Amnesty accuses shell abuses ogoniland
A very specific and important topic!
In 2011, Amnesty International accused Royal Dutch Shell of complicity in human rights abuses in Ogoniland, a region in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. The allegations were made in a report titled "A Crude Awakening: The Violence of Oil in the Niger Delta".
The report accused Shell of:
- Complicity in the murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a prominent Ogoni activist who was executed in 1995 for his opposition to Shell's activities in the region.
- Failing to protect local communities from violence and human rights abuses committed by the Nigerian military and other armed groups.
- Ignoring the environmental and health impacts of its operations in the region, including oil spills and pollution.
- Failing to provide adequate compensation to communities affected by its activities.
The report also highlighted the widespread human rights abuses and violence committed by the Nigerian military and other armed groups in the region, including:
- Extrajudicial killings
- Torture
- Rape
- Forced displacement
- Destruction of homes and property
Amnesty International called on Shell to take immediate action to address these allegations, including:
- Conducting an independent investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses
- Providing adequate compensation to affected communities
- Taking concrete steps to prevent future abuses
- Supporting efforts to hold those responsible for human rights abuses accountable
Shell has denied many of the allegations made by Amnesty International, but the report has contributed to ongoing criticism of the company's activities in the Niger Delta and its human rights record.
In recent years, there have been some positive developments, including:
- In 2019, Shell agreed to pay $15.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the families of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists who were killed or disappeared during the 1990s.
- In 2020, Shell announced plans to invest $1 billion in the cleanup of oil spills in Ogoniland and to improve its environmental and social practices in the region.
However, much work remains to be done to address the ongoing human rights and environmental challenges in Ogoniland and the Niger Delta more broadly.