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2003-04-29 East/Subsaharan Africa
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Nigerian Strikers Hold 100 Foreign Oil Workers
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EFL
The strikers have been holding 97 foreign workers, including 35 Britons, aboard four offshore drilling rigs owned by Houston-based Transocean since April 19. The events occurred in a remote area off the West African nation's coastline. The rigs were drilling wells on behalf of oil multinationals Royal/Dutch Shell and TotalFina Elf. Western diplomats said the hostages included 21 Americans and 35 Britons. Their conditions were unclear, although there were no initial reports of injuries or deaths. A source close to the ongoing negotiations between company officials and the strikers told The Associated Press that some of the foreign workers sent e-mails from the facilities to family members and diplomats Monday complaining they had received death threats. Shell spokesman Donald Boham said company officials were involved in the talks. He was unaware of any threats being made. "The striking Nigerian workers have prevented the foreign workers from leaving the rigs," Boham said without elaborating. The strikers were protesting a decision by Transocean to use boats instead of helicopters to ferry them from company rigs about 25 miles offshore the restive Niger Delta state of Rivers, said Joseph Akinlaja, secretary-general of Nigeria's largest oil workers' union.
Fox News had an oil company spokeman on the phone this morning. The striking Nigerian workers are not armed, they have blocked the helipads on the oil platforms preventing the workers from leaving by helicopter. Looks like the foreign workers were being flown to work while the nigerians were being made to take the boat. The spokesman said that the foreign workers have been allowed to leave via boat, and many have. Much ado about nothing, I mean, it's not like death threats are unknown during strikes by the Teamsters or United Mine Workers. 
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Posted by Steve 2003-04-29 08:40 am||
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