W2TV Vault: Boycott $hell in Solidarity with Ogoni People

W2TV Vault: Ogoni Solidarity Network Launched with Boycott $hell Rally

Coast Salish Territories (March 28, 1996) - First of the Boycott $hell rallies, later the Ogoni Soliarity Network actions working with Dr. Owens Wiwa and the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People. The Ogoni are the indigenous people of the Niger River delta in Nigeria. On November 10, 1995, nine Ogoni minority rights activists (including writer/poet Ken-Saro-Wiwa) were hanged by the military government of Nigeria with the complicity of $hell.

The video was broadcast on EarthSeen on April 1996 (Rogers' cable community channel) though some visuals have been added in this later version. The visuals from Nigeria are from from the film Delta Force directed by Glen Ellis. Permission to use footage was given by Dr. Owens Wiwa to used in solidarity with the Ogoni. He noted the film could not have been done without the Ogoni and family's co-operation.

As well, the graphics were added for this upload to this master cut thus names and titles missing. Jaggi Singh is the first interview and we are hoping folks can help identify the others. Unfortunately the gremlins have some of the interviews out of sync and while can be fixed, we would rather move onto the other pieces.

Don Walchuk and I have unearthed much community television footage from the Boycott $hell campaign in Greater Vancouver. Hopefully, we will soon be uploading more. It's our hope the struggle against the tars sands can be inspired and learn from the Ogoni struggle.