Oilwatch General Assembly held in Quito, Ecuador on 23/24 July 2011. Delegates from Africa, Asia and South America attended the assembly. The epochal assembly followed a well-attended international conference NEW GLOBAL HEGEMONIES -SAME OLD PROBLEM? The conference was co-hosted by Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and Oilwatch.
New Look Steering Committee
The committee was reconstituted as follows:
- Noble Wadzah – Representing Oilwatch Africa
- Siziwe Khanyile – Oilwatch Africa
- Mauricio Alvarez–Representing Oilwatch America
- Esperanza Martinez – Oilwatch America
- Clemente Bautista Jr – Oilwatch Asia
- Faikham Harnnarong – Oilwatch Asia
Environmental Rights Action, Nigeria, was affirmed as the host of the International secretariat of the network with Nnimmo Bassey coordinating.
The assembly affirmed that the network is expressly opposed to the continuation of the mode of civilisation driven by the use of fossil fuels. The network is undertaking a detailed study of the roots and consequences of the oil/fossil fuels civilisation. We are also looking at the idea of concrete alternatives.
Leaving Fossil Fuels in the Soil
The General Assembly was followed by a workshop held at Yasuni. Over 40 delegates spent time in Yasuni analysing the strategies for leaving oil in the soil. Practical examples of on going struggles were taken from Ecuador, Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Canada, Philippines, St Andres, Brazil and Nigeria.
The visit to Yasuni inspired this article published in a Nigerian newspaper, titled Wishing Ogoni Yasuni. http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Money/5737221-182/story.csp
