TL: GREENPEACE STATEMENT ON 1ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF
KEN SARO-WIWA
SO: Greenpeace International (GP)
DT: November 10, 1996
Keywords: environment energy nigeria shell oil africa human
rights deaths /

Greenpeace Statement 
For Release In Connection with the First Anniversary of the
Death of  Ken Saro-Wiwa 

On this, the occasion of the first anniversary of the
execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his fellow activists,
Greenpeace woud like to comment on the context giving rise to
this senselessness tragedy.  The nine activists we remember
today in life were united   over their concern about the
environmental destruction of the Niger delta.  The oil
industry, including but not limited to Royal Dutch Shell, has
for years been and remains the engine of this  destruction.

   Relatively few people live in such close proximity to the
ravages of inadequately controlled and monitored oil
development as do the Ogoni people, but as we now know climate
change caused by the use of oil and other fossils fuels is  an
additional environmental menace to all.

   Events such as these must spur a rapid conversion from
destructive to renewable energy and to the building of a
sustainable economy.  On this sombre anniversary, oil
exploration is pushing further into the last remaining
frontiers and wilderness areas, into  fragile ecological areas
and into the human environment.  As a rule,  the easily
exploitable oil reserves are gone. As a consequence the  oil
companies are advancing on reserves that were previously
viewed  as inaccessable or off-limits.  These developments
come at a time when  scientific opinion tells us that if we
only burn the production of known oil reserves, and leave
existing reserves untouched,  we could already trigger
irreversible and dangerous climate change which would
transform life as we know it.

   In the broader context the activism that occasioned
reprisals  against nine environmentalists from the Niger Delta
could be viewed as another warning to the rest of us.  What is
happening in Nigeri a is in some respects  a repeat of similar
ravages caused by oil  development elsewhere and is mere
prelude to tragic events  world-wide.   More tragedy and pain
is inevitable unless  the rest  of us  stop to  turn our
attention to the oil industry, not only in Nigeria  but around
the world, and decide if we can continue to allow our
civilization to be fueled  on destructive and polluting energy
sources.
   
 In 1992, at the  Earth Summit in Brazil, governments  agreed
on and  pledged commitment to the goal of stablizing and then
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases below dangerous levels.
This was based on scientific estimates that a cut of
greenhouses gases of 60-80%  would be necessary to prevent
potentially dangerous climate change. If this commitment is to
be honored and a response to  the threat of global climate
change realized, we must forego the development  of even the
known oil fields and seek to develop solar and other energy
forms, many of which are already cost-effective.


            Why in this context, should a conflict between the
oil  industry and people whose land unfortunately sits on top
of an oil field persist to the point of tragedy?  Moreover,
what justification is there for Shell and other multinational
oil companies to fail,  as they have in Nigeria, to even meet
the environmental standards imposed on the industry in their
home countries?

        The foregoing calls into question whether continued
oil development in Nigeria can be justified.  If, however,
Shell continues to operate in Nigeria, Greenpeace calls for
the following:  

1. In addition to the current Niger Delta Environmental Survey
(NDES)  a full and independent international inquiry into
Shell's and other oil companies' operations in Nigeria to
determine whether they comply with the environmental laws of
Nigeria and the standards of  the industry prevalent in Europe
and North America.  

2. Shell's public commitment to operate under the highest
standards  imposed on the industry worldwide.    

3.  Shell's public condemnation of the execution of
environmental  activists and insistance on the immediate
release of all environmental activists still confined as a
result of acts of conscience.  

4.   Publication  by  Nigeria and all other  fossil fuel
producing  countries of the total  annual  greenhouse gases
which  result from the production of  oil, gas and other
fossil fuels  each year, and as a proportion of global
emissions.    

 
ENDS