MEMBER BLOG TAG: ken saro-wiwa
| Tuesday, June 9, 2009 1:36PM | | | | About the Shell Oil Settlement | Tags: shell oil, ken saro-wiwa, wiwa v shell, human rights, center for constitutional rights, PEN World Voices
| | | A settlement has been reached today in the case Wiwa v Royal Dutch Shell. The amount has been announced as $15.5 million. The plaintiffs have stated that the possibility of appeals could have dragged the case on for much longer. $5 million of the funds will be held in trust to rebuild the devastated Ogoni community in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. Rights groups are hailing the settlement as a victory for the cause of human rights.
The PEN American Center was deeply involved in advocacy for Ken Saro-Wiwa's cause.
Read the press release here.
I agree that this is a moment for celebration. But while a settlement is a positive step in any litigation, I think it's good to be... | | | | | | | Saturday, May 2, 2009 4:34PM | | | | Saro-Wiwa and the Closing Window | Tags: richard north patterson, larry siems, ken saro-wiwa, mosop, ken wiwa, jr., nigeria, niger delta, oil, royal dutch shell, pen america, freedom to write
| | | Fifteen years after the death of author Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Niger Delta region of Nigeria remains embroiled in conflict. Kidnappings and murders are on the rise, and America is more dependent on Nigerian oil than ever. If there is hope, it may be found in Saro-Wiwa's legacy of non-violent activism. But the window of opportunity may soon be closing.
A Little Background: Why we care about Saro-Wiwa
A little background is in order. Ken Saro-Wiwa largely became known to people outside Nigeria for his activism against the degradation of his homeland in the Southern part of the country. Oil companies, particularly Royal Dutch Shell and British Petroleum, had destroyed this once fertile wetlands through a combination of mismanagement, gas flaring, and regular oil... | | | | | |
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