Alice Ukoko
The Undeclared War on the Niger Delta of Nigeria
Speech given as part of the Conference 'Building
an Alliance for Joint Action Against War' sponsored by the Network
of Oxford Women for Justice and Peace and held on Saturday 28th February 2009
as part of the Oxford International Women's Festival 2009
Condemning Israel's War on Gaza's Women and Children
at Christmas Time
Please let me share with you on behalf of African women the disgust that
I feel at the impact of the undeclared WAR on the women and children of
GAZA by Israel. Whilst peace loving citizens of the world enjoy the joy
of Christmas on 27.12.08 and wishing one another a "Happy and Rewarding
2009", the women and children of Gaza are facing death from brutal
attack by Israel for reasons unknown to them.
Let it be agreed that every war should be classified "Undeclared war"
by the women and children of the world irrespective of the circumstances
leading to such wicked WAR. How can women and children who are always the
victims of wars around the world regard any war against them "as declared
war?" In other words, every war in the world over is an undeclared
war.
Let it be agreed that no government should have the right to declare war
on his/her citizen irrespective of the grounds for such aggression.
It is time that the people of the world stand together to condemn the killing
of women and children across the world for whatever reasons. If individual
citizens are not expected to settle their differences by the use of rockets
and small arms, why should governments be allowed to choose WAR as means
of settling differences instead of peaceful dialogue? In particular as politicians
making the decision to go to WAR are not those fighting their WAR
Peace loving citizens of the world should stand together to condemn Rape
as a weapon of every undeclared war against women and girl children across
the world.
As we wish other a very Happy 2009, we must remember the women and children
every war torn country of the world.
As I inform you of the impact of the undeclared war against the women and
children of the Niger Delta of Nigeria, my thought is with the women and
children of Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the Sudan, the
displacement of Kenyan women, the list is endless.
Let us ask ourselves, what prospect does 2009 hold for helpless women and
children across the world whose very existence is being threatened right
now by undeclared WARS of which they have no control?
The Niger Delta of Nigeria
With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear after enduring over fifty years
of hostilities that war was declared on the Niger Delta when crude oil was
discovered in the region in 1955. Whilst the people hoped that the discovery
would make life so much easier for them, Shell's officials who first arrived
the region in the early days leading to 1956 to negotiate its right to explore
the black gold knew that war had been declared on the region from every
angle and every aspect of the people's daily life. It was the beginning
of the nightmare that the people of the Niger Delta have been subjected
to for so many years since.
According to Shell Nigeria in 2000, the Delta occupies 70,000 square kilometres
of landmass, interwoven or, criss-crossed by 7,000 kilometres of pipelines
and flow lines.
The region has over 624 oil producing wells and 86 flow stations.
There are ten natural gas plants with a production capacity of 1280 Mbopd
and an average daily production of 744 Mbopd.
The Niger Delta has an estimated population of over seven million spread
across forth ethnic groups and over 1,500 communities
A large area of the Delta is made up of wetland, freshwater swamp forest,
lowland rain forests and coastal sand ridge barriers. It has been suggested
that about 75% of the Delta is reverine. Many communities experience overwhelming
level of flooding during the rainy seasons while other face constant fears
of being swept into the sea
Pictures: environment and living conditions in the Niger Delta (pictures
not available)
The traditional occupation of the people is mainly fishing and
crop farming. Thus, the Delta people have a high dependency on the river and
their land.
War through Environmental Impact
For people whose means of livelihood is fish and crops farming, the destruction
of the environment through exploration of oil without "due care"
has meant that the region has been exposed to "slow death" over
50 years.
The river has been greatly polluted as chemical waste and other hazardous
waste is constantly dumped. On Shell Nigeria's own admission, "…and
also improve operational practices environmentally, by stopping disposal of
produced effluent water into the Warri river"….
Picture shows children of Otujeremi in Ughelli North Area of Delta State. Their lives and environment is devastated by natural gas richness being explored by Shell Nigeria
Shell has been a major multinational company exploring crude
oil in the Niger Delta since 1955 and also the main explorer of the region's
natural gas. Yet, Shell continues to argue that the environmental destruction
and absence of recognisable development of the Delta is down to the Nigerian
Government.
Rather than engage positively with the oil producing communities of the Delta
as fellow stakeholders in the oil wealth of the region, the oil companies
see the communities as saboteurs rather than stakeholders in their multibillion
dollars oil business.
