INVITATION TO CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST SHELL PETROLEUM CORPORATION

NIGER DELTA CONGRESS - USA

PURSUANT TO THE MARCH 26, 2001 UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION IN WHICH SHELL WAS FOUND TO BE COMPLICIT IN HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN NIGERIA, AND AS SUCH SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BASED ON A LAW ENACTED IN 1789: ALLOWING NON – U.S. CITIZENS TO SUE FOREIGN MULTI - NATIONALS AND GOVERNMENTS OVER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS  THE NIGER DELTA CONGRESS, HEREBY INVITE ALL INDIGENES OF THE NIGER DELTA ( WHO AS LEGITIMATE REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES) IN THE DIASPORA TO JOIN US IN OUR DETERMINATION TO INSTITUTE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK AGAINST ROYAL / DUTCH SHELL PETROLEUM CORPORATION. 

AS A COMPENDIUM TO THE ABOVE, I WISH TO STATE THAT SHELL HAS BEEN STRIPPED OF IMMUNITY TOWARD LITIGATION FOLLOWING THE LAW SUIT FILED IN NEW YORK IN 1996 BY THE FAMILIES OF TWO VICTIMS: ENVIRONMENTALIST / PLAYWRIGHT KEN SARO–WIWA AND ACTIVIST JOHN KPUINEN – SEEKING BOTH COMPENSATORY AND PUNITIVE DAMAGES FOR EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTION AFTER BEING  RAILROADED THROUGH KANGAROO COURTS WITH  SHELL’S CONSENT, SUPPORT AND PERSISTENCE. 

THE ABOVE VERDICT IS A VICTORY FOR ALL THE VICTIMS AND ACTIVISTS WHOSE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED BY DRACONIC MILITARIST GOVERNMENTS WORKING IN CONCERT WITH MULTI - NATIONAL OIL CORPORATIONS TO ABUSE, OPPRESS AND SUPPRESS OUR PEOPLE DUE TO IDIOSYNCRASY, ICONOCLASM, GREED AND CALLOUSNESS.

*The  Legal  Scope of our Law Suit shall encompass but not be limited to the following:

*Evidence of Pollution of Farmlands and Fishing settlements in the Niger Delta Shell shocked Region.

*Oil Spills, Gas flaring and Hydrocarbon pollution in the Communities.

*Land Expropriation without compensation.

*Socio / Economic conditions of the inhabitants:

1.  Lack of Infra – Structural Developments

2. Destruction of Historical Villages and Institutions.

3. No Electricity and Drinkable Water.

4. Shanties used as Schools and Hospitals

*Persecution of Community Leaders and Environmental whistle – blowers.

*Suppression of Demands for compensation; Damages; Development Projects and Unemployment.

*State sponsored terrorism, mass amputations and killings.

*Oil Company requests for State Security to exterminate local communities.

*Shell Company’s failure to monitor and protest abuses.

*Shell Company’s contribution to mass exodus of the inhabitants of the Niger Delta Communities to the Diaspora - - - as Economic Refugees.

It is time to put an end to the politics of bifurcation and prosecute Shell, whose business practices world-wide is now construed as a conundrum.

It is time to halt the manumission of Government propaganda, imbroglio and commingling with the Multi – National Oil Corporations and fight for Justice and Fundamental Human Rights in enhancement of the nexus of our Mission.

Send your name, the group or community you represent and a photocopy of your organization's registration certificate to the webmaster@nigerdeltacongress.com or mail to Niger Delta Congress, P. O. Box 40876, Staten Island, New York, NY 10304, USA

SIGNED: CHIEF MPAKA PRINCEWILL

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