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Author Topic: MEND and Attacks in Niger Delta
Willowdale Wizard
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posted 20 February 2006 12:32 PM      Profile for Willowdale Wizard   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
nigerian oil unions to meet on worker safety after attacks:

quote:
The meeting comes days after the militant group the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, launched new attacks on a handful of oil facilities - leaving 19% of Nigeria's output unavailable to world markets - and kidnapped nine more oil workers.

The group, which also kidnapped the four oil workers in January, has said it is aiming to cut 30% of Nigeria's oil exports in February.

Also Sunday MEND said it planned to widen its attacks to the capital Abuja, in central Nigeria, and to target international oil tankers coming into the West African nation's waters to load crude oil.


saturday independent (nigeria):

quote:
MEND announced [last] Tuesday its plan to launch “another Armageddon in the Nigerian petroleum history,” at the expiration of 96 hours ultimatum it declared for multi-national oil companies to vacate the Niger-Delta region.

“We are hereby declaring a state of emergency on every multi-national oil industry in the Niger-Delta region. By the end of 96 hours, this region would no longer be safe for foreign investors and their families as MEND’s operation Black February shall demonstrate her rugged guerilla will and dogged intelligence in hunting down every foreign foot found in the Niger-Delta region,” it declared in its online statement to the media.

During the operation, it said “administrative edifices, oil installations, vessels and production machinery shall be sabotaged, and wherever necessary, hostages shall be taken, this time to ply a poisonous jagged edged sword through the heart of the Nigerian oil policies, as the case with the 50 years environmental desecration, psychological desolation, economic disenfranchise and social depression that has been our redeeming franchise so far.”



From: england (hometown of toronto) | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged
Michael Watkins
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posted 20 February 2006 12:54 PM      Profile for Michael Watkins   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Other reading / listening:

Poverty of oil wealth in Nigeria's delta

Very interesting:

NPR: Oil Money Divides Nigeria

FYI Nigeria is currently the 4th largest exporter of crude to the United States (approx 1.16 million barrels per day). What's also important to note is that much of Nigeria's oil is the light sweet crude which is highly prized. A loss of Nigerian production would take 8% of the raw crude supply to US refineries off-line for a period of time - more or less what happened as a result of hurricanes Ivan and Katrina last year.


From: Vancouver Kingway - Democracy In Peril | Registered: Dec 2005  |  IP: Logged
eau
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posted 20 February 2006 03:02 PM      Profile for eau        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
The only thing that is suprising is that it took this long for the Nigerian people to get upset about the disastrous environmental mess that has happened in the delta. The people at Shell and their subcontractors must close their eyes as they operate.

The ruling class of Nigeria obviously dont have to put up with any of it..the drudgery, grinding poverty , dirty water and the illnesses that spring from all of it.

Oil in Nigeria has certainly done little for the lives of the people of Nigeria.


From: BC | Registered: Aug 2005  |  IP: Logged
'lance
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posted 20 February 2006 03:39 PM      Profile for 'lance     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by eau:
The only thing that is suprising is that it took this long for the Nigerian people to get upset about the disastrous environmental mess that has happened in the delta. The people at Shell and their subcontractors must close their eyes as they operate.

Of course, they've been not only upset, but active, for well over ten years now.

Also, many in the Delta would likely dispute the idea that they're part of "the Nigerian people" (if there is such a thing, the current borders dating to colonial times), but identify as Ogoni, for example.

quote:
"We don’t get the jobs even to cut grass. We don’t get contracts even to provide toilet paper. The company is run by Igbos and Yorubas[two of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups]. They look after their own people. The Americans [senior Chevron Nigeria executives who are US nationals] don’t know anything. They fly their employees from Lagos. Why can’t they hire people locally?"

[ 20 February 2006: Message edited by: 'lance ]


From: that enchanted place on the top of the Forest | Registered: Jul 2001  |  IP: Logged
eau
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posted 20 February 2006 06:03 PM      Profile for eau        Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
That was excellent insight, its a tribal culture and I had not thought about it and it's true that the nuances are often overlooked by we westerners.

The destruction of the Niger Delta is one of those things that not even a particular tribe wins, all of the people lose. Polluted water does not respect tribal or national boundaries.


From: BC | Registered: Aug 2005  |  IP: Logged
Willowdale Wizard
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posted 22 February 2006 05:17 AM      Profile for Willowdale Wizard   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
an interesting summary of the last fortnight's escalations ...
From: england (hometown of toronto) | Registered: Jan 2003  |  IP: Logged

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