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Lessons Not Learned: the Other Shell Report

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Lessons Not Learned: the Other Shell Report Lessons Not Learned The Other Shell Report 2004 Dedicated to the memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa “My lord, we all stand before history. I am a man of peace. Appalled by the denigrating poverty of my people who live on a richly-endowed land . anxious to preserve their right to life and to a decent living, and determined to usher into this country . a fair and just democratic system which protects everyone and every ethnic group and gives us all a valid claim to human civilization. I have devoted all my intellectual and material resources, my very life, to a cause in which I have total belief and from which I cannot be blackmailed or intimidated. I have no doubt at all about the ultimate success of my cause . Not impris- onment nor death can stop our ultimate victory.” —Ken Saro-Wiwa’s final statement before his execution on 10 November 1995 Guide to contents 1 Guide to contents 2 Foreword from Tony Juniper & Vera Dalm This report is based largely on evidence from people Tony Juniper, Executive Director, Friends of the Earth (England, around the world who live in the shadows of Shell’s vari- Wales & Northern Ireland) & Vera Dalm, Director, Milieudefensie ous operations. This report is written on behalf of (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) Friends of the Earth (FOE); Advocates for Environmental Human Rights; Coletivo Alternative Verde; Community In- 3 The Year in Review power Development Association; Concerned Citizens of Norco; Environmental Rights Action (FOE Nigeria); 4 Niger Delta, Nigeria Global Community Monitor; groundWork (FOE South Injustice as a Shell Trademark Africa); Humane Care Foundation Curacao; Louisiana Bucket Brigade; Niger-Delta Project for the Environment, 7 Durban, South Africa Human Rights and Development; Pacific Environment Communities Doomed with Aging Refinery Watch; Sakhalin Environment Watch; Shell to Sea; South Durban Community Environmental Alliance; and 10 Sao Paulo, Brazil United Front to Oust Oil Depots. Shell Forced to Clean Up Contamination & Conduct Medical Report Coordinators: Monique Harden and Nathalie Examinations of Workers Walker, Advocates for Environmental Human Rights. 12 Sakhalin Island, Far East Russia Contributors: Cesar Augusto Guimarães Pereira, Oil Slicks & Slick Talk Coletivo Alternative Verde; Hilton Kelley, Community In- power Development Association; Denny Larson, Global Community Monitor; Bobby Peek, groundWork (FOE 15 County Mayo, Ireland South Africa); Norbert George, Humane Care From Devastating Beauty to Devastating Ruin Foundation Curacao; Patrick Naagbanton, Niger-Delta Project for the Environment, Human Rights and 17 Pandacan, the Philippines Development; Doug Norlen and David Gordon, Pacific Environment Watch; Dmitry Lisitsyn, Sakhalin Negotiating Substandard Environmental Controls Environment Watch; Maura Harrington, Shell to Sea; Desmond D’Sa, South Durban Community Environmental 19 Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles Alliance; Wilma Subra, The Subra Company; and Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer Leaves Behind a Mess Hope Tura and Chito Adofina, United Front to Oust Oil Depots. 21 Port Arthur, Texas, USA Editors: Monique Harden and Nathalie Walker, Shell Dismisses Refinery Malfunctions Harming Neighborhood Advocates for Environmental Human Rights; Hannah Griffiths, Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and 24 Norco & Coastal Louisiana, USA Northern Ireland); and Myrthe Verweij, Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands). Shell Ignores Dangerous Impacts Thanks to: Helen Burley, Alison Dilworth, Serge Marti, 26 Conclusion and Phil Michaels. Shell Demonstrates the Case for Mandatory Corporate Accountability Design and Printing: Design Action Collective and Inkworks Press. Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, processed chlorine free. 28 Endnotes 2 The Other Shell Report Foreward from Tony Juniper and Vera Dalm Dear Stakeholder, “Increased accountability” is one of the four reasons for the proposed restructuring of the company, but the proposals men- riends of the Earth is privileged to present this third alter- tion only accountability to shareholders. Some of Shell’s broad- Fnative Shell Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report er stakeholders come together in this report to demand a wider on behalf of several of the many communities that live on accountability—accountability to all stakeholders. As Shell has Shell’s “fencelines”—next to Shell’s refineries, depots and not learnt the lessons of the past two years and continues to pipelines. Lessons Not Learned—The Other Shell Report 2004 ignore their voices, the communities look elsewhere for meas- builds on reports of the past two years—Failing the Challenge ures that will enable them to hold the company accountable (2002) and Behind the Shine (2003)—which chronicled Shell’s for the ongoing impacts on their lives. impacts around the world. It gives updates of Shell’s woeful performance over the past year, documenting a consistent story The time has come for governments to act to hold Shell of the company pushing forward with business as usual, disre- responsible. Shell