Alameda resolution

[Steve Kretzmann <steve@moles.org>]

     County OKs boycott of Nigerian oil
  
     TIMES STAFF
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     OAKLAND -- Alameda County employees who drive on the job will have to
     turn in their county-issued Chevron gas cards in light of a new
     ordinance barring the county from doing business with or investing in
     firms with ties to Nigeria.
  
     The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of the
     ordinance, which will come back for final approval next week.
  
     Board President Keith Carson cited "serious human rights abuses" and
     "ongoing atrocities" in the African country of 100 million people.
  
     He noted that in passing the divestment ordinance, the board was
     joining several other municipalities, including the cities of Oakland,
     Berkeley, New Orleans and New York.
  
     Carson said such organized pressure helped to end apartheid in South
     Africa and is prompting some firms to pull out of Burma, another
     country widely condemned for human rights abuses.
  
     The county must now develop a list of firms doing business with
     Nigeria that will be subject to the boycott. Officials said three gas
     companies -- Chevron, Shell and Mobil -- will be included on the list.
  
     Tunde Okorodudu, president of the national Free Nigeria Movement, said
     two million barrels of oil a day are produced in Nigeria by
     government-supported multinational companies, and that half comes to
     the United States.
  
     He said dissidents in Nigeria who are critical of the dictatorship are
     being murdered and jailed, while others are "in hiding."
  
     Supervisor Mary King said she's willing to immediately turn in her
     Chevron credit card. But she also cited concerns because the firm has
     been working to improve relations with black communities domestically.
  
     "Chevron is very much involved here in Oakland with the
     African-American community," King said.
  
     Okorodudu called Chevron's community involvement a "divide and
     conquer" tactic.
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  Steve Kretzmann			510-705-8982 - office
  Campaigns Coordinator		510-705-8983 - fax
  
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