Interesting but I can't imagine that Amnesty and the FT are comfortable bedfellws at the best of times, whereas it's probably a safe bet that Shell spend quite a lot of money with the FT in the course of a year! As for blame, that's a tricky one and I don't think either the Nigerian Govt or Shell have been saints but if you think Chicken and Egg I guess Shell must have started things given that the Nigerian Govt would almost certainly not have had the tech to find, drill and process the oil.

In my book even if the drilling company outsources it still has the final responsibility to the host nation, and that should extend to leaving things they way they found them, not with gas flaring, contaminated homes, land and watercourses! There should have been greater influence on Shell to hire locally and train as well as funding schools, medical facilities, roads and comms networks - perhaps this was offered - maybe we'll never know.

BP are no better!
http://www.prweek.com/news/bulletin/globalbulletin/article/1004469/?DCMP=EMC-PRWeekGlobalbulletin

The Greenpeace volunteers arrived at BP's London headquarters at 0530, before climbing onto a small metal balcony above the front door. They then attached a specially designed giant flag to the company's flagpole bearing the words 'British Polluters', alongside a large oil-soaked version of the company's logo.

‘BP's bright green logo is a pathetic attempt to distract our attention from the reality of what this company is doing, both in the Gulf of Mexico but also in places like the tar sands of Canada,' said Stewart. 'Chief executive Tony Hayward's reckless approach will cause more disasters unless action is taken to stop him.'

Protestors waving banners are also planning to greet executives at a side entrance.

Hayward is expected to arrive this morning to chair a board meeting which will focus on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He flew into London last night and is in the UK for the first time since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico a month ago.