SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Oil spill polluting groundwater and ruining cropland, from a well owned by Shell (Photo: Ed Kashi/Corbis)
Shell Faces Landmark Lawsuit over Years of Oil Spills
Nigerian farmers sue Shell in Dutch court
Oct 11, 2012
Paving a path for ordinary citizens to sue foreign multinational companies in their home countries, Nigerian farmers faced Royal Dutch Shell in a Dutch court today over a history of devastating oil spills in the Niger Delta. The landmark case is the first time the Dutch company has faced legal repercussions in its home country from foreign plaintiffs, opening possibilities for similar lawsuits around the world.
A verdict will be given early next year in the precedent setting case.
"If you are drinking water you are drinking crude, if you are eating fish, you are eating crude, if you are breathing, you are breathing crude," said one of the plaintiffs, Eric Dooh, outside court, referring to the prevalent pollution in the oil rich region.
The case, brought by four Nigerian farmers and fisherman and Friends of the Earth International, is an attempt to hold Shell accountable for leaking and corroded oil pipelines in the Niger Delta that lead to three oil spills between 2004 and 2007. "Due to the poor maintenance of its pipelines and infrastructure," Shell's negligence has lead to tens of millions of barrels of oil to leak into the once pristine Niger Delta, and has lead to "disastrous consequences for local people and the environment," Friends of the Earth writes today.
Lawyers for both parties pleaded their arguments at The Hague today. The court announced that a verdict should be expected on January 30, 2013.
"A positive verdict will have groundbreaking legal repercussions. It will allow victims of multinational corporations in developing countries to obtain justice in Europe," says Geert Ritsema, globalization campaign leader at Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie.
"My community is a ghost land as a result of the devastation. We had good vegetation. Today people have respiratory problems and are getting sick," Dooh continued, who lives in the Goi community of the Niger Delta that sits between two pipelines.
"Shell is aware of the whole devastation. I want them to pay compensation, to clean up the pollution so we can grow our crops and fish again."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your commitment. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. While every gift matters and makes a powerful difference, it gives us the stability to invest confidently in in-depth, fearless reporting — the kind of journalism that holds power accountable and fuels real change. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — your steady support helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Paving a path for ordinary citizens to sue foreign multinational companies in their home countries, Nigerian farmers faced Royal Dutch Shell in a Dutch court today over a history of devastating oil spills in the Niger Delta. The landmark case is the first time the Dutch company has faced legal repercussions in its home country from foreign plaintiffs, opening possibilities for similar lawsuits around the world.
A verdict will be given early next year in the precedent setting case.
"If you are drinking water you are drinking crude, if you are eating fish, you are eating crude, if you are breathing, you are breathing crude," said one of the plaintiffs, Eric Dooh, outside court, referring to the prevalent pollution in the oil rich region.
The case, brought by four Nigerian farmers and fisherman and Friends of the Earth International, is an attempt to hold Shell accountable for leaking and corroded oil pipelines in the Niger Delta that lead to three oil spills between 2004 and 2007. "Due to the poor maintenance of its pipelines and infrastructure," Shell's negligence has lead to tens of millions of barrels of oil to leak into the once pristine Niger Delta, and has lead to "disastrous consequences for local people and the environment," Friends of the Earth writes today.
Lawyers for both parties pleaded their arguments at The Hague today. The court announced that a verdict should be expected on January 30, 2013.
"A positive verdict will have groundbreaking legal repercussions. It will allow victims of multinational corporations in developing countries to obtain justice in Europe," says Geert Ritsema, globalization campaign leader at Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie.
"My community is a ghost land as a result of the devastation. We had good vegetation. Today people have respiratory problems and are getting sick," Dooh continued, who lives in the Goi community of the Niger Delta that sits between two pipelines.
"Shell is aware of the whole devastation. I want them to pay compensation, to clean up the pollution so we can grow our crops and fish again."
Paving a path for ordinary citizens to sue foreign multinational companies in their home countries, Nigerian farmers faced Royal Dutch Shell in a Dutch court today over a history of devastating oil spills in the Niger Delta. The landmark case is the first time the Dutch company has faced legal repercussions in its home country from foreign plaintiffs, opening possibilities for similar lawsuits around the world.
A verdict will be given early next year in the precedent setting case.
"If you are drinking water you are drinking crude, if you are eating fish, you are eating crude, if you are breathing, you are breathing crude," said one of the plaintiffs, Eric Dooh, outside court, referring to the prevalent pollution in the oil rich region.
The case, brought by four Nigerian farmers and fisherman and Friends of the Earth International, is an attempt to hold Shell accountable for leaking and corroded oil pipelines in the Niger Delta that lead to three oil spills between 2004 and 2007. "Due to the poor maintenance of its pipelines and infrastructure," Shell's negligence has lead to tens of millions of barrels of oil to leak into the once pristine Niger Delta, and has lead to "disastrous consequences for local people and the environment," Friends of the Earth writes today.
Lawyers for both parties pleaded their arguments at The Hague today. The court announced that a verdict should be expected on January 30, 2013.
"A positive verdict will have groundbreaking legal repercussions. It will allow victims of multinational corporations in developing countries to obtain justice in Europe," says Geert Ritsema, globalization campaign leader at Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie.
"My community is a ghost land as a result of the devastation. We had good vegetation. Today people have respiratory problems and are getting sick," Dooh continued, who lives in the Goi community of the Niger Delta that sits between two pipelines.
"Shell is aware of the whole devastation. I want them to pay compensation, to clean up the pollution so we can grow our crops and fish again."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.