has demonstrated that it does not plan to garding the rights of its stakeholders. make meaningful change in this area. We call on the Governments of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands The last two years have been turbulent times for Shell. The to reform our laws so that Shell and other multinational com- company’s overstating of its oil and gas reserves by 20 per cent panies are required to address the impacts of their activities on and the subsequent firing of its chairman and chief of explo- the environment and on human rights abroad including ration have shaken the company to its core. The ensuing mandatory social and environmental reporting; direct liability shockwaves have brought with them proposals for restructur- of directors for impacts of the company wherever it operates; ing on which shareholders will be asked to vote at the Annual and access to justice and redress in the company’s home courts General Meeting on 28 June 2005. so that stakeholders are able to hold companies like Shell The past two years have also been turbulent for Shell’s fence- accountable for their impacts. line communities. As this report shows, despite Shell’s public Only when Shell is legally accountable will we see real change commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and for its stakeholders, meaningful action on climate change, an specific promises it has made to communities, life on the authentic commitment to human rights and social and envi- fenceline has changed little. From Nigeria to Texas, the ronmental justice for all. The cases on the following pages Philippines to South Africa, Shell is failing to respect the envi- show the need for further strong action both by Shell and by ronment or the needs of local communities and Shell directors governments. remain as remote and unaccountable for their actions as they always have been. Tony Juniper, Vera Dalm, Director, Executive Director, Milieudefensie Friends of the Earth (Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Netherlands) Northern Ireland) Year in Review 3 The Year in Review he year 2005 marks the 10th anniver- by claiming a commitment to human ers and Corporate Social Responsibility Tsary of the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa, rights and sustainable development. principles that deliver meaningful change the Nigerian author and activist who led on the ground are not part of this trans- Contrary to its claims, the corporate the Movement for the Survival of the formation. practices of Shell have not substantively Ogoni People (MOSOP), and mobilized changed from those that Ken Saro-Wiwa Shell continues to hold onto an industrial over 300,000 people to protest Shell’s protested against a decade ago. In com- infrastructure that is hazardous to people devastation of their native farmlands and munities suffering from Shell’s toxic and and the environment, to operate aging oil numerous oil spills in the wetlands, hazardous operations, the company con- refineries that emit carcinogenic chemi- rivers, and streams of the Niger Delta. tinues to demonstrate that its commit- cals and other harmful toxins into neigh- Ken Saro-Wiwa and 13 other MOSOP ment is paper thin. This report presents borhoods, to neglect contamination that leaders were imprisoned based on unsub- case studies of communities in five conti- poisons the environment and damages stantiated allegations. They were brought nents, where Shell daily demonstrates human health, to endanger the survival before a secret military tribunal that sen- unconscionable disregard for human lives of species, and to negotiate with local tenced them to death by hanging. On 10 and the environment: Durban, South governments for substandard environ- November 1995, nine of the men were Africa; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Sakhalin Island, mental controls. The case studies in this summarily executed without any oppor- Russia; County Mayo, Ireland; Pandacan, report represent the real impacts of tunity for appeal. the Philippines; Port Arthur, Texas, Shell’s corporate governance. USA; Norco and coastal Louisiana, USA; Around the world, people are uniting to Given Shell’s dominant position in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; and the denounce the unjust corporate gover- Nigeria and its historic relationship with Niger Delta, Nigeria. nance that creates and controls the poli- Nigerian military dictatorships, Shell was This year, with the proposals for restruc- cies and practices of Shell. The the target of international outrage over turing the company, Shell is attempting a courageous and visionary spirit of Ken the brutal killing of Ken Saro-Wiwa and transformation that involves establishing Saro-Wiwa lives on in this global strug- the MOSOP members. In response, Shell a new structure of corporate governance. gle for justice, health, and a sustainable sought to transform its corporate image Yet accountability to its wider stakehold- environment. 4 The Other Shell Report Location reports Niger Delta: Injustice as a Shell Trademark Nigeria n Nigeria, Shell operates under the Ogoni and other peoples in the Niger IShell Petroleum Development Delta. In 1995, Ken Saro-Wiwa and 13 Company (SPDC), a joint venture of other MOSOP leaders were subjected to a Shell and the Nigerian government.
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