Rebels in the Pipeline

Great story, and excellent to see an in-depth report on Current.

I wonder what can be done about the combination of multinational companies and corrupt governments that aflicts so much harm in many developing companies. It seems the companies face no consequencies other than occasional bad press - or as the story shows, violence from enraged locals. Perhaps we need to start thinking of new ways of regulating what companies do in the developing world. How can they be forced to answer to more than just their shareholders' demands for profits?

Here in Argentina the situation is much less critical than in Nigeria, yet recent corruption scandals show that unscrupulous corporates can easily undermine democracy. See here http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSN30... and here http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?stor... for details

Thanks Mariana and Darren - well done.

Nicely done.
As an ABC cameraman and field producer I give you a big time thumbs up for your courage and strength in this situation. You kept your cool and it showed!

WOW, nice and strong, big risks. I would love to go into that kind of field and film!

great story and such bravery. thank you Marianna! You rock!

Mariana and Daren, I loved the story and was very impressed by your courage. The economic issues around oil and their repercussions are well known and debated but to see a documentary like this is... WOW! Congratulations.

Dear Mariana and Darren, great story, great courage and determination, hope all this effort can benefit the local populations by open the eyes and conscience of the western political with comfortable lives.
When you visit Africa, and I've been there sometimes, you immediately become aware of the giant corruption that are implanted on the way of live of those countries. The westerns governments are responsible for dealing with some of the criminals that are in power.
Big Kiss and waiting for your next report. Beijos

Bravi. I'm really pride of yours work, courage and determination.

Always watching you!
Don't forget to send me the next one.

Beijinhos e saudades,
mariana mesquita

This is an ecellent document. Very risky and corageous.

When, almost of the leadears of the world ,are so worried about the human rights, Mariana ans Darren, showed us what is truly happening in this part of Africa.

Money comes first.

Keep on allerting us.

Mariana and Darren congratulations. Excellent story and extreme bravery and determination on your part. I had not realised how dramatic the situation was in Nigeria. It is very important that there are people like you that show us what is really going on.

Awesome piece! Inspiring and motivating..makes me proud and relieved to know that in this world there are people like you, who have the courage to try to make a difference and actually make the difference with your work.


puri

Mariana and Daren,
I loved your story and I was very impressed by the issues around oil production in Nigeria. I was already aware of the corruption in Africa because my sister marta lives in mozambique, but I hadn't realised how dramatic the situation was.
Like pureza, I'm also proud and relieved to know that in this world there are people like you, who want to make a difference!!
Thank you for letting us know what is really happening in the world!
Big Kiss from Portugal
Inês Serra Brandão

Terriffic insight my friends are from Nigeria, they've told me stories about this as well, but they are from the City so .,........ but great POD (^...^)

Amazing piece. Really eye-opening material.

Great job, and I commend your efforts to really dig into the topic and expose the issues surrounding it.

Wow! People like Mariana and Daren make a difference in the world. I have become inspired to pursue bravery.

Africa and the rest of the world needs leaders like the reporters of this venture in simply identifying the reality. Not a lot of people want to risk anything because we like it here and its clean.

What we see here in N.America, is a dream world compared to the corruption out side the states. Democracy only works for smart people and organize people. Democracy is power and it becomes dictator rule for the ones that have money. Money is power!

Guns are power! Organize guns with with no brain is very dangerous but it controls. Head organizers get killed because their voice is powerful. This country was finally organize by the mafia.

Smart, courages, and historic report.

Great and strong current piece! I admire your courage and ability to face such a heavy topic in the Niger Delta. I am taking an African Studies class and you've just covered a month worth of lecture. I know your pod will create awareness to many!

Quite simply...this is the kind of "reporting" that brought me to current. You guys are a true inspiration.
I was extremely impressed at how few times I heard the word "terrorists" being used on behalf of the oil companies since that is their favorite slogan in these situations. It is refreshing to see some objectivity on behalf of the impoverished and their position on this corrupt corporate greed. With this story...you guys break social boundaries and misconceptions to get the "real" story.
It is impressive to see such brave journalists stepping out of the "embedded" protocols to get the truth to the public.

