In Redcar next Thursday, local residents can meet activists from
across the world to learn how other ‘fenceline communities’
are successfully challenging the chemical companies that overshadow
their neighbourhoods.
Local environmental justice group "Impact" is staging
the meeting at O'Grady's Hotel in Redcar at 7:30pm on Thursday
23rd June.
The Chairman of Impact - David Binns - says "Thanks to backing
from Friends of the Earth, we’ve been able to invite speakers
from all over the world who know all about the problems of living
next door to hazardous industries. This is a great opportunity
for people of Teesside to understand that small communities can
influence decisions affecting their lives".
Speakers at the meeting include:
Margie Richards who, in 2004, became the first African-American
to win the Goldman Environmental Prize. She grew up in the historically
African-American neighbourhood of Old Diamond in Norco, Louisiana,
in a house just 25 feet away from a Shell Chemicals facility.
Ms. Richards led a long, hard-won battle to hold Shell accountable
for the devastating health problems in her community in which
Shell was compelled to offer a fair and just relocation to Diamond
residents and commit to substantial pollution reduction.
Desmond D’ Sa A Clean air activist and fence line neighbour
of the Shell owned Sapref Refinery in South Durban. In 2004 he
addressed the British parliament on the devastating impact of
the British multinational Oil Corporation – Shell in South
Africa.
Patrick Naagbanton, who works for the Niger Delta project for
Environment, Human Rights and Development in Nigeria and campaigns
for justice for local communities from the impact of oil extraction.
Valdenir da Cruz Santos, who works for the Coletivo Alternativo
Verde (Green Alternative Collective) in Santos, Brazil and who
is challenging Shell to clean up after 20 years of production
and storage of toxic pesticides and oil products in Sao Paulo.