Use of Small Arms for Oil Workers in the Delta:
Shell in particular has maintained that the use of small arms and armed conflict
in the region has nothing to do with them but down to the Nigerian Government
whose sole responsibility it is to protect the lives and environment of the
people of the Delta
Even when it was obvious that the military brutality against protesting women
on 8th August 2002 was instigated by Shell Nigeria, Shell officials denied
responsibility for the horrific injuries that grass-roots women sustained
during that brutal attack.
The Hospitality of the People of the Niger Delta:
Shell is witness to the hospitable nature of the people of a region for history
tells us that when Shell first arrived Olobiri in Bayelsa State of Nigeria
with the promise of prosperity for the people of the region. This promise
never materialised.
The Reality of Oil Exploration:
One major problem facing the people of the Niger Delta is the loss of their
ownership of oil rich land within the oil producing communities. Ownership
and right to land is entrenched in Land Laws worldwide and Nigeria is not
an exception.
In the case of Shell Nigeria, Chevron and others, the people whose land is
oil rich are dispossessed of their rights and claim to such oil rich land.
Thus, oil exploration in the Niger Delta is based basically on oil wells whose
lawful ownership the Government and the oil companies refuse to acknowledge
and to acquire through lawful means bearing in mind land uses before the Land
Uses Act. To the people of the Niger Delta this is another aspect of the undeclared
war against them.
Example:
Shell has been exploring oil wells on land in Erhobaro within Orogun clan
in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State for over forty years
without lawful acquisition of the land from the lawful owner of the land.
When approached by the landowner, Shell claims payment of the use of the land
is being made to family members that could not be identified. Although the
land owner has produced evidence of his ownership to back his demand for payment
of compensation for forty years of exploration without land use payment, and
to legalise and use, Shell has continued to remain elusive according to the
land owner. Shell continues to explore oil on that land without lawful authorisation.
This case reflects the dilemma faced by land owners in the Niger Delta.
It is well known that Shell adopts the tactics of meeting with the village
head or, someone who claim to be the rightful person from whom permission
for use of land can be obtained and to whom payments for land use can be made.
It is well established that enjoyment of land and property is the sole right
of legal landowners. But not in the Niger Delta where Shell Nigeria continues
to exercise exclusive rights to explore oil and natural gas on land owned
by the people with impunity
Thus, as the people suffer loss of ownership of their land and adverse impact
of the exploration of their crude and natural gas richness without permission,
due care and social responsibility, they began to resist the continuing occupation
of Shell in the Niger Delta.
In Escravos, Chevron continues to use the land without payment of an amount
equivalent of five pounds a year.
More examples of adverse impact
Gas Flaring:
Whilst gas flaring in the Netherlands stands at 0%, 98% of gas is flared in
the Niger Delta with no gas for industrial and domestic uses. Shell Nigeria
during the meeting I held with them in Lagos on Tuesday 10th February 2009,
insists that it is only 50% of gas associated with its operations is being
flared.
The constant flaring of gas instead of conversion for domestic and industrial
uses mean that the vegetation and environment remains damaged and hence an
undeclared poverty war on the people of the Delta.
Impact of Chemical Waste Disposal without due care
The oil companies fail to dispose their operational chemical waste with due
care to the environment, human and eco-lives in its attempt to maximise profit.
Thus, the people of Ajala in Delta State are condemned to living next door
to highly potent waste, a waste that is meant to be removed from amongst human
beings.
Members of Ajala community near Warri reported cases of impotency amongst
its male population as a result of chemical waste without regards for the
people's environment and safety. No one has ever been compensated for lives
lost and impotency suffered as a result of this. Shell is yet to change its
policy on chemical waste disposal. The people of Ajala continue to suffer
the devastating impact of this waste disposal without due care.
Oil Spillages
There are constant oil spillages due primarily to ageing and minimally maintained
oil bearing pipes laid above ground under intense heat from the sun.
The Oil multinational Companies of which Shell is the major player rarely
takes responsibility for oil spillages and thereby refuse to clean up for
oil spillages and compensate communities affected
Rather than modernise operational methods to protect lives and the environment,
the Multinational Companied depend on their "hard line posture"
claiming that oil spillages are occurring due to the people's sabotage of
oil bearing pipes and Companies equipments and installations.
