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"MULTINATIONALS HAVE FORMED THEMSEL



Subject: Re: "MULTINATIONALS HAVE FORMED THEMSELVES INTO A MONOPOLY"

COULDNT BE MORE TRUE THAT THE FORMATION OF THE TOTAL FINA ELF
FRENCH-BELGIUM OIL AND GAS COMPANY BUIDLING A PRIVATE OWNED CORPORATE
MONOLOPY. SAME GUN, DIFFERENT TRIGGER.

ds

MOSOP OGONI wrote:
> 
> ?MULTINATIONALS HAVE FORMED THEMSELVES INTO A MONOPOLY??
> UNITED KINGDOM - REPORT ON NOVEMBER 10 REMEMBRANCE ACTIVITIES
> 
> At a ceremony to mark the 4th Anniversary of the hanging of the 9 Ogoni
> activists held in London, the Chairman of World Development Movement ? Mr.
> Barry Coates said ?The governments of the West pursue mainly commercial
> interest?   By their commercial greed, they fund and encourage dictatorial
> governments through the sale of arms and weapons which is then used to
> suppress the poor and hungry.  If this were not the case he argued, why did
> the governments of the West wait until Ken Saro Wiwa and the 8 other Ogoni
> activists were hanged before condemning the injustice that was going on in
> Nigeria? He also said ?The global economy is controlled by four main
> multinational corporations.  These multinationals who have constituted
> themselves into a monopoly decide the economic policies of the world.?
> According to him, ?These multinationals have redefined democracy to suit
> themselves.  They employ ?corporate propaganda? to protect  ?corporate
> power?.  Corporate power is then used to protect corporate democracy which
> is used to achieve corporate profit and in turn used to perpetuates
> corporate power.?  He further emphasised that the operation of Shell which
> is also a multinational operating in Ogoniland is no different from these
> lines which explains why Shell imagines that it is not accountable to
> ensuring compliance with international safety standards in Ogoniland. He
> maintained that it is this system of abuse of power by multinational
> corporations that has left the third world countries powerless and in
> perpetual poverty and debt.   The poverty, which has been forced on the
> people, is what has resulted, to tension, despair and violence.  His
> conclusion on multinationals ?we need a system of charter incorporation so
> we can close down corporations that do not act in the public interest and
> have been found to be abusing human rights.?  He advised that the vision and
> courage of the Ogoni 9 should rather inspire us to greater things.
> 
> Also in attendance at the ceremony was the Secretary of The Civil Liberties
> Organisation & Democratic Alternative - Mr. Chima Ubani (a man who survived
> the terror years of Nigeria?s greatest dictator ? Abacha.   His personal
> experiences of arrest, detention and torture have inspired him to greater
> things for Nigeria.)  He spoke on the need for all activists to keep up the
> struggle, as it is not over.  He said, ?The Nigerian government succeeded in
> killing the messenger Ken Saro-Wiwa but could not kill the message?. The
> message, which he brought to the Niger Delta, is what has resulted to the
> demands by almost all ethnic groups in Nigeria for change.   According to
> him, the message, which was initially seen as protest by a minority group of
> Ogoni, has now germinated into the struggle we find today in the Niger Delta
> of Nigeria.  Every community now complains of marginalisation and demands
> self-determination.  He emphasised the need for Nigeria to review its
> democracy in other to govern the people properly.  According to him ?The
> Nigerian system alienates the majority of the people from the process that
> affects their daily lives.?  He wondered why a democratic government would
> enforce on its people a constitution which was written and handed down by
> the military.  This constitution titled, Decree No. 24 of May 1999
> Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria and signed into effect by
> Adulsalam Abubakir is a document handed down by the military.  He re-echoed
> the fact that this document cannot be the legal framework for which a
> democratic government should be governed hence the need for a national
> conference to review this constitution.  His conclusion was that the
> struggle was not yet over.  He advised that all activists should keep up the
> struggle for emancipation in the Niger Delta.
> 
> Other speakers included Mr. Eno Usua of the Southern Minorities for
> advancement ? SOMIMA who in a paper titled ?The challenge of introspection?
> reiterated the need for leaders of communities to look inwards and lead
> their communities with purposefulness.  Leaders should learn to imbibe
> honesty and truth which is a legacy laid down by Ken Saro-wiwa in his
> leadership of his people - Ogoni.  This according to him meant that leaders
> should shun vices such as greed and selfishness while representing their
