In solidarity with suffering Nigerian masses and activists, friends of Occupy Nigeria will march together on Monday January 9th from McPherson Square to the World Bank Headquarters located at 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
In solidarity with suffering Nigerian masses and activists, friends of Occupy Nigeria will march together on Monday January 9th from McPherson Square to the World Bank Headquarters located at 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
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STATEMENT:
What: Protest in Solidarity with Occupy Nigeria outside World Bank USA headquarters
Who: The 99% and the press
When: January 9, 2012, noon-1 p.m.
Where: Murrow Park, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC
Why: To show solidarity with our Nigerian allies who are risking their lives in taking on Big Oil and the 1%
A new oil disaster is harming Nigerians. On New Year's Day, 2012, the Nigerian government announced and immediately implemented price hikes on fuel for domestic consumption, a policy that has long been advocated by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. As a result, Nigerians are now paying 2 to 5 times what they paid last year for fuel. Meanwhile, the big oil companies that have ravaged the Niger Delta continue to reap huge profits and Nigerians living in the Delta's oil-producing communities are confronting the impacts of a series of large December 2011 oil spills, including one by Shell that is reportedly the largest in over 10 years. These spills are occurring after decades of oil spills by foreign oil companies that have yet to be cleaned up. Much of this oil extracted from Nigeria is destined for U.S. markets.
The 1% of Nigeria's elite have spent decades siphoning off Nigeria's oil wealth from the impoverished Niger Delta region, leaving nothing but pollution, death and destruction in their wake. Now, despite record oil prices, the Nigerian government claims there is not enough money to pay for basic infrastructure in the country. At the urging of the World Bank and IMF, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has jacked up the price of oil by over 150% in order to pay for this infrastructure. Yet the 99% of Nigerians who live on less than $2300 per year can't afford to pay this price for oil, and have taken to the streets in protest. One protester has been killed so far by police.
U.S. activists plan to hold a demonstration in solidarity with Occupy Nigeria, the Nigerian "We The People" coalition, and Nigeria's organized labor sector, all of whom have called for a general strike in Nigeria to protest the soaring price hikes for oil on January 9, 2012. The U.S. solidarity demonstration will take place from noon to 1 p.m., Monday, January 9, outside the headquarters of the World Bank in Washington, DC, at Morrow Park, 1818 H Street, NW. For those who can arrive earlier, meet at the Occupy DC encampment at 11 a.m. at 15th and K Streets, NW, to march together to the World Bank.
For more information, contact Emira Woods at Institute for Policy Studies at: 202-787-5232 or [email protected]
Crude Tragedy – Price hikes for gasoline add fuel to a volatile situation in Nigeria
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Event Mon 1/9/12, 12 PM
Contact: Emira Woods, Institute for Policy Studies, (202) 787-5232, [email protected]
Lacy MacAuley, Institute for Policy Studies, (202) 445-4692, [email protected]
On New Year’s Day, the Nigerian government announced and immediately implemented price hikes on fuel for consumption, a policy that has long been advocated by the World Bank and the IMF. Everyday Nigerians are now paying 2 to 5 times what they paid last year for fuel. Meanwhile, the big oil companies that have ravaged the Niger Delta continue to reap huge profits at the same time as Nigerians living in the Delta’s oil producing communities confront the impacts of a series of large December oil spills, including one by Shell that is reportedly the largest in over 10 years.
“This fuel price hike comes at a most unwelcome time,” said Omoyela Sowore of Sahara Reporters. “The country is in a state of crisis due to the state of emergency declared by the President in the country’s conflict with Boko Haram, the Islamic militant group based in the Northern part of Nigeria. In addition, we are still uncertain as to the severity of the recent oil spills – there appear to have been several – and what Shell oil is doing to clean up its mess.”
“The current government claims that raising the price of gasoline is necessary to raise funds, but the fact is that the oil companies are the ones who should be paying first,” said Aniedi Okure, Executive Director of the African Faith and Justice Network. “Gas flaring is technically illegal but very commonly done by oil companies in Nigeria. If the law were properly applied, the government could raise significant money from fees associated with this illegal flaring for much needed investment in health care, education and infrastructure. Instead the government has chosen to go after poor consumers – the 99% - instead of the top 1% who continue to game the system.”
“The IMF and World Bank continue to preach their market fundamentalism despite the obvious failure of the religion,” said Emira Woods, Co-Director or Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies. “As Europe reaps bitter rewards for its commitment to austerity, countries like Nigeria continue to face pressure to move towards a deregulated market-based development strategy. The decision of what economic path to take in Nigeria is best left to Nigerians. And Nigerians, including the current government, would do well to consider the failure of the market fundamentalist preachers and consider an alternative course.”
Activists plan to hold a demonstration in solidarity with Occupy Nigeria, the Nigerian “We The People” coalition and Nigeria’s organized labor sector, who have called for a general strike to protest the soaring price hikes for oil on Monday, January 9. The protest will take place outside the headquarters of the World Bank in Washington, DC, at 12 noon.
The following individuals are available for press interviews:
Omoyela Sowore, Sahara Reporters (646) 704 5433
Aniedi Okure, Executive Director, Africa Faith and Justice Network, (240) 461 4325
Emira Woods, Co-Director, Foreign Policy In Focus, (202) 787-5232
Nnimmo Bassey (in Nigeria), Board Chair, Friends of the Earth International and 2010 Right Livelihood Award winner, +234 803 727 4395
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