Marina brings nothing new to the world of journalism. Her pandering stinks of liberalism and open-mindedness for the sake of open-mindedness. What was the point of this pod? Awareness? Give me a break.

Keifer94, Why the negative view?
What have you done? Send a pod about anything you have accomplished their buddy.....Wasting time writing to Keifer but anyways.....
What have you done in this world? Constructive criticism is welcome but you don't give alternatives, just stupidity.

dontipo,

I suppose we should require dissenters to submit a pod before they can post their views. Otherwise, we can only submit comments like "Great Pod! Such bravery! Marina is so hot! Now I know about the troubles in the Niger Delta." The New York Times has been there, done that.
I have always loved the type of argument you support. The "you can't knock it until you've done something yourself" view. Normally, it's used when you don't have any other point to support. In other words, your response is meaningless.

O.K. you win but the fact that someone is broadcasting something that I haven't seen, is identifiable with my interests, all good. R u a women or man? Keifer94 may have been born in 94. Arguing is whack when it has no solution. Business not personal so don't cry with your beliefs, my bad.

Good job Marina and Daren.

thank you for going and giving them a voice. Its my assumption that most terrorists and minority groups that resort violence to so because because they can not voice their cause in any other way. Maybe if they had a voice they wouldnt resort to violence. I commend your bravery

"I see a revolution... coming. And how I wish I will be alive to see it"

If it is the revolution of which he speaks I wish, for him, that he is right.

I agree with keithponder's second point. The political unrest that is caused in most places in Africa can really be blamed on Western corporations (ie: Shell)...they go in to these countries and basically fund corrupt dictators or militant governments in exchange for access to profitable resources (ie: oil, diamonds).Sometimes when this occurs, opposition groups form, and use arms (most likely purchased from the world's #1 arms trader: the U.S.), and use these weapons to try to get their point across. So armed conflict occurs between the governments and the opposed citizens, and many Africans die, while the corporations turn a blnd eye and profit from this violence. This is modern-day imperialism, called "Free Trade." So next time you fill your gas tank, think about what you're funding.

I honestly do not think that the risk of murder, rape, and kidnapping would be worth it.

Brave Lady Marianna but.......

Your comment on Willbros was inaccurate! They left Nigeria because they were caught breaking USA rules on corruption and as such could no longer work in Nigeria as without bribes you do not get work.

Nigerians (and others) blame everything on the oil companies and Shell certainly deserves some criticism (to say the least) but Nigerians breaking pipelines have done so much harm to their own environment for a short term, selfish profit but you do not mention this! I have watched and assisted in using personal funds to set up schools, a timber company, helped in raising funds for a local home for disabled Nigerian to name but a few. At some point you can rely on some Nigerian "Official" to steal/destroy the lot.

People that have commented previously in such terms as "The political unrest that is caused in most places in Africa can really be blamed on Western corporations" You people have SO not been there, worked there,!

As a country Nigeria is morally bankrupt and gets all it deserves. MEND? An emancipation movement? A bunch of criminals set up by former government officials like Governor Peter Odilli to cover his Oil stealing (Bunkering).

Mariana says in the interview "Dixon meant" !!! Sad reporting but I have to admit your were brave to suffer what I and other have dealt with for years to keep your cars running. I assume you get the power for your flight to Nigeria and to power your camera from "renewable" source keep trying and I am sure your efforts will improve

Lammy

Well said. I work for one of the major corporations that per many commentators here blame for this mess. I can tell you that the multinationals have become the surrogate government with its employees struggling to do the right thing. Our companies pour money and effort into improving the host communities and also pay a huge amount of taxes and royalties into a government that appears to be only concerned with stopping projects, squandering their budget, and are completely blind to the trainwreck they are helping propogate (called Nigeria...).