> communities and imbibe virtues such as accountability, honesty and truth.
> 
> Mr. Nwikpo, an elder of Ogoni, also gave a talk on the role of Ogoni in the
> New Democracy where he cited history of the Ogonis and the present day
> travails in Nigeria.
> 
> President MOSOP-UK, Mrs. Phido gave a speech on behalf of Ogonis which
> confirmed solidarity to the struggles initiated by Ken Saro-Wiwa and the 8
> other Ogoni activists.  According to her, Ogonis will not waiver from the
> path of the truth in their struggle for emancipation.  So much sacrifice has
> been made on this struggle, she emphasised and this is the reason why the
> Ogonis will not give up in spite of all tribulations.
> 
> Other Niger Delta Groups present at the occasion included the Itsekiris,
> Ikweres, Ijaws and the Urhobos.  Talks of solidarity for a common good in
> the Niger Delta were re-echoed by their representatives.  Solidarity with
> the Ogonis and all those who seek the truth in the Niger Delta was
> emphasised.  The need for unity of purpose and a need to shun the incited
> communal disturbances were further emphasised for people in the Niger Delta.
> 
> Poems, and readings of speeches of the late martyr of Ogoni people, Ken Saro
> Wiwa was read by various eloguent speakers which included Mr. Harrison
> Neenwi, Miss Pricila Nwikpo and Miss Mimi Sudor Michael.
> The evening was left in the able hands of the MC - Mr. Terry Ndee who culled
> on his experience as former Secretary of the organisation to add spice to
> the evening.
> 
> On 10 November, MOSOP-UK members with the support of various NGO?s and Niger
> Delta groups gathered at Shell Headquarters in Waterloo London and a wreath
> was laid by MOSOP-UK President Mrs. Phido at the entrance to the Shell
> Office.  Thereafter she handed a letter of demands, a copy of the Ogoni Bill
> of Rights and MOSOP-UK press release of the day to an officer of the company
> on behalf of the Chairman of Shell - Mark Moody.  Leaflets and other letters
> were circulated to passers-by in the busy vicinity of Shell office at
> Waterloo.
> 
> The same event took place at the Nigerian High Commission at Northumberland.
>   Mrs Nwikpo laid the wreath at this venue.   There was a hitch at the point
> of delivering our demand letter to the embassy staff.  The letter was meant
> for delivery to President Obasanjo.  Our President in the company of other
> Ogoni women and children were made to wait at the door to the embassy for
> more than 30minutes.  They were asked to wait while the appropriate officer
> will receive the letter on behalf of President Obasanjo.  The wait ensued
> while the embassy staff sat in the office and watched through close circuit
> television.  After a long wait in the cold, and without any response from
> the embassy, the letter was posted through the door.  The incident, which
> took place in the presence of newspaper reporters and policemen, was
> condemned by all as not reminiscent of a democratic government.
> 
> On Saturday 13th November, a Church service was held where prayers and
> tributes were said in memory of the departed Ogoni martyrs
> 
> All events were well attended and press coverage came from the BBC, The
> Independent Newspaper, The Voice Newspaper and other local newspapers and
> radio.
> 
> The remembrance was sponsored and supported by various organisations and
> NGO?s such as Rainbow Tours, Catma Films, World Development Movement,
> International Society for Ecology and Culture, Southern Minority Movement
> for Advancement, Delta Magazine, One World, Worldvoices and  various Niger
> Delta Groups.
> 
> We send our sincere appreciation to all the organisations and individuals
> that contributed in making this event a successful and memorable one.
> 
> For information and publicity.
> 
> Contacts:
> 
> Mrs. Gbenewa Phido    0171 737 1550
> Mr. Harrison Neenwi   0181 678 9605
> 
> In memory of our beloved brothers and heroes who laid down their lives that
> we might live.
> At 11.30 a.m Nigerian time on 10/11/95 , KEN SARO WIWA, DR. BARINEM KIOBEL,
> SATURDAY DORBEE, PAUL LEVURA, NORDU EAWO, FELIX NUATE, DANIEL GBOKO, JOHN
> KPUINEN AND BARIBOR BERA were hanged by the Nigerian dictatorship in
> coalition with Shell.  This killing of innocent souls was perpetrated
> because they fought for justice for the Ogoni People.
> May your loving souls rest in peace.  'The struggle continues'.
> MOSOP-UK
> The Ogonis are 500,000 in number and Ogoniland is in the Niger Delta of
> Nigeria.  MOSOP is a developmental and cultural organisation of the Ogoni
> People.  It is a non-governmental and non-political organisation and its aim
> is to promote democratic awareness among Ogoni people, protect the Ogoni
> environment and to struggle non-violently for the rights of the indigenous
> people of Ogoni.
> 
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