Obama on Wrong Side in Shell Oil Human Rights Case
A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford
“Shell Oil, which profits most from the Ogoni people’s degradation and oppression, claims it is just a bystander, an innocent party.”
When Shell Oil walked into the U.S. Supreme Court building, this week, claiming that it is not responsible for the torture and murder of Nigerians in its oil fields in the Niger River Delta, the Dutch corporation had a friend in the courtroom: the Obama administration. The U.S. Solicitor General’s office was there to urge the High Court to rule in Shell’s favor
In Shell’s case, 12 Nigerians charge the oil company with being an accomplice to torture, extra judicial executions and crimes against humanity. One of the plaintiffs is the widow of Dr. Barinem Kiobel, who was executed Ken Saro-Wiwa
“Shell claims it is not a person.”
At the U.S. Supreme Court, Shell Oil argued that the United States should not “impose our law onto foreign countries.” What an outrageous position! Shell Oil imposes itself on the people of the Niger Delta, unleashing what is arguably the worst environmental disaster on Earth, and then asks for legal immunity.
Shell Oil also argues that it cannot be sued under the Alien Tort Statue, because it is not a person. Two hundred years ago, when the law was written, nobody thought corporations were people. Later, corporations fought for and got recognition as a kind of legal person in the United States, allowing them to claim the inalienable rights of actual human beings. But now, under these circumstances, Shell Oil claims it is not a person
The Alien Tort Law was used to compensate Holocaust survivors who had been used as slave labor by corporations that worked with the Nazis. Shell Oil’s operations in Nigeria have also sown a holocaust, for which there must be no impunity.
For Black Agenda Radio, I’m Glen Ford. On the web, go to BlackAgendaReport.com.
BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com .
The IMF and the World Bank give the appearance of aiding Global South nations with economic relief for climate disasters, but in reality, they are burdening them with more debt.
New York's "progressive" congresswoman panders to the Israel lobby by supporting a definition of antisemitism that will stifle free speech.
This week, we discuss the COP29 climate summit and why the earth is still warming despite prior climate agreements. But first, we analyze the 2024 presidential election results and why Donald Trump…
Dr. Anthony Monteiro joins us to discuss the 2024 presidential election results, why Kamala Harris failed to connect with millions of voters, and what will happen under a Trump presidency.
Anthony Rogers-Wright provides his analysis of the latest United Nations climate change summit, COP29, now being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
