July 15, 2002
ABOUT 600 women who took over a giant ChevronTexaco oil terminal in south-east Nigeria and trapped hundreds of workers inside did not budge in their demands for jobs for their sons and electricity for their homes.
The peaceful protest by unarmed women is different for Nigeria, where such disputes are often settled with violence.
The women, from the Ugborodo and Arutan communities, want water, electricity, schools and clinics for their villages.
They complained that previous company promises had been broken.
I can't help but wonder what would happen if all American women banded together and took control of the economic and political power bases (using a variety of strategies, such as those in Nigeria and in Lysistrata, as well as consumer boycotts etc.). Of course, it won't happen because we are too comfortable. We have electricity and food and the bombs are not dropping on our chidren. Not yet.
Comments now powered by HaloScan. Click here to read this entry's comments (if any), or to post one of your own.
Old Comments (2)
myrln on 15 Jul 2002
And they've threatened to use the most powerful weapon women have at their disposal in their culture to get what they want: they will take their clothes off -- apparently the ultimate embarrassment/insult by women toward the power structure! You gotta love it.
dzwonki polifoniczne on 14 Jun 2004
Hmmmmm interesting !!!