<
https://theintercept.com/2023/02/01/shell-oil-niger-delta-nigeria-lawsuit/>
"The water in Ogale, a rural community in Nigeria, is so toxic and polluted
with oil that it comes out brown and stinks of sulphur. Children and families
get sick just trying to bathe or stay hydrated. In Bille, a fishing community
of around 45 islands surrounded entirely by water, there are no fish left. Oily
water seeps into people’s homes, and, without a source of income, money is
scarce. The signs that once warned people of the dangers of chronic pollution
are covered in rust.
These Niger Delta communities have been facing pollution caused by Shell for
decades, devastating their health and livelihoods. In 2011, the United Nations
Environment Programme reported that the threat to public health warranted
“emergency action.” At the time, the cleanup process would have taken 30 years,
if initiated immediately.
It never happened. Shell refused to cooperate, and the situation has only
gotten worse, with 55 oil spills in the last 12 years. Amnesty International
called the Niger Delta region “one of the most polluted places on earth.”
On January 27, over 11,300 residents from Ogale — which has a population of
approximately 40,000 — and 17 local organizations, including churches and
schools, filed individual claims at the High Court in London against Shell.
With the existing claims from the Bille community, this brings the total number
against the oil company to over 13,650."
Via Muse.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
