Oil, Islam & September 11: an essay addressed to the anti‐globalization movement

Abstract

iii) Transnational companies and the States should respect the culture and traditions of the local peoples whose lands they exploit. 2. We demand that States should make conscious and sincere effort to implement the following international conventions concerning the rights of the local people: i) UN article (2) 1 concerning self-determination; ii) ILO convention 169 concerning indigenous and tribal people i.e. in independent countries; iii) Respect to UN 1977 declaration on the rights of indigenous local people; (iv) UN article 3 on human rights; (v) African Charter article 24 on Human and Peoples Rights; (vi) Article of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. 2(b) Compensation rates should be reviewed upwards taking into account life span of the natural resources, including economic trees damaged and life expectancy of beneficiary. 2c) There should be a moratorium on oil and other mining activities to determine the level of damage to local and indigenous communities and their natural environment, as well as ways of remediation. 2d) We demand transparency in all transactions involving the World Bank/ IMF and the States concerning all projects in local communities. 3(i) As a matter of urgency all African States should institute the necessary mechanism for the implementation of Agenda 21 of the UN Rio Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development. (ii) The participation of local communities should be guaranteed by the State in environmental protection and development processes that affects them. (iii) The State should ensure the restructuring of the judicial system to enable local communities to seek redress at the law courts. (iv) All African States should guarantee the protection of the rights of women and children against dehumanisation, discrimination and exploitation by transnational companies and state institutions. Strategies 1. There should be an alliance of oppressed local communities in Africa and elsewhere to address their concerns 2. There should be exchanges of information, materials and experiences of local populations colonised by transnational companies to enrich their struggle for emancipation 3. NGOs, CBOs and other interest groups should support the activities of local communities fighting for their environmental and human rights. 4. African States should organise national or regional conferences of minorities as part of the process for self-determination.