The widow of Dr Barinem Kiobel, one of the nine Ogoni
activists executed in 1995 by the General Sani Abacha-led military government,
has filed a case against oil giant, Shell for alleged complicity in the
execution of the activists.
Amnesty International said in a statement that the latest
case in the Netherlands by Mrs. Esther Kiobel revealed details of the alleged
role Shell played in the executions.
According to the statement, Esther Kiobel has fought for
justice for her husband for more than 20 years, alleging his unlawful arrest
and detention, the violation of his personal integrity, the violation of his
right to a fair trial and his right to life, and her own right to a family
life.
“The executions of the Ogoni Nine shocked the world. Shell
has been dodging accountability for its complicity in these deaths for more
than 20 years but now, thanks to Esther Kiobel’s determination and bravery in
taking on this corporate Goliath, the past is finally catching up with it,”
Senior Director of Research at Amnesty International Audrey Gaughran, said.
“Today is a watershed moment in Esther Kiobel’s uphill
battle for justice. Shell has to answer for the bloody footprints it left all
over Ogoniland,” he added.
Amnesty International also said the executions were the
culmination of a brutal campaign by Nigeria’s military to silence the protests
of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), led by Ken
Saro-Wiwa.
According to the statement, MOSOP had claimed that others
had grown rich on the oil that was pumped from under their soil, while
pollution from spills and gas flaring had “led to the complete degradation of
the Ogoni environment, turning their homeland into an ecological disaster.”
In January 1993, MOSOP declared that Shell was no longer
welcome to operate in Ogoniland. In January 1993, MOSOP declared that Shell was
no longer welcome to operate in Ogoniland.
The military authorities responded to the MOSOP protests
with force, committing numerous serious human rights violations, including
killings, torture and rape.
“Shell encouraged the government to stop Ken Saro-Wiwa and
MOSOP, knowing this was highly likely to result in human rights violations
being committed against them. Shell had plenty of evidence that the Nigerian
Military was responding to the Ogoniland protests with abuse,” said Audrey
Gaughran.
“Just weeks before the men were arrested, chairperson of
Shell Nigeria had met with then-President, General Sani Abacha, and raised “the
problem of the Ogonis and Ken Saro-Wiwa.”
This was not the
first time Shell had engaged with military and security forces to frame the
Ogoni protests as a “problem.” Shell also repeatedly reminded the authorities
of the economic impacts of the MOSOP protests,” Amnesty International added.
Shell was however quoted to have denied all allegations
insinuating its involvement in the killings.
“The allegations cited in your letter against Shell are
false and without merit. Shell Nigeria did not collude with the military
authorities to suppress community unrest and in no way encouraged or advocated
any act of violence in Nigeria. We have always denied these allegations in the
strongest possible terms.”
Courtesy: Channels tv
Courtesy: Channels tv
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