Nigeria: Women protest against oil violence
In the past weeks, oil-bearing communities in the western flank of the Niger Delta have been witnessing a rising tempo of resistance to the violence of the oil and gas industry. The protests are being organised by women whose local industries such as fishing and farming and livelihood have been destroyed by transnational oil companies, ChevronTexaco and Shell. From July 8, when women from Itsekiri communities occupied Chevron's oil terminal, more women from the Gbaramatu, Egbema and Urhobo communities have blockaded Chevron flow stations in Delta State as the wave of women protests spread. The impoverished women, long neglected and forced to bear the burden of dwindling harvests and incomes are now demanding for a clean environment conducive for survival, jobs for their children, hospitals, safe drinking water and support for livelihood ventures such as poultry farming. In the past, there have been reports of communal conflicts involving the different ethnic groups in the Warri area of Delta State, as the oil companies and the state benefit from "divide and rule". But on August 8 hundreds of women from the Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje ethnic groups united to march to the western operational headquarters of the two major oil and gas producing companies in the country — Shell and ChevronTexaco. As early as 6.30am the protesting women, who were armed with placards and green leaves, sang solidarity songs to protest against years of plunder of their natural environment by the European and US oil companies. Their mission was to barricade the gates of the companies to compel them to stop the flaring of dangerous gasses. But in a characteristic manner, armed soldiers and mobile policemen of the Operation Fire-for-Fire, invited by Shell, unleashed raw terror on the women. Scores of them were seriously injured as soldiers used wire whips on the women and "kicked them like footballs". Four soldiers and three mobile policemen who attacked her beat Alice Youwuren, a widow and mother of seven from Ugwagwu-Itsekiri community into a state of unconsciousness. She was admitted at Shell Clinic at Ogunu in Warri. Other women jumped into a nearby stream to escape from the melee. The women say three of their number have not been found since then. The government of Nigeria has maintained a total silence in regard to the women's protests and the action of their security forces, despite the calls by the women for government intervention. Speaking to leaders of the government-sponsored National Council of Women Societies who visited Warri from Abuja on August 13, a spokesperson for the protesting women said they will continue the protests until the Nigerian Government and the oil companies create the conditions for the discussion their demands. These include an immediate end to gas flaring and payment of compensation for the years of pollution and destruction by transnational oil and gas companies. With the latest action of the oil companies and the Nigerian Security forces, there are fears that the oil companies and the state will deploy more troops to brutalise or kill the women as they continue their protests. What you can do Write to: The President Federal Republic of Nigeria State House Abuja Nigeria The Managing Director ChevronTexaco Nigeria 2 Chevron Drive Lekki Peninsula Lagos, Nigeria Fax: +234 1 2600395 The Managing Director Shell Nigeria 21/22 Marina Lagos, Nigeria Fax: 234 1 2636681