Drilling and Killing: Landmark Trial Against Chevron Begins Over Its Role in the Niger Delta
A landmark trial has begun against the oil giant Chevron. A San Francisco district court is hearing a case brought by Nigerian plaintiffs who accuse Chevron of recruiting and supplying Nigerian military forces involved in the May 1998 shooting and killing of protesters in the oil-rich Niger Delta. The protesters were occupying a Chevron-owned oil platform called the Parabe, demanding jobs and compensation for environmental damage to their communities. We play an excerpt of Democracy Now!'s award-winning documentary, Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, and we speak with two activists.
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I am not sure what to think of this. On one hand, I have no doubt - knowing what I know about the oil companies - that they would call in the local armed forces to resolve the standoff. On the other hand, this was the government militia. Is what they were doing against the law in Nigeria? I don't know. They were commiting acts of civil disobedience according to US law. I would need to see more of the details before making a final decision as to what I think the outcome ought to be.
International Level: Activist / Political Participation: 32 3.2%