US embassy cable - 02ABUJA2326

UNCLAS ABUJA 002326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC, PGOV, EPET, SOCI, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: LETTER FROM CHEVRON NIGERIA: ESCRAVOS 
OCCUPATION ENDS 
 
Ref:  Lagos 1460 
 
 
1. Ambassador Jeter received the following letter from 
Chevron Nigeria Limited, signifying the end of the 
occupation of Chevron's Escravos storage facility by 
Ugborodo women in Delta State: 
 
 
Begin Text 
 
 
END OF OCCUPATION OF ESCRAVOS TANK FARM BY UGBORODO WOMEN 
 
 
=Salutations 
 
 
We are happy to inform you of the peaceful resolution of 
the occupation of our Escravos Tank Farm and Terminal by 
protesting women from the Ugborodo communities.  The women 
have vacated the facility and returned to their various 
homes following the signing of a Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) by our management and leaders of the 
communities. 
 
 
Throughout the period of occupation, there was no injury 
to, or loss of life of, any of our workforce, including the 
American nationals.  Normalcy is gradually returning to our 
Escravos operations and we can once again guarantee a 
favorable working environment, devoid of fear and 
harassment, for our employees and contractors. 
 
 
We appreciate your show of concern and interest in our 
affairs during the occupation and would like to re-assure 
you of our paramount commitment to safe operations, 
especially the safety of our people. 
 
 
Complimentary Close, 
 
 
J.R. Pryor 
 
 
End Text 
 
 
2. (U) Comment: This takeover falls on the heels of an 
April situation in Escravos, during which twenty-five local 
youths held forty Chevron Texaco employees hostage. The 
situation was resolved without incident and despite the 
peaceful resolution of this most recent takeover, Chevron 
still faces many challenges to operating business as usual. 
There are unconfirmed news reports of yet another potential 
interruption to Chevron's operations as apparently 
inhabitants of villages that did not participate in the 
recent agreement may be clamoring for equal treatment 
 
 
2. (U) Women and children seem to be the new wave of 
protestors in the Delta. Situations like these will be 
increasingly difficult for oil companies to counteract. 
Inevitably, production will be impacted.  Throughout the 
eleven-day ordeal, Chevron lost nearly 300,000 barrels of 
oil a day.  If this trend holds, a serious threat may be 
posed to Nigeria's number one source of foreign earnings. 
The silver lining in all of these developments, if there 
can be one at all, is that no one was hurt nor does there 
appear to be an intent to physically harm any of the oil 
companies' personnel, Nigerian or expatriate. End Comment. 
JETER