Comments on: Shame on Shell: Settlement Reached in Wiwa v. Shell

By: CARSON44

CARSON44 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:16:37 +0000

On the other hand what do the people that received the settelment think of the amount. Walk a mile in their shoes. This may seem like a world changing event to them.

(Report comment)

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:01:30 +0000

Thanks for your comments, everyone, which have tapped into the complexity of this outcome. I don’t think anyone should judge the plaintiffs for accepting the settlement that was offered. But I do think Shell should be judged for its acts, which it now effectively gets to sweep under the rug so it can move on to keep making profits.

(Report comment)

By: joshywashington

joshywashington — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:25:52 +0000

15 million is so paltry when taken in context of Shell’s hourly profit.
For these slug-sucking bastards to take human lives seriously they mus be punished to a degree that makes them flinch.

I have mixed feelings; should the settlement amount be reflective of how much the victims deserve or how punished Shell should be?

Crimes against humanity, anyone?

(Report comment)

By: Ryan Van Lenning

Ryan Van Lenning — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:57:48 +0000

Wow, that pay-out is less than 4 hour’s worth of Shell profit. The company profits from operating in Ogoni land 24-hours/day for 365 days/year. I mean, shouldn’t they at least get the equivalent of 1 day’s profit!?

Though it is setting a precedent in corporate accountability, I wonder what it signals to other industry behemoths? Does it say, “you will have to pay millions, so clean up your act” or does it say, “just hold out, you won’t have to see the inside of the court.”

Indeed, a victory it is, but a bitter-sweet one.

(Report comment)

By: Nick Rowlands

Nick Rowlands — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:19:49 +0000

I think it can be viewed as a victory of sorts. Shell have tacitly admitted responsibility, and the plaintiffs have received a pay-out that whilst comparatively small, is also not insignificant. I guess the alternative would be to continue fighting the massed ranks of shell lawyers, getting continually stonewalled, and possibly having to drop the case at some point in the future anyway because of lack of funds.

(Report comment)

By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:39:48 +0000

15 million isn’t too bad. When an American pilot accidentally bombed a Cambodian city back the ’70s they paid out a few hundred dollars for each fatality to the survivors.

(Report comment)

By: Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:33:49 +0000

Ross–

Good questions. The sources I’ve spoken with have all been at pains to point out that they don’t want to further victimize the plaintiffs by making it seem as if they’ve sold out. In fact, the argument, it seems, is that this settlement is actually a legal victory of sorts– it’s the first step, a precedent, in getting big oil to take some bit of responsibility, however tiny, for their atrocious acts. That being said, I think advocates of the plaintiffs knew that fighting Shell would continue to be the uphill battle it’s been for almost 15 years.

It’s hard for me to see this as a victory– $15 million is a drop in the bucket and adds insult to injury. Yet I do understand the whole “bigger picture” argument too.

(Report comment)

By: Ross

Ross — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:16:42 +0000

Why did the representation on Wiwa’s side settle? $15M is a joke.

We can’t expect a large, profit-obsessed oil giant to cough up money unless someone demands it in court. Obviously Shell’s defense was convinced they were in danger of losing the case completely.

Disappointing outcome.

(Report comment)