Article

2004-09-30 Africa: Subsaharan

A militia leader based in Nigeria's main oil-producing region says he has agreed a ceasefire with President Olusegun Obasanjo. Mujahid Dokubo Asari had said he would attack foreign workers and the threat was seen as one reason why world oil prices hit record highs of $50 a barrel this week. He says he is fighting for the rights of the Ijaw people but the authorities dismiss him as an oil thief. The issue of self determination was not discussed at the meeting, he says.

"Just bank account numbers."

Mr. Asari says he and five other colleagues met the president and other government officials at the state house on Wednesday. "The president has given a firm assurance that no attacks will be will be carried out against our positions and we too have undertaken not to attack the military," Mr Asari told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. Earlier, Mr Obasanjo's spokeswoman had said the president was not planning to meet Mr Asari. But Mr Asari said he flew to Abuja on a presidential jet and that the meeting was at the request of a presidential envoy who travelled to the creeks in the Niger Delta to see him.

"Please don't hurt us!"

On Tuesday, Nigeria's military warned Mr Asari's Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force that it would take off the "kid gloves" unless the militia stops threatening oil workers. The militia said foreign oil companies must cease production or face "all-out war" in the Niger Delta from Friday. The Anglo-Dutch firm Shell, the biggest oil company in Nigeria, boosted security following the threats. Nigeria is the world's seventh largest exporter of oil, but 70% of its population live in poverty ~~because the policies of its kleptocrats~~. A statement from Shell described the region as still tense and said that the movement of employees and supplies had been curtailed. Oil production has also been affected.

Posted by Mark Espinola 2004-09-30 3:21:36 PM|| || Front Page|| [11135 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Oil production has also been affected. Shell isn't going to put it's workers at risk. No company in it's right mind will.

All this uncertaincy in international production is going to have impacts in the price everything. It will also effect the US food supply. Cheap and plentful food is a side effect of cheap and plentful oil. Plan accordingly.

I saw stripper wells pumping units today on my way to Bakersfiled I have never seen running in at least 8 years. They may be sucking mostly sand but they are running. It's not light sweet crude either. All kinds of small oil operations are going to be starting up that have been setting literally for years. Again plan accordingly.

The US can't refine all the oil it needs to run everything we need running, it doesn't have any excess refining capasity.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-09-30 6:54:03 AM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2004-09-30 6:54:03 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Not to be too Pollyanna-ish about this but there is a silver lining. As the price of oil goes up, so do efforts to find alternative sources. As soon as it becomes in Shell's interest to develop oil from trash or to invest in fuel-cells, the better. Only then will we win this war on terror.

Posted by 2b 2004-09-30 8:18:45 AM|| 2004-09-30 8:18:45 AM|| Front Page Top

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