---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2002 22:11:40 -0700
From: Carol D. McRoberts <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WASAN] Action Alert to support Nigerian women against
ChevronTexaco
FYI
Subject: [women-csd] Action Alert to support Nigerian women against
ChevronTexaco
> The following action is being organised by some of us women in Toronto,
Canada. I am sure you all can contact your local ChevronTexaco offices and
demand action from them. A sample letter is included below and also
attached. Please feel free to use and edit as you wish. - prabha
> Action Alert
>
> Let ChevronTexaco know that we are watching!
>
> Support women activists in Nigeria
>
>
>
>
>
> On Monday, July 8th 2002 hundreds of women occupied the ChevronTexaco oil
and gas terminal at Escravos in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. A few days
later, hundreds more women occupied 4 pumping stations in the same vicinity.
>
>
>
> "We have nothing to show for over 30 years of the company's existence",
said Lucky Lelekumo referring to the overwhelming poverty in the communities
of the Delta. The communities lack potable water, electricity, roads, health
care and education facilities, and employment, while ChevronTexaco employees
in the same area live in First World conditions with a modern hospital,
cafeteria, games rooms and satellite television.
>
>
>
> ChevronTexaco extracts more than 400,000 barrels of oil per year from the
Delta. Oil spills from the operations have caused environmental
contamination and degradation destroying the fishing economy of the
communities. Flaring causes acid rain, skin diseases, asthma and other
negative health affects further reducing economic self-sufficiency.
>
>
>
> For many years now, the people of Nigeria have been organizing for
economic justice and a fair sharing of the profits from the oil and gas.
Previous attempts to organise for jobs, basic services and infrastructure
have met with police and military repression. In a 1998 youth protest 2 were
killed and dozens injured. And as is well known, the murder of environmental
activists Ken Saro Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni people in 1995.
>
>
>
> Nigerian women's groups are many and strong and have organized numerous
amazing campaigns. They have won several victories for women rights for
social and economic justice. The women's latest actions against
ChevronTexaco are to bring a new focus for action in the on-going neglect of
their communities by the rich oil companies.
>
>
>
> The oil companies operating in Nigeria share a responsibility to ensure
that oil production does not continue at the cost of violations of the
rights of those who live in the areas where oil is produced. Systematic
monitoring and protest of human rights violations by the oil companies and
the government is more important than ever.
>
>
>
> Write and call ChevronTexaco to let them know you are watching them and
monitoring them.
>
>
>
> Tell ChevronTexaco to meet the demands of the women.
>
>
>
> The enclosed sample letter contains relevant phone and fax numbers. Feel
free to compose your own letter as well.
>
>
>
> Women's Action Network, Toronto, Canada, July 22nd 2002
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
> Date:
>
> ChevronTexaco, Canada
ChevronTexaco, International
>
> 6975 Pacific Circle, Mississauga, Ont. San Ramon,
California, USA
>
> Phone: 905-670-6470
Phone: 925-842-4225
>
> FAX: 905-670-6476
FAX: 925-842-5840
>
> General e-address: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> ".to conduct business in a socially responsible and ethical
manner.support universal human rights.protect the environment, and the
communities where we work.learn from and respect cultures in which we work."
ChevronTexaco
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> To, ChevronTexaco Executives and Board
>
>
> I am writing to urge you to immediately meet the demands of the Nigerian
women who were occupying the Escravos Terminal and with whom you have signed
an MOU, and the women who are still occupying the flow stations at Abiteye,
Makaraba, Otunana and Olero Creek.
>
>
>
> I am horrified to hear of the poverty of these women. It is clear to many
of us here in Toronto and Canada that the huge profits of ChevronTexaco are
based on the exploitation of the people and natural resources of Nigeria.
>
>
>
> These women and their communities live in abject poverty. They have been
attempting to negotiate with oil companies for a share of the profits for
many years. The communities have lacked basic health, education, roads,
water and electricity services for many years - and you know this, as you
are familiar with previous protests, where the police and military have
often intervened on your behalf. We have not forgotten the murders of Ken
Saro Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni people in November of 1995 in which Shell is
implicated.
>
>
>
> ChevronTexaco has been operating in the south-eastern Delta region for
over 30 years. While ChevronTexaco has made millions of dollars, local
communities have experienced increased poverty, increased pollution and
environmental degradation and the loss of livelihoods. This is what the
women are telling you.
>
>
>
> As the women have demanded, we urge you to immediately provide jobs for
community members, support their initiatives for employment and income
generation and provide them with schools, roads, water and electricity.
>
>
>
> If their demands are not met, I can assure you that you will see increased
mobilization in Canada and around the world against you and your products.
>
>
>
> I look forward to hearing from you about the actions you are going to take
and how soon you will take them.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Name and contact information.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> This is a listserver set up by the CSD Women's Caucus, a global group of
women and men working on gender & sustainable development issues. It has
been established to circulate information in preparation for the UN
Commission on Sustainable Development Sessions and Earth Summit 2002
(officially the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South
Africa, Sept. 2002).
> To learn more about the CSD Women's Caucus activities, check the web-site
at www.earthsummit2002.org/wcaucus/csdngo.htm.
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Will You Find True Love?
Will You Meet the One?
Free Love Reading by phone!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/7dY7FD/R_ZEAA/Ey.GAA/DKgolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, August 28, 2002. Location: Safeco Jackson Street Center, E Main between 23 & 24, Suite 200, Seattle
7:00 pm Business meeting (everyone is welcome)
7:30 PM Program. Everyone is welcome.
We usually meet the fourth Wednesday of the month. For a calendar of local Africa events see http://www.ibike.org/africamatters/calendar.htm . To post a message: [log in to unmask] To subscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] . All past postings are archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wa-afr-network
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
