Shell Versus The Niger Delta! (Future Consequences).

Unbelievable News:

Despite all strong evidences, The Hague Civil Court rejected all cases against the Netherlands-based company, Shell. The Court repeated Shell's statements and ruled that sabotage and oil theft have been the main causes of the oil spils in the Niger Delta, not the poor maintenance of Shell's facilities in the area.

From this brief news, we can assume that simply and apparently Shell won the case. But, there are some other issues, which all of us including Shell's strategic advisors should carefully consider and that is the future consequences of today's event. Let us simply put some pieces together to find what type of final puzzle we would get in the future as the consequences of this event.

Piece Number 1: The people in this area live under poverty line.

Piece Number 2: The whole life of this people in the Niger Delta is based on fishing & agriculture, which have been extremely damaged, due to this disaster, whether by sabotage, oil theft, poor maintenance of Shell's facilities or any other reasons what so ever. The point is that this people are extremely vulnerable at this particualr and important time. I emphasize the important time, due to the circumstances in North Africa.

Piece Number 3: 50% of  Nigeria's population are Muslims.

Piece Number 4: The activities of different Islamic Fundamentalist groups have been increasing recently in various parts of North Africa. 

Piece Number 5: Up until today, the vast majority of people in the Niger Delta have been suffering too much mostly just because of poverty, but not too much because of injustice; although in reality poverty is the result of injustice, as we know. But, the result of today's Court clearly showed them somethings more than poverty. In other words, today, this people deeply felt, exprienced and understood the meaning of poverty and moreover, the sense of injustice, ignorance and exclusion more than before. 

Piece Number 6: I`m pretty sure that different rebel groups and some of the Islamic Fundamentalist groups in North Africa will focus on the people in this area in the near future, because they have become more vulnerable, desperate and furious; so they are easy prey to be recruited. 

I don`t have the time to prolong the rest of the story anymore. However, if you as the reader of this short article are interested to know what would be the consequences of today's Court, you can put these 6 pieces together. Then, you will be able to imagine a clear picture about the consequences of this event in the near future.

To be honest, sometimes, some news are shocking me. I mean the strategic advisors of Shell, or the Judiciary system or moreover the Dutch Authority do not understand the special circumstances, we are facing at the present time? Do they have any idea that with this event they have facilitated better opportunity for the Islamic terrorists as well as rebel groups in this part of the world? Do they have any idea that with this dicision they are intentionally or unintentionally pushing the people in this area towards more sabotage and ilegal activity? 

Today, the Dutch Authority and Shell could solve the problem and avoid the disasterous consequences in the future by spending just some couple of millions of dollars. But, as it seems, they have no idea about tactic, strategy, short term, long term interest, consequences, timing, etc. (30.01.2013).