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wednesday 25 april
2001
the hearing has been
postponed until further notice. please check
this space for updates
shell's cash surplus used to
explore pakistan wildlife haven
friends of the earth to challenge oil
giant in karachi court
Shell, and the military government of
Pakistan, will today face a legal challenge
in a Karachi court over plans to explore for
gas in the countryís oldest national park. In
written evidence submitted to the court, the
oil giant has sought to play down
environmental fears by citing examples of
where it claims the oil and gas industry has
operated in ìharmonious coexistenceî and
ìperfect harmonyî with the environment [1].
But Friends of the Earth International, the
worldís largest environmental network with
member groups in 66 countries, has today
joined the legal challenge by submitting a
380-page dossier of evidence to the contrary.
The evidence includes a detailed synopsis of
the appalling environmental and human rights
abuses associated with the company in
Nigeria.
Royal Dutch Shell recently annoyed UK
motorists and environmentalists alike by
announcing record profits of US $13.11
billion (£9.04 billion), up 85% over the last
year. It is now clear that the corporation is
using this huge cash surplus, gained through
high oil prices, to fund a massive expansion
of exploration activities in the worldís most
precious wildlife areas rather than investing
in renewable energy technologies.
But in so doing, the oil multinational
will come into conflict with environment
groups both here and abroad. And the first
big showdown is set to be over its plans for
gas exploration in Kirthar National Park,
Pakistan.
The park was established in 1974 and is
one of of the countryís largest protected
areas, stretching over 3087 square kilometres
of rugged mountain desert in the southern
province of Sindh. It is home to numerous
threatened species such as the unique Sindh
ibex (a mountain goat) and the Urial sheep,
as well as desert wolves, striped hyena,
golden jackal,ìChinkaraî (a type of gazelle),
and no less than eight species of eagle.
Kirthar is protected under Pakistanís
wildlife laws. Section 15 of the Sindh
Wildlife Protection Ordinance clearly states
that the ì...clearing or breaking up of any
land for cultivation, mining or for any other
purposeî is prohibited. The park is also
classified by IUCN (the World Conservation
Union) as a Category II protected area
ìmanaged mainly for ecosystem protection and
recreationî and designated ìto protect the
ecological integrity of ecosystemsî and ìto
exclude exploitationî and it is included on
the United Nations List of Protected
Areas.
Concerns are high that Shell is trying to
wriggle out of respecting the wildlife law,
and the international status of the park.
Under the current military regime in
Pakistan, laws can be amended without
reference to Parliament. Earlier this year,
the Governor of Sindh province, Mohammed Mian
Soomro - a director of Shell-Pakistan until
he became governor last year - amended the
wildlife laws to allow pipeline construction
in the park. The oil minister in the federal
military government, Usman Aminuddin, is a
former director of a Shell subsidiary.
Shell has formed a joint venture with
Premier Oil to manage the exploration
programme in Pakistan. In March, they
submitted an Environmental Impact Statement
to Pakistani authorities as a prelude to
undertaking exploration in Kirthar National
Park.
But local NGOs have turned to the Karachi
courts in a desperate attempt to halt the
process, and have now been joined by Friends
of the Earth International.
Craig Bennett, campaigner for Friends of
the Earth England, Wales and Northern
Ireland, said: ìShell and their partners
Premier Oil have submitted plans that clearly
contravene Pakistani wildlife law. They have
done this because they arrogantly assume that
they can use their influence to get their
way. And now they are making outrageous
claims that their activities around the world
have little or no environmental impact."
Paul de Clerck, campaigner for Friends of
the Earth Netherlands, continued: "The oil
industry still thinks it can spend billions
looking for and exploiting new fossil fuel
reserves, and doesnít seem to care even when
these are in the worldís most precious
wildlife areas. At a time when the world must
make huge cuts in carbon emissions, these
mega- corporations must stop old-fashioned
exploration and start investing properly in
renewables. A good start would be to respect
wildlife laws, and stop seeking to exploit
protected areas.î
Note to editors:
[1] Extracted from the Affidavit filed in
the High Court of Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan,
by "Premier & Shell Pakistan B.V. Holland
through Premier Exploration Pakistan Ltd",
Constitutional Petition number 1986/2000.
Photos of Kirthar National Park are
available, by email, on request (including a
photo of a sign at the entrance of Kirthar
National Park which clearly states that the
ìClearing or Breaking up of any land for
cultivation, mining or for any other purposeî
is prohibited).
Read the
affidavit
filed by
FoEI
Contacts:
Craig Bennett
FoE England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Tel: 44 20 7566 1667
Pager: 07654 588 862
E-mail: craigb@foe.co.uk
Paul de Clerck
FoE Netherlands
Tel: 31 20 550 7300
E-mail: Paul.de.Clerck@milieudefensie.nl
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