Shell Crimes in Nigeria: The case for the defence

Feb 28th, 2012

by John Donovan.

"Philip Watts, the reserves fraudster who was later forced to resign as Shell Group Chairman with a $18.5 million pension pot, helped to organise and pay for a virtual private army.  Shell engaged in militarised commerce in a conspiracy with the military regime in Nigeria."

By John Donovan

Royal Dutch Shell crimes against humanity in Nigeria.

The case for the defence, authored by Shell's paid historian, Keetie Sluyterman, who has had full access to Shell confidential internal information, will be published here later today, subject to legal intervention by Shell lawyers. We have already received threats by Royal Dutch Shell Plc Company Secretary & General Counsel Corporate, Mr Michiel Brandjes, in relation to publication of information from this source material.

ADDED AT 22.55 UK TIME 28 FEBRUARY 2012 (UPDATED 29 FEB)

The opening comments from "A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Volume 3″ contain the following statement:

In the mid-1990s, the basic issue at stake for Shell was how to operate according to its own business principles under a military regime which used excessive force towards its own people and divided the oil wealth very unequally, leaving out the very people most affected by the oil production.

Unfortunately, greed had predictably already won out over business principles. Shell admitted in 2004 that it inadvertently fed conflict, poverty and corruption through its oil activities in Nigeria.

(see 93 page leaked Shell International report: Peace and Security in the Niger Delta)

Philip Watts, the reserves fraudster who was later forced to resign as Shell Group Chairman with a $18.5 million pension pot, helped to organise and pay for a virtual private army.  Shell engaged in militarised commerce in a conspiracy with the military regime in Nigeria. (Some text taken from Daily Mail article: Shell chief 'had a private army')

Rather than publishing what could be considered selective extracts from Shell's own paid account of its activities in Nigeria, we have instead made available on the Internet the entire section from "A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Volume 3″

As can be seen, it is admitted that Shell "indirectly" supported the military regime in the mid-1990′s. Shell actually gave massive direct support, including semi-automatic weapons.

The author seems to blame a Channel 4 television programme 'Heat of the Moment', broadcast in October 1992, for triggering an international campaign against Shell and its performance regarding environmental and human rights issues in Nigeria.

It deals in some detail with events surrounding Ken Saro-Wiwa and his untimely demise, with eight fellow activists, in horrific circumstances.

It acknowledges that Shell refused to interfere publicly in the trial and instead, followed a strategy of 'quiet diplomacy'. It was not until after the court found the accused guilty on trumped up charged that Shell's Committee of Managing Directors sent a letter to the Nigerian Dictator Sani Abacha, to ask for clemency on humanitarian grounds, to no avail.

The ramifications of Shell's track record of crimes against humanity in Nigeria, supporting a succession of corrupt regimes, continues to this day (in the US Supreme Court).

"Shell in Nigeria" is covered in pages 342 to 355.

I seem to detect that "history" is sometimes spun in in favor of Shell, but readers can draw their own conclusions.

Shell's threats against us regarding Internet publication of information from the History of Royal Dutch Shell volumes, relate to copyright. We contend that public interest overrides copyright.

LINK TO 19 PAGES FROM "A HISTORY OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL VOLUME 3″

Information on pages 8 & 9 confirm that like the earlier two volumes, this volume is also based on "unrestricted access to the internal records of the Group, including minutes and supporting documents of the CMD and Conference. In addition trade journals, speeches, and company brochures have been consulted. Particularly useful have been the interviews with nearly fifty Shell employees…"

From the back cover

Keetie E. Sluyterman is Professor of Business History at Utrecht University, and senior researcher at the Research Institute for History and Culture at the same university.

Posted in: Africa, Archive, Business Principles, GoogleNews, Human Rights, John Donovan, Litigation, Nigeria, Outspoken Articles, Royal Dutch Shell Plc.
Tagged: Corruption · Ken Saro-Wiwa · Nigeria · Royal Dutch Shell Plc

← Shell's complicity in torture and extrajudicial killing

Hold Shell accountable for human rights abuses in Nigeria →

A brush with Brinded

Feb 26th, 2012

by John Donovan.

"I confirm that in my experience Shell UK operates oppressively against small business people.  Its staff has acted unscrupulously and possibly illegally. The tactics of Shell UK management is completely opposite to the honesty and integrity promised by Shell in its code of ethics."

By John Donovan

At the 1999 Shell AGM in London, Malcolm Brinded (above) rather surprisingly walked over and introduced himself to me. We had corresponded, but never met. At the time he had just taken over as Country Chairman of Shell UK.