Failure to maintain and replace obsolete oil bearing pipes has contributed
to oil spillages across the Delta over many years. Rather than clean up affected
farm lands and compensate communities whose farm lands are affected by these
spillages, Shell lays the blame at the door of the victim communities, refuses
to clean up spillages and compensate victims on the ground that spillages
are the work of saboteurs.
Fires Caused by Oil Spillages
In 1998 fire swept through Jesse town, Oviri Court and Ekapkamre amongst others
in the Delta claiming thousands of innocent lives. Pregnant women and children
were burnt alive. The hostility against the people is so real that many victims
refused to go to the hospital for fear of being arrested and hence dying in
captivity.
Most victims of these fires died without medical care as, in the eyes of Shell
supported by the Nigerian Government, the oil producing communities of the
Niger Delta are criminals who are forever stealing oil, engaging in kidnapping
for financial ransom money and other criminal devices for survival.
Oil companies operating in the region continue to maintain that the development
of the Niger Delta is the responsibility of Nigerian Government. The people
of the Niger Delta are aware that Shell and others are commercial companies
whose major interest in the region is purely profit oriented. The people are
not expecting Shell and others to take on governmental roles include the protection
of its citizen as entrenched in the Nigerian Constitution (1999) and to ensure
that sustainable peace and development is installed in the region.
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
We, the people of the Niger Delta are aware that Shell contributes to the
funding of the NDDC without evidence of the desired outcome for the people
of the region.
I argue that unless a responsible government is installed, Shell and all Multinational
Companies will not successfully deliver on their social responsibility as
such, hostility towards oil companies by oil producing communities of the
Niger Delta will not be resolved. Every negative experience is linked to the
oil companies who are seen to be working with Nigerian governments.
We are also aware that Chevron-Texaco is constantly creating job opportunities
(albeit menial jobs) for youths of the region. This is commendable and needs
to be built upon and extended to cover managerial jobs.
Use of Small Arms (AK-47)
Since Nigeria's political independence, the people of the Niger Delta have
been subjected to a war for which they had no control.
In November 1975, Ken Saro-Wiwa and his 9 Ogoni compatriots were executed
condemned to death by a stage managed judicial process for daring to call
for control of resources accruing to the region
The waging of undeclared war against the people of the Niger Delta by the
successive Nigerian Governments to ensure uninterrupted supply of crude oit
has claimed many lives.
In 1999, the then President of Nigeria General (Chief) Olusegun Obasanjo ordered
military invasion of Odi, Bayelsa state in the Niger Delta killing a large
number of the male population and destroying the town.
The intensity of the war against the Niger Delta continues to remain unknown
to the people of Nigeria and the world at large.
Niger Deltans who have dared to speak out against the undeclared war against
our people and environment have been brutally killed, People like Adaka Boro,
Ken Saro-Wiwa, Harry Marshall amongst others.
Constant force has been used against the people and in particular, since the
general elections of 2003, small arms have been used by rogue politicians
who arm unemployed youths with AK-47s for electoral purposes.
The introduction of small arms into the hidden war situation in the Niger
Delta by some political, community war-lords and military officers operating
working to promote their own interest has further prolonged the war and hence
worsen security.
The resulting militant youths activities flowing from the hidden war situation
have brought to the fore a far reaching impact of the war against the people
of the Niger Delta.
As militant youth activities reduce the production of oil for the foreign
market, the Nigerian Government seeks international assistance in subduing
resistance to the years of official misappropriation of the wealth of the
region, the destruction of our environment and the deepening poverty level
in the region.
Thus, the British Prime Minister: Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown MP offered military
assistance to the Nigerian Government in 2008 to deal with the resistance
being presented by Niger Delta youths. The scale of the military assistance
was later reduced due to actions of human rights campaigners in London on
16.07 08.
Conclusion
The oil richness of the Niger Delta has continued to breed individuals and
oil companies that lack sense of social justice and respect for peaceful co-existence
have in return for the wealth being gotten from the Niger Delta waged undeclared
war against the people, their environment and the survival of their homeland.
Shell Nigeria and other oil multinational companies operating in the region
have established themselves as the informal government of Nigeria as a result
of its role in the creation of petro dollar accruing to corrupt politicians/governments.
The people of the region expect the Nigerian government and the oil multinational
companies to engage actively in peace building for sustainable development
of the Niger Delta in the following ways:
End the undeclared war against the peace loving people whose oil and natural
gas wealth is creating wealth for the companies and Nigerian politicians and
warlords at the expense of sustainable peace and development of for the enjoyment
of all stakeholders of the region.