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HELP! SHELL IS KILLING US By OLOMORO/OLEH FLOW STATION EXPLOSION: THE UNTOLD STORY
HIGHLIGHT 7 "Shell's inefficiency caused the explosion" says eyewitness 7 Scores of community leaders languishing in detention 7 Shell slammed a multi-million dollar law suit against the people 7 Armed Shell police take over Olomoro and Oleh Communities
THE EXPLOSION: FACTS AND FICTION Greatly worried by Shell's blatant refusal to pay due compensation to the Olomoro and Oleh communities on September 27, 2001, leaders and Chiefs from the above communities staged what eyewitnesses described as peaceful protest to the Olomoro/Oleh flow station to demand for a clean up of the environment and compensation for their loss of means of livelihood.
At Shell's facility, the station attendants were ordered by angry protesting community leaders to shut down the flow station, which they did. Moments later, a deafening explosion occurred.
Speaking to ERA Field Monitor in the community, Mr. Izighodo Victor Ozighodo, an environmentalist and community leader argued, "The station attendants are not experienced and the disaster was caused by Shell's faulty facility". His argument was that when Shell staff stopped the flow station, a relief valve, if available, would have provided a vent for the associated gas that possibly built up the pressure that led to the explosion.
Another community leader who pleaded anonymity told ERA that the community did not touch the facility and that they only ordered Shell staffers to close down the facility, which they complied with.
SHELL'S RESPONSE Shortly after the incident which caused disruption of oil operation, armed policemen acting on the complaints of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) arrested 10 community people including Apostle Joseph Paul Asiemor - Olomoro and Hon. Beyamin Efekolo - Oleh. They are currently detained in Asaba prisons in Delta State under inhuman conditions.
SHELL'S LAW SUIT Also, Shell has slammed a $25,000.000.00 (Twenty-five million dollars) lawsuit filed in a Benin high court, Edo State against the community as compensation for damage done to facility and disruption of oil production. Isoko Development Union (IDU), the umbrella body of the Isoko ethnic nationality will represent the people.
SHELL'S ARMED POLICEMEN TAKEOVER COMMUNITY ERA was denied access to the site of explosion at Olomoro/Oleh flow station by fierce looking fully armed mobile policemen who were reportedly drafted from Shell's camp.
ERA investigations revealed that Shell built a camp in Oleh where armed soldiers and policemen are kept and maintained to guard their facilities. These armed personnel now patrol the communities. Community people have also expressed concern about the state of insecurity and violations that now rules the area.
SHELL IN OLOMORO AND OLEH, BEYOND OIL PRODUCTION Olomoro and Oleh communities house Shell's numerous facilities. Shell started petrol business in the Olomoro community since 1963 and operates 49 oil wells producing 40,000 barrels of crude oil daily. Oleh has 25 oil wells. Sucked out of these communities is a minimum of 70,000 barrels of crude oil per day. (See ERA Field Report 28, July 13, 1999).
Facilities belonging to Shell occupy almost half of the communities thus causing severe land scarcity and hunger among the people. The facilities are located in closed proximity to human habitation.
Despite the huge presence of Shell, the communities lack basic social amenities such as clean water, good access road and medical facilities. Poverty, hunger, despondency and frustration resulting from the operations of Shell have rendered the community an ecological wasteland and area of high resource conflicts. The communities are grossly under-developed.
Food and cash crops have been devastated. Thousands of fishponds, natural and artificial lakes distributed in the area have been contaminated by crude oil and fish catch has drastically reduced. Fishing nets and hooks are not spared by the crude oil pollution. Wildlife and marine life are threatened as they drink from polluted streams and lakes.
According to the statement of claim in the suit filled by Shell with number FHC/B/CS/213/2001, "The damage was so extensive to the extent that heavy concrete foundation walls were uprooted, connecting pipe work mangled and heavy pieces of vessels were propelled over 300 metres radius. The noise of the explosion was heard as far away in Ozoro town several kilometres from the scene of the incidence. The estimated cost of damage from the preliminary investigation of plaintiff is estimated at $25,000.000.00 (Twenty-five million dollars)".
SHELL AND THE COURTS When Shell's oil spill devastated the four Burutu communities of Sokebelou, Ofogbene, Obotobo and Ekeremor in Delta State in 1982, the people resorted to the law courts for redress. It took 15 horrendous years waiting before a ruling came from the High Court in favour of the communities. The ruling ordered Shell to pay the communities a total sum of US$ 235,000.00 or then N30, 296,681.00. When compared to the grave damage done to the environment, this was nothing more than mere pittance. A drop in the ocean. Shell officials boasted then that they would never pay any compensation as a result of the case. They went on to appeal against the ruling in a court located in Benin City where the local people would have problems transporting themselves to. A boast. Then, an appeal. The reading then was that Shell sees the court as an arena of frustration. Today it does appear that the court is now being viewed as an arena of intimidation, harassment and spite.
ERA'S RECOMMENDATION 7 Shell should demonstrate corporate responsibility and citizenship to the Isoko people to avoid needless confrontations. 7 Release all the community people held and withdraw the lawsuit to ensure a process of dialogue. 7 Promote the culture of dialogue as a response to mitigating the destruction of livelihood and the environment of host communities.
WHAT YOU CAN DO 7 Send letters to Shell to respect and protect the rights of the rural people and ensure the release of the detainees. 7 Send copies to your local newspapers. 7 Send copies to local and international groups and to legislators from your constituency (Nigerians) requesting them to raise issue of environmental concern as a critical part of their mission, mandate and obligation to the people. For more information contact: ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS ACTION/ FRIENDS OF THE EARTH (FoE, Nigeria) #214, Uselu-Lagos Road, P. O. Box 10577, Benin City, Nigeria Tel/Fax: + 234 52 600165 Email: eraction@infoweb.abs.net Port Harcourt: # 13 Agudama Street, D-Line, Port Harcourt Tel: + 234 84 236365 Email: Oilwatch. Era@infoweb.abs.net Lagos: # 1 Balogun Street, Ikeja Email: disera@infoweb.abs.net London: Tel/Fax: + 44 181 7800574 Email: njaja@compuserve.com
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