Nigerian women pledge to continue Shell protest (took over oil plant 7/7)

[Nambe]

AMUKPE, Nigeria (Reuters)

Nigerian women demanding the right to dry a food staple at a Royal Dutch Shell oil facility have threatened to shut it down indefinitely in the latest challenge to oil majors in the volatile Niger Delta.

The women closed down a small plant known as a flow station run by Shell's Nigerian subsidiary after the firm stopped them using heat from a plume of burning gas at the facility to dry tapioca, a food made of shredded cassava.

The protest symbolises growing discontent in the oil-rich but impoverished Delta, where outbreaks of ethnic violence have increased sharply in the past month alongside rising incidents of kidnappings of oil workers.

Lucky Ogodo, spokeswoman for a few dozen protesters gathered at the entrance of the Amukpe flow station, said more than 200 women took over the plant on July 7 to express their anger.

"We invaded the place like the military," Ogodo told Reuters on Wednesday. "We came around 4 a.m... Before they could know what was happening, we burst in through the gate." ---

[LauraK]

1. Pack your bags Nambe! Let's party.

[blondeatlast]

2. What a GRRRRREEEEEEEAAAAAT story! Wow!

:bounce: and :kick:

[rumguy]

3. You gotta love it

When people have the guts to challenge a foreign corporation profiting at the expense of their land and livelihood.

[NashVegas]

4. US Women Should Have Their Committment

It was in July of 2002 a group of Nigerian women stormed and took over a Shell terminal because they wanted the company to hire their menfolk for jobs. They were threatening to go nude if Shell wouldn't pony up.

[blondeatlast]

5. Kick--such a positive post!

:kick:

[realFedUp]

6. THIS is real courage.

Give these women the movie rights and a lot of money...make
the documentary.