MOVEMENT FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE OGONI PEOPLE

(MOSOP International)

 

August 29, 2001.

PRESS RELEASE

MOSOP INTERNATIONAL REJECTS THE OPUTA COMMISION

 

MOSOP International, the overseas division of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) rejects any reconciliation agenda for a full-scale return of Shell for oil exploration and exploitation under the auspices of the Justice Oputa Commission of inquiry.

By refusing to hear a petition calling for scrutinizing the processes by which the Justice Auta tribunal tried, convicted and hanged Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others in 1995, and by not calling witnesses to investigate the allegations of human rights abuses against the Ogoni by Shell, government, and their forces, the commission alienates itself from  the vision of its mission and stands rejected.

While the Ogoni could not prevent this miscarriage of justice they certainly can resist the perpetration of injustice such as the Oputa Commission is embarking upon in seeking to reinstate Shell in Ogoni by its ‘forgive-and-forget’ agenda for a phony reconciliation sponsored by Shell.

“MOSOP views the proposed call for reconciliation as an action that represents another phase of the paradigm of recycled injustices for the Ogoni”. “We had always wondered what kind of justice the world could expect from a Judicial Commission which also receives ‘financial or other assistance from whatever source’, including members of the public and corporations such as Shell, who could be implicated in petitions before it” asks Meshach Karanwi, General Secretary of MOSOP International.

 

·        MOSOP International calls on all well meaning Ogonis to boycott any  ‘reconciliation’ meeting with Shell until the enabling environment has been created to justify such.

·        Government and Shell should denounce the use of military force in conducting oil business in Ogoni and set the process for implementing the recommendations of the United Nations (1996) Fact-finding Mission to Ogoni which they have hitherto ignored.

·        Shell and government should respond to the Ogoni Bill of Rights and set ground rules for a negotiation process that must be open and democratic, to take place in Ogoni.

·        The Oputa Commission should fully investigate and make recommendations on all alleged cases of complicity of government and Shell in human rights abuses in Ogoni.

·        Government should immediately release the bodies of the Ogoni nine to their families.

·        There should be a thorough investigation of the Giokoo killings to identify the people behind it and bring them to trial, including the prosecution of persons who lied to get people hanged.

·        Shell should accept full responsibility for its five decades of pollution in Ogoni and immediately fund an independent environmental assessment and auditing to become the basis for the pursuance of full environmental clean-up and restoration at all existing pollution sites.

·        Shell must be seen as transparent by guaranteeing and allowing complete public accessibility of the contingency plan, which must meet known international standards.