Read the full press release and the email we sent to Shell employees.
In the 1990’s when Nigerians began to nonviolently protest Shell’s oil development, Shell collaborated with the Nigerian military regime to violently suppress opposition. More than 60 villages were raided, over 800 people were killed, and 30,000 more were displaced from their homes.
On October 1st the Supreme Court heard the case, Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, in which Shell is arguing that because they are a corporation, they can’t be held accountable for these murders in US Courts. If they get their way, corporations will be free to commit crimes against humanity overseas without fear of answering to an American court. The US Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling in coming months.
A few days ago, People Against Legalizing Murder (PALM) received a file with 71,010 emails of Shell employees. We went to work creating this website in order to provide employees with information about the case, as well as an easy way to tweet their feelings about it at key US news anchors (and Oprah Winfrey). We emailed all 71,010 employees about it. Within minutes, we began receiving emails from Shell employees who were intrigued and wanted more information, but couldn't access the site—because Shell’s IT Department had blocked it.
Shell employees may never be able to visit this site while at work, but you can stand in for them by raising the issue with a key journalist. First, select a journalist:
Wolf Blitzer@wolfblitzer
Anderson Cooper@andersoncooper
Oprah@oprah
Rachel Maddow@maddow
Ann Curry@AnnCurry