Women's Chevron siege ends
2002-07-16 00:22
Escravos, Nigeria - Unarmed women occupying a ChevronTexaco oil terminal agreed on Monday to end their eight-day siege after the company offered to hire at least 25 villagers and to build schools, electrical and water systems, and other amenities.
But the women's representatives said they would wait until the
verbal agreement was put in writing and signed before they withdrew from the Escravos facility in southeastern Nigeria.
"It is settled. We stay today, but once the paper is signed, we will leave," said Anunu Uwawah, a protest leader.
ChevronTexaco executive, Dick Filgate, said he hoped the deal
would be finalized as early as Tuesday.
The takeover has trapped hundreds of American, Canadian, British and Nigerian oil workers inside the facility. It has also shut down the terminal, which exports half a million barrels of oil daily and
accounts for the bulk of the company's Nigeria production.
- Sapa-AP
- SAPA