Even the militants have acknowledged on various occasions that their quarrel is not with the oil companies or workers but with the government that is completely dysfunctional. They only use attacks on our people and installations to raise cash and get attention to their claims.

Lammy had a good point that the majority of the "militant" groups are actually criminal gangs started by politicians (this has been proven repeatedly) to a)raise campaign funds (kidnapping and bunkering) b) fix elections and c) intimidate opponents out of running (kidnapping). The general sequence is a spike in kidnappings during campaign season and then one about 4-6 months later when the youth have not been paid for the election fixing (especially if they backed a losing candidate) and now need money (bank robberies or kidnappings.

If you want to know more about Nigeria go to www.oyibosonline.com which is a site primarily commented by expats working in the red zone (Port Harcourt), lots of good insight there.

Llammy and Mike,
You are absolutely correct in your observations. You know me as,"Red", and I support your comments. Living in Nigeria for 3 years has allowed me to see what is really going on in this country. The Nigerian Gov't. is not composed of "puppets" put in place by Western powers. These are powerful, intelligent, military thugs, put in place, at the end of a gun barrel, to enrich themselves at the expense of their entire country.
Most of the World is willing to accept that these were noble savages, corrupted by Western values.
It is a good fairy tale, but far from the truth. They may be corrupted, however, the corruption started long before Western powers entered the continent.

This opened my eyes to an entirely unknown world to me. Americans need to be exposed to this information on a wider scale, and we all need to be informed about the local, national, and global impacts of these issues. I feel so badly for the people there, fighting against the federal government and big business... it really shows that we're all fighting the same fight.

On the naive remarks such as

"The Supers powers pay these puppet governments to steal from their own people. F**k SHELL,.BP,MOBILE AMMACO,TEXACO" by kafkaesque and .....

"The political unrest that is caused in most places in Africa can really be blamed on Western corporations" by Cody Griffin.

Try to do a little research and you will find (and I use Shell, Nigeria as an example) that the major shareholder of Shell, Nigeria Limited is the Nigerian government. The same goes for Chevron/BP/Exon etc. Trust me, If Shell could get out of that deal they would be gone in minutes.

Google Abacha, Peter Odili etc etc etc and see what these people have stolen from their own people. Before anyone points fingers at the multi nationals (and I do not work for any of them) look a little deeper for the real truth

hello, can I just say, to me, finding yourself in the position that the reporter in this 'doc' did-faced with a potentially lethal 'mob' who by anything but their own will decided to spare this stranded film maker and companion is nothing short of check & mate. To willingly throw yourself into a volatile situation, all in the name of journalism, 'real' journalism excuse me, is not impressive, and is no place for the viewer to be in. Unfortunately it's much like Jackass, or Steve Irwin, 'I am going to punch this spider in the face'.. Just like when another Current reporter found themselves ambushed late at night by a Chinese gang who violently tried to gain entry into their vehicle - screaming 'I'm an American, I'm an American' - Will not always save you. Please, I hope they have explored other ways to bring the viewers of Current this story, without hurtling themselves into infinite danger armed with nothing but a passport a camera and a cute smile. I dread to think what would happen if this 'went wrong'. I will not support or condone it, for the sake of these -Journalists - and future Journalists. I found it unnecessary and provocative.

J_current.

Another great thing to watch. Unfortunatly the government is getting their money so why would they force the oil companies to spend money on properly securing their fields and piplines. Oil companies don't care about the lives they ruin because no one person holds the blame and destrution of life and the environment on their own shoulders. Every oil executive simply passes the blame onto some one else and their goes their grief. I know if I lived in that neck of the woods id be a rebel with the biggest gun trying to find the right paople to point it at would be hard though cause I dought they visit the own destruction pools often.

Very bold and good, but it could only be done like the way she has done this. A foreingner with a camera. As an aspiring Nigerian doucmentary maker myself, I would not have gotten as far as that, those guys will be suspect to talk to us Nigerian filmakers. Great Work.