That Shell pay-out - does it affect you as a consumer?
Time for an ethical question. If a company with a UK presence had been involved in the execution of environmental activists, would it make you think twice about using their products?
Personally, this writer would say hell yes, but at the end of the day it’s down to yourself and your conscience. Of course it’s a hypothetical question and nothing to do with the fact that Royal Dutch Shell have agreed to pay out almost £10 million following a lawsuit over the 1995 hangings of six oil exploration protestors in Nigeria. Crucially, Shell acknowledged no wrongdoing. AND NO ONE IS SAYING THEY WERE INVOLVED. RIGHT?
In the lawsuit, heard in New York, Shell were accused of colluding with the country's former military government to silence activists in the country and helped furnish Nigerian police with weapons, participated in security sweeps of the area, and hired troops that shot at villagers protesting over the construction of a pipeline. THEY DENIED BEING INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS. RIGHT?
Shell hope that the pay-out will help the “process of reconciliation” and their executive director of exploration and production, Malcolm Brinded, said: “This gesture also acknowledges that even though Shell had no part in the violence that took place, the plaintiffs and others have suffered.” SHELL HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE VIOLENCE. OKAY?
But, and this is still HYPOTHETICAL, what if another company had been behind the hangings of a group of activists, say for example, Kelloggs? Would that stop you from buying Ricicles? And will the Shell story influence you to buy your fuel elsewhere? Your hypothetical comments on this hypothetical situation are welcome. And remember, you are legally responsible for the contents of your posts.
TOPICS: Motoring
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