Published: Oct. 19, 2011 at 8:36 AM
NEW YORK, Oct. 19 (UPI) — Officials were divided on how a U.S. Supreme Court decision to hear a case against Shell filed by Nigerians reflects on Chevron’s legal issues in Ecuador.
The Supreme Court announced Monday it would hear a case filed by 12 Nigerians who claim Royal Dutch Shell is responsible for human rights violations in the Niger Delta in the 1990s.
Fadel Gheit, an analyst at Oppenheimer, told the Platts news service that ruling could have ramifications for a legal case against Chevron’s activity in Ecuador.
Plaintiffs in Ecuador blame Texaco, which later merged into Chevron, for environmental contamination and adverse health effects tied to operations in the country’s rainforests from 1972-90. Chevron points to a 1998 agreement between Texaco and Ecuador that absolves of it liability in the case.
Gheit said Chevron might have to rethink its position in light of the Supreme Court decision.
“If you open the case for Shell, you have to open it for Ecuador,” he was quoted as saying.
But Chevron spokesman Kent Robertson told the news service the legal connection wasn’t so clear cut.
“Chevron is being sued under Ecuadorian law, not U.S. law,” he said. “I’m not sure I see how a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, regardless of which way it goes, would have any influence over Ecuador’s courts.”
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
