

Tweets

@DKAtoday's tweets are protected.

Only confirmed followers have access to @DKAtoday's Tweets and complete profile. Click the "Follow" button to send a follow request.

https://twitter.com/DKAtoday

[-] 0 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

Excellent post.

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Thx - I was lucky to come across it with all of the BS plea's for money from campaign's polluting my e-mail. Cmon Nov 7

[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Tweeted - please share and circulate.

[-] -2 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

Like it or not, oil, coal , etc is here to stay for a very long time.

[-] -2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

That's a poor attitude to take.

[-] 0 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

What is so poor about it? it is the truth. I do not foresee in the distant future, electric planes, bulldozers, semis, etc do you??

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

What about hydrogen powered? Or combination electric hybrid? Fuel cell tech is coming along and will do so faster as more attention is given the development - and faster as new improvements are made to the process - and faster still as implementation increases. You do realize that electric motive power has lots of torque as well as quick acceleration/response and can achieve high speed no problem.

[-] 0 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

Sure electrical power can achieve fast speeds but for now it can only sustain it for a short period of time. It will take years to develop something that will completely take the place of fossil fuels.

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

You are so negative - try to be positive - an asset to growth and change - not an additional problem ( stinken thinkin ).

[-] 0 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

You tell me how we can stop using coal and oil today and still be able to function like we are now

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Thorium power plants - Fuel cell power plants (they can even use sewer gas and gas from landfills ( methane ) as well as from rotting plant mater ( methane ) and they can create hydrogen as part of their operation - for use in power cells. Expanded wind farms and solar farms. There are many things that can be done right now TODAY to replace fossil fuel use.

[-] 0 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

What about jets, bulldozers, tractors, semis, etc going without fossil fuels right now??

[-] 0 points by DanielBarton (1345) 11 years ago

The answer your looking for is no there is no replacement right now and there wont be for ten to twenty years

[-] 0 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

Thank you and that was the comment I was looking for

[-] 0 points by DanielBarton (1345) 11 years ago

it doesnt mean we wont get off of fossil fuels in the near future

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Jets? I do not know - perhaps they could make use of fuel cell technology - but we could also phase them out and use other forms of air transport - why does everyone have to be there like yesterday anyhow?

Your others on the list? There is no problem with using a different motive source - they have electric heavy load semis starting to work in shipping ports right now. Did you know that are such things as long distance TRAINS ??? Wow what a shocker Hey???

So why are you such a downer on clean energy and transportation?

Is it your job to be?

Or do you just enjoy being negative?

[-] -2 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

You are the one that said that we could be not dependent on fossil fuels right now, so please explain. It cannot happen right now and it will take years for it to become a reality

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Now you are being just plain stupid. The technology is available right now today - but it needs to be installed/implemented like the fuel cell power plant that was recently put into use in California. And the transportation change over can be speed-ed up as well. It all comes down to the effort put into making the change that dictates the amount of time it is going to take to complete. You can go away now negative one or is it fossil fuel shill? Nevermind - just go away.

[-] 1 points by DanielBarton (1345) 11 years ago

He has some true concerns the technology is available for electric grid and electric tools but to the bulldosers tractors diggers and other equipment that will be far away from the grid. Those technologies will lag behind up to 50 years.

So ye your right we have the technology but its not practical right now and if it isnt practical is isnt worth having on the market

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Hey - Booksmart - how ya doin. We have what we need to begin in proven technology - and technology gets better as it gets used - so the thing is to start using it.

[-] 1 points by DanielBarton (1345) 11 years ago

Hey im not taking offense to that at all. We have started to use it my school/public bus systems runs on hydrogen fuel cells. In this way we are integrating it. But if tomorrow all the fuel was just gone then no we would not be ready.

We have a two races every year at my school one with electric vehicle one with gas powered. The gas powered ones are about 5 grand for the students to build the electric are around 20 grand. Tha'ts enough to show you that there is going to be a dramatic price increase. The worst part is these vehicles aren't as efficient they cant turn as well and they weigh twice as much.

[-] -2 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

Hey tard you are still dodging the topic / question. How are we going to power jets, tractors, bulldozers, etc without fossil fuel. I am waiting for your answer???

[-] 4 points by Builder (4202) 11 years ago

You must be missing the action.

The vehicles you mention will all operate perfectly well on hempseed oil.

Aviation fuel is kerosene. Diesel engines were the answer to fuel shortages during the last great depression. They will run on any combustible oil, including that used to cook chicken or fish.

[-] 0 points by Nowsmichigan (-310) 11 years ago

DKAtoday claims they will all run on battery power but I do not see that happening

[-] -3 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

The People Who Helped Clean the BP Oil Spill are Getting Sicker Three years after BP’s Gulf oil spill and the damage continues. As proof that no good deed goes unpunished, those who helped clean up after the spill have... read more


I wonder how people are doing who have swum in the Gulf since the clean-up was declared finished.