SHELL ON TRIAL FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE FOR THE MURDER OF KEN SARO WIWA 10th November 1995

On this day the residents of  Durban will remember Ken Saro Wiwa and nine other Ogoni’s by descending  on Shell & BP Refinery and Shell outlets throughout the area to call on the International Criminal Court in the HAGUE to proceed and hold those responsible for the murder of  the late Nigerian Environmentalist and human right activist and 9 other Ogoni’s’s that fought  for environmental justice in the Niger Delta against the brutal atrocities of the Nigerian regime and the complicity of the Shell Oil Company in their  hanging .

Twenty two years have passed since this ghastly deed was committed and Ken’s murder is a timely reminder of the work we do and why speaking truth to power is important and why our work as environmental and justice activist must continue and never be afraid to speak nor left to chance . Today throughout the world many environmental and social activist are facing challenges, whether these are death threats or even killed and silenced from repressive regimes.

Chemical emissions from the Shell & BP Industrial facility in South Durban have been daily concerns of the residents who are neighbours of this chemical and petro-chemical industry s. Communities live in fear not knowing when an explosion would take at these facilities resulting in them having sleepless nights and sleeping with one eye close. The Shell& BP Refinery is the biggest petro-chemical industry in South Durban and emits an enormous amount of chemicals into the air which their sleeping neighbours breathe, at all parts of the night. Numerous explosions and fires that have occurred over the years are a grim reminder of the danger to both people and property with no emergency evacuation plan accessible to the people on the fencline.

The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) and the residents will remind SHELL & BP with a placard demonstration held outside the local refinery, Shell garages on Edwin Swales and Tara Road. The recent storm and cyclones we experienced in South Durban shows the importance of campaigning to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) that emanate from sources within the Shell& BP refineries in South Africa. Our collaboration with the Nigerian civil society will strengthen our resolve to call on investors to divest in fossil fuel and invest the money in cleaner and sustainable energy initiatives like renewable.

The time is ripe as the statistics show that more people die from pollution related illnesses that tuberculosis and malaria. 

SHELL IS ON TRIAL 10^th November 2017 start at 09:00am and ending at 12:00am

For more details please contact:

Bongani Mthembu C: 083 925 1440 or Desmond D'Sa [SDCEA Coordinator] C: 083 982 6939