9.1.5 Aftermath of the execution

Since the day of Saro-Wiwa's execution, the political equation is said to have changed in the Niger Delta; the ethnic minorities have raised their voices, insisting on being included in the economic development of their region and to be heard in their struggle for social and ecological justice.1 Saro-Wiwa's execution also drew international attention to the human rights of Indigenous People to self-determination and to the accountability of companies for complicity in environmental and human rights abuses. In particular, it has set the stage for a collaborative campaign between the well-known NGOs Sierra Cl and communities at risk.2 For the first time up to this level, this case demonstrates the close connection between underdevelopment, environmental concerns and human rights violations when linked to corporate activities in an area where they could afford the support of a dictatorial regime.

Furthermore, the period from December 1994 to 2004 was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People,3 with the goal to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by Indigenous People in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health.

In this wave, legal proceedings were filed against SPDC, its ultimate parent-company Shell and the Government of Nigeria in connection with human rights violations and environmental damages caused by the oil exploitation in the Niger Delta. The most important of these claims will be discussed in the next section.