I managed to corner him into setting up an informal meeting at the AGM between Shell executives, including Brinded and Group Chairman Mark Moody-Stuart, with a group of thoroughly disgruntled Shell UK service station retailers, to whom I had supplied shareholder passes to gain entry.

During the impromptu meeting, Mr Brinded expressed concern and said that he would investigate the various serious allegations made. Unfortunately it all turned out to be empty promises. Mr Brinded decided it best to hide behind a firewall of Shell lawyers.

This became his standard practice when other scandals were uncovered – a corrupted tender for a major contract; the reserves fraud (when he signed Form 20F returns containing false information) and the Brent Bravo "avoidable accident," when offshore workers lost their lives due to a corrupted safety regime.

Litigation went on for years during the tenure of Brinded as Shell UK Chairman, until the funds of the person leading the Shell retailer rebellion, Sheila Gee, were completely drained.

Rather than set out the overall grievances, a letter sent to Moody-Stuart by one of the retailers in the group, Mr Pat Bradshaw, a former police officer is accessible here. Sadly Mr Bradshaw passed away from a heart attack. The stress from his dealings with Shell contributed to his untimely demise.

A RELATED LETTER RECEIVED FROM FORMER SHELL AGENT OPERATOR SHEILA GEE

Dear Mr Donovan

THE UNETHICAL CLEANSING OF SHELL UK AGENT OPERATORS

I have just read your leaflet entitled "RETURN OF THE ROBBER BARONS".

My husband and I have been Shell station operators for 5½ years up until 31st March 1999.  Along with many other operators, our site has been taken over by Shell and is now being directly managed by them.

We suffered substantial losses from August 1998 when the new operating contracts came in.  The new terms imposed by Shell made it impossible to conduct our business on a profitable basis.  I am aware that many other operators have also been forced out of business by Shell.  I understand that you will be publishing letters from some of them in coming weeks.

My husband and I experienced the "Bully Boy Tactic" mentioned in your leaflet.  The Shell Regional Manager, Mr Stephen Gregory, came on to our site and issued a 48-hour ultimatum.  We were told to comply with his edict or we would be out immediately. Such ruthless conduct must be immoral.

I confirm that in my experience Shell UK operates oppressively against small business people.  Its staff has acted unscrupulously and possibly illegally. The tactics of Shell UK management is completely opposite to the honesty and integrity promised by Shell in its code of ethics.

Shell seems to think that it is so all-powerful that it can steamroller over any small business people who complain about its scandalous business practices.

How dare they spend £25 million on a public relations campaign to promote Shell's reputation when they treat people so appallingly.  I understand that the Shell Shareholders Organisation intends to ask the Advertising Standards Authority to investigate Shell's campaign on the grounds that the public is being misled about Shell's integrity.  A number of former Agent Operators, including my husband and I, will be pleased to supply evidence to an ASA investigation.

I also intend to take my case up in person with Shell Chairman, Mr Mark Moody-Stuart, at the forthcoming Shell Annual General Meeting. Several other former Shell Agent Operators will also be in attendance to protest in the strongest terms against the wicked policies of Shell, which have driven many other decent hardworking people and us to despair and destitution.

Yours sincerely
Sheila Gee

Posted in: Business Principles, GoogleNews, Human Rights, John Donovan, Malcolm Brinded, Oil, Outspoken Articles, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, Shell Blog.
Tagged: John Donovan · Malcolm Brinded · Mark Moody-Stuart · Royal Dutch Shell Plc

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Getting Arctic Drilling Right →

Corrib Gas War: Candid Camera tactics in Irish Uprising

Feb 24th, 2012

by John Donovan.

By John Donovan

What is noticeable from the news dispatches reaching us today from the Corrib Gas War front-line is that both sidesare video taping each other.

The use of such technology in sensitive circumstances, reminds me of the surprise expressed by a Guardian newspaper journalist went he arrived to carry out an interview at Shell London HQ about our activities.

First he discovered that it was not going to to be a one-to-one conversation. Instead Shell was represented by a Shell director, Shell internal and external lawyers and for good measure, someone from Shell media.

The next surprise came when the Guardian reporter said that he would be tape recording the interview, as journalists often do. He was advised that Shell and its lawyers were also tape recording the entire proceedings. Shame there is apparently no video footage of this historic event.

Posted in: Business Principles, Corporate Governance, Corrib Gas Project, Gas,GoogleNews, Human Rights, John Donovan, Outspoken Articles, Royal Dutch Shell Plc.
Tagged: Corrib Gas Project · Gas · Ireland · Royal Dutch Shell Plc

← Irish Police in Corrib Gas Flare up

Our conclusion, Shell EP boss Malcolm Brinded was sacked →