'The flames of Shell are flames of Hell, We bask below their light, Nought for us to serve the blight, Of cursed neglect and cursed Shell.'4. While this report focuses on the way in which Shell conducts its business in the Niger Delta, it has wider implications in that it exemplifies the environmental and social costs of oil.To somebody recently acquainted with the subject, the Ogoni's situation may seem more about human rights than the environment. After all, Nigeria has a history of puppet dictators, military rule and has denied its people democratic elections and minority rights. The Ogoni issue however is more reaching and symbolic because it highlights the possible outcome for communities who object to the decimation of their natural resources.
The Niger Delta and Nigerian coastal wetlands have been described as one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world and include rainforest and mangrove habitats6. Demand for land is high with over six million people living in the region8. The heavy competition between the oil companies and the Ogoni for what is, by-right, Ogoni land has resulted in extreme tension in the area and the severe punishment of the community.
Shell has been operating in the Niger Delta since 1958. In its thirty-six years of operations, rather than setting standards and promoting a positive relationship with local people, as well as sound environmental and social policies, the company seemingly has done little. The importance of Nigeria's oil to Shell cannot be underestimated, accounting for almost 14% of the company's production which equates to the greatest production outside the USA10. Therefore, both Shell and the Nigerian government have an interest in maintaining the status quo and continuing with business as usual.
For those in power, the Ogoni's campaign to protect their environment cannot gain momentum or international acclaim because it raises uncomfortable questions about the rights of communities to control their local environment and the rights of multinational oil companies. So with brute force and systematic violence, the Ogoni are being silenced.
The way in which Shell conducts its business in Ogoni is an indication of the way in which Big Oil operates abroad without proper policing. Furthermore, the brutality waged upon the Ogoni, as a result of their campaign to protect their environment, is a byproduct of society's increasing consumption of natural resources. In effect, it is a microcosm of what we are doing to the entire earth _ just less visibly.