http://www.thesundaily.my/news/512817


THE HAGUE: Four Nigerian farmers take on Shell in a Dutch court, accusing the oil giant of destroying their livelihoods in a case that could set a precedent for global environmental responsibility.

The civil suit, backed by lobby group Friends of the Earth, alleges that oil spills dating back to 2005 by the Anglo-Dutch company made fishing and farming in the plaintiffs' Niger Delta villages impossible.

The case was initially filed in 2008, demanding that Royal Dutch Shell clean up the mess, repair and maintain defective pipelines to prevent further damage and pay out compensation.

In a landmark ruling, the Dutch judiciary in 2009 declared itself competent to try the case despite protests from Shell that its Nigerian subsidiary was solely legally responsible for any damage.

"I inherited the fishponds from my late father. I lost my income due to the oil spill. Now we are struggling to make ends meet," plaintiff Fidelis Oguru, the head of Oruma village, was quoted as saying by Friends of the Earth.

Oil pollution has ravaged swathes of the Niger Delta in the world's eighth largest oil producer, which exports more than two million barrels a day.

Shell is the biggest producer in the west African country, where it has been drilling for over 50 years.

Environmental groups accuse Shell of double standards and treating spills in Nigeria differently from pollution in Europe or North America.

"The scale of the pollution is enormous: twice as much oil has been spilled in Nigeria than was in the Gulf of Mexico. Only there (Nigeria) it's never been cleaned up," Friends of the Earth Netherlands spokesman Geert Ritsema told AFP.

The 2010 explosion and sinking of BP's Deepwater Horizon rig led to around five million barrels of oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico in the biggest ever marine spill.

Shell says that spills in Nigeria are well below five million barrels and that the company cleans up whenever there is a leak, many of which it says are caused by sabotage.

Environmentalists want the Netherlands, and other Western nations, to pass laws forcing companies to enforce the same environmental responsibility standards abroad as at home.

If the Nigerians' suit succeeds, it could lead to a flood of similar cases being brought before Dutch courts.

Shell operates in over 90 countries, according to its website.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world_business/view/1230726/1/.html

Farmers association have made a right decision, now it is the turn of the Fishery association even forestry association and wild life conservationist should take shell to Hague. All affected should take shell to Hague criminal court.

We hope we can get justice from the SHELL criminals in their own backyard.
Their headquaters is also in the Netherlands and the ICJ is only good at indicting hapless africans!!!

Bliss4Lyfe: Farmers association have made a right decision, now it is the turn of the Fishery association. All affected should take shell to Hague criminal court.

hahahahaha...pls don't ask why i'm laughing..it takes common sense to knw.

Good one. Thank God they are thinking outside the box. Am sure they will get something out of it

I used to think we have courts in Nigeria

Bliss4Lyfe: Farmers association have made a right decision, now it is the turn of the Fishery association even forestry association and wild life conservationist should take shell to Hague. All affected should take shell to Hague criminal court.

Although I agree with your sentiments, but this has nothing to do with the Hague Criminal Court. It's a civil suit and it was instituted in the Netherlands because Royal Dutch Shell has one of its headquarters there.

(By the way, I'm impressed by your energy and commitment to the Bakassi cause).

Don't forget to sue the NNPC too. Most forget they have a 55 percent stake in shell.

If the government chooses to ignore her citizens. How much more a multi national as shell?

Bliss4Lyfe: Farmers association have made a right decision, now it is the turn of the Fishery association even forestry association and wild life conservationist should take shell to Hague. All affected should take shell to Hague criminal court.

Exactly.

30million people have been affected by this spillage and corrupt leaders/ representatives of those people are feeding fat on brown envelopes that exchange hands between the govt and Shell.

I mean, this lackadaisical attitude of our leader has caused 30million NDs to suffer and live in a battered environment. I commend the courage of those farmers and I want other groups to take this tough with Shell. Why? Because the verdict of this trial would go a long way in spelling boundaries between the people of the land and Oil coys.

From another angle, the NDs have a president of "their side". Why can't they get him into this? Why can't he support "his people" ? Why? Because without involvement, there is no commitment. Sentiment/ tribalism brought him to the throne. Next time there is election, they would know that the fact that someone from "their side" is the President doesn't mean he would fight for "their" course.

Farmers doing what the government should have done. SMH.



Frawzey

now thats new but they can´t escape this one cos the evidence is spilled allover where they dill oil. If they come out of this one unscared we will know they have 9 lives.

The question Į̸̸̨§ will dey win!!! [sub][/sub]just sayin U̶̲̥̅̊ know

ifeomabernard: The question Į̸̸̨§ will dey win!!! [sub][/sub]just sayin U̶̲̥̅̊ know

Let's wait for the outcome. Thank God the hearing is not in Nigeria.



Frawzey

Some facts on the issues

1) 80% of oil spills are caused by oil thieves. The Oil companies and the Federal Govt knows this and they have proof, under the law the oil companies are not obliged to pay compensation for damage caused by oil thieves.

2) The communities as part of their MOU are paid to provide security for pipelines passing through their land, JTF are also spread through the region but oil bunkering is on the increase.

3) A lot of times when there is a spill, community people prevent oil companies reps having access to the spill site to start immediate cleanup.

The story is not as clear cut as it seems, there are a lot of issues involved. Issues which are compounded by the level of corruption in our great country. The Oil Companies have a lot to answer for so also does our government so also community leaders who collect 20million naira from the companies and then turn around and distribute bags of salt to their people.