Nigeria's Oil War

The war in both Afghanistan and Iraq has drawn the attention of the world to the conspiracy that surrounds the control and take over of the world’s oil resources. Take over by oil conglomerates aided by government administrations such as the Bush administration. The thrust of the powerful to increase their wealth as the expense of the poor!!!

It was therefore with some fascination that I watched a story on Foreign Correspondent ABC Australia this week covering the little publicised Oil War in Nigeria. There were three aspects to this story that were of note. First and foremost we have a despotic local government in cohorts with the US Government and US and European owned companies exploiting the resources of 3rd world countries. Secondly is the impact left on the landscape as a result of the rape of the environment? The pollution of the waterways is breath taking, to say the least. Pipes regularly explode setting off fires. They showed tracks of forest razed to the ground. The land will never recover when this happens. This has a significant impact on
agriculture and therefore the ability of people to feed themselves.

The practices of companies such as Shell, Exxon to name but two would never be tolerated in developed countries. The most damming of all is what is happening to the people. The story showed dozers demolishing the only shelter (shanties at that) that thousands of locals had. They left children, women and men with nothing and why? For more oil wells!!
The people of Nigeria get nothing – foreign companies and government officials both local and as mentioned US take the lot. This is world we live in.

The saving grace is the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force. See link for story. I think when you read this story you will see why the American Govt. is so interested in gaining control.


www.abc.net.au...

I watch with interest at the developments.

This is just another manifestation of the plundering and deliberate underdevelopment of Africa which has continued since slavery,this is manifesting itself now in a similar way to the Scramble for Africa when Britain,France,Germany,Belguim etc decided to exploit the abundant natural recources and carved up The African Cake between themselves until Ethiopia stood alone as the only country on the continent which wasn't under European rule,only now instead of outright invasion by nations we have foreign companies coming in and doing exactly as they please regardless of the impact on the enviroment and people,a very similar situation is happening in DR Congo with the gold mines serious human rights abuses are taking place,reports of summary executions,forced labour,rape seem to be of no concern.
The world community appears uninterested in helping any African nations to overcome their vast problems which are a direct result of European exploitation and until there is a major change the situation in Nigeria and the countless other examples down the centuries will continue.

Originally posted by Ras Dedan
The world community appears uninterested in helping any African nations to overcome their vast problems which are a direct result of European exploitation and until there is a major change the situation in Nigeria and the countless other examples down the centuries will continue.

I really fail to understand why the world turns a blind eye to the plight of these people. We should feal ashamed that we allow people to be treated like this. Remember this when we are driving our cars tomorrow.

[edit on 2/6/2005 by Lady of the Lake]

[edit on 2/6/2005 by Lady of the Lake]

world turns a blind eye to almost everything. thats the way it is.

and this has nothing to do with racial slavery as alluded to above.
it is economic slavery now

it has nothing to do with anti-africa bias.
it is just the global situation at the moment.

Many americans are'nt aware that Nigeria is America's fifth-largest oil supplier and one that provides the light, sweet crude that U.S. refiners prefer.

But due to the spreading religious and ethnic unrest in the region
I can see us sending "Peace Keeping" troops soon to shore up
our oil interestes while maintaining our image of world policeman.

Just this senario unfolded in a simulated oil shock wave held Thursday in Washington. Two former CIA directors and several other former top policy-makers participated to draw attention to America's need to reduce its dependence on oil, especially foreign oil.

www.realcities.com...

I posted this post two days ago


Al Qaeda is in Nigeria. Charles Taylor is in Nigeria (asylum). Nigeria could lose aid because of Taylor.

And an alarming and growing number of jihadis in Iraq come from the sub-Saharan African countries like Nigeria.


Edit: Removed big quote...

[edit on 2005/6/25 by Hellmutt]

Future Oil War?
Not likely, but you might can certainly call it the "End the African Corruption and Scamming War."
Making Saddam Look Like A Petty Thief




seekerof

Originally posted by Lady of the Lake

The saving grace is the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force. See link for story. I think when you read this story you will see why the American Govt. is so interested in gaining control.

Ah come on Lady of the Lake, don't ya wanna admit at least alittle bias in that statement?

A saving grace? Let's take a quote right from the article you linked to:

When Eric Campbell caught up with the Force on their home turf in the heart of Nigeria's oil producing region, they were sending off the recently departed in fine style – swigging booze, taking drugs, firing their weapons into the air, and gunning their motorbikes through crowded village streets.

When they're not engaged in their own unique style of mourning, this well organized crime gang has become a key player in the world’s most strategically important industry – oil.

That's what you call a "saving grace"? An organized crime gang stealing oil to buy guns, drugs, and booze is going to save the people how?

If they were fighting for the oil to build schools and hospitals then I could see some accuracy in calling them a "saving grace", but these people are murdering and stealing for personal gain not some nationalistic goal.


There are many in these para-miltary groups who truely want to help their people, however many are also willing and able to further oppress those same people. Forcing youths to participate in violence and using extorted funds for drugs are good examples.
www.globalsecurity.org...

Ijaw youth groups are leading a struggle for the right to share their land's oil wealth. They have organised into groups, the most daring being the Egbesu Boys of Bayelsa, the Chicoco Movement, the Ijaw Youth Council, Federated Niger Delta Ijaw communities and the Niger Delta Volunteer Force. Several splinter groups have turned to extortion, hijacking, sabotage and kidnapping for private gain. Many of the Ijaw youths who are fighting are also idlers for whom violence has become a source of daily entertainment.

"Extortion, hijacking, sabotage and kidnapping for private gain" and violence as a source of daily entertainment. Be careful on who you pin your hopes on to fight off the greedy Americans.

By the way, Nigeria is a former French colony, French troops are still battling those groups in that part of Africa to keep it's friendly puppet governments in power.

Not to mention also that the company most often targeted for violence because of it's abuses on the people is Shell.......A DUTCH COMPANY.

Regardless of what popular opinion is, it's the European nations, the former colonial powers that have the most influence there not the US.

Add to the corruption and former colonial governments interference, the religous unrest (Muslim/Christian) and you get a very messy picture. I don't think Oil is the biggest problem there, in fact if the government of Nigeria can find a way to force the Oil companies to invest in the communities then there might be a positive story there.

Originally posted by looking4truth
When Eric Campbell caught up with the Force on their home turf in the heart of Nigeria's oil producing region, they were sending off the recently departed in fine style – swigging booze, taking drugs, firing their weapons into the air, and gunning their motorbikes through crowded village streets.

That's what you call a "saving grace"? An organized crime gang stealing oil to buy guns, drugs, and booze is going to save the people how?

Nothing wrong with sending off the departed in the sytle they did. Wouldn't be how I would do it but to each their own.

On the other point I think you will find the 'gang' are using the money they get from highjacking the oil to help their own people. They buy guns to protection themeselves and I guess if your life was a miserable as theirs then doing the odd drug is a way to escape AND no I am not misguided in making this statement. Do a little more research on the subject.

Last point, if you want to discredit those who are trying to fight back these days then paint them as a bunch of rabble....so yes I do think they they are fighting back. Can they win I suspect not as big business and government will smash them. Do I admire the fact that they are sticking it up big oil companies yes I do.

[edit on 27/6/2005 by Lady of the Lake]