Should companies like Shell or Rio Tinto, with a bad reputation for environmental pollution, the violation of workers' rights and collusion with brutal dictatorships such as that of Augusto Pinochet in Chile or Sani Abacha in Nigeria, be considered acceptable as sponsors by those who run the Jaipur Literature Festival?
The question takes on great poignancy since the conclusion of the festival coincides, almost to the day, with hearings in the Dutch parliament on the alleged involvement of the Royal Dutch Shell company in the execution of Nigerian playwright, human rights activist and environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa who was put to death with eight others after a hurried military trial in November 1995.
At his trial, Ken Saro Wiwa pointed a finger at Shell for what it had done to his people and his country: “We all stand before history. I and my colleagues are not the only ones on trial. Shell is here on trial…there is no doubt in my mind that the ecological war that the Company has waged in the Delta will be called to question sooner than later and the crimes of that war be duly punished. The crime of the Company's dirty wars against the Ogoni people will also be punished.”
Asked about her feelings on what was still going on in the Niger Delta where Shell's anti-environmental activities have played havoc with the region's ecosystems, noted Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adicie, who won the Orange Prize for her book on the Biafran War, told The Hindu : “I think it's horrific, what's going on in the Niger Delta as do most Nigerians. I think that the multinational oil companies are in collusion with the Nigerian government and I think that in some way we still have not exhibited the political will to make a difference in the Niger Delta. And it's possible and it's doable but it just hasn't been done because the political will is just not there. I am hoping it will change with the elections that are coming up in April. But I do not know.”
The question of what kind of sponsorship an event like the Jaipur festival should accept was first raised in a petition by Gopal Krishna of the Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties and Prakash K Ray, of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Researchers Association.
In their email they alleged that the Central Vigilance Commission had observed that DSC Limited, the main sponsor of the festival had “been awarded 23% higher rates” in the bidding process of the Commonwealth Games. They also alleged that the Rio Tinto Group, the world's third largest mining company, is guilty of collusion with fascist and racist regimes and faces allegations of human, labour and environmental rights violations around the world. And thirdly, that Shell, the largest energy company and the second-largest company in the world in terms of revenues, has been “deemed responsible” for the death of Ken Saro Wiwa.
Festival director William Dalrymple said: “No one's brought this to our notice yet. If some one does we shall certainly examine the issue. But sponsors are difficult to find and multinationals are more willing to support us than are Indian businesses.”
The matter did come up in more than one session when writers questioned whether companies such as Goldman Sachs, Merril Lynch, Rio Tinto, Shell, Coca-Cola or even the DSC itself which now stands accused of financial misdoing should be acquiring a certain virginity by sponsoring cultural and writerly events.
Sanjoy Roy, the head of TeamWork, the company that is in charge of the logistical and financial side of operations said: “We are not here as the guardians or gatekeepers of morality and we have not looked at the colour of money. Yes, we shall take this into consideration for the future, but at the end of the day whose money are we looking at and whose money is untainted? If organisations are prepared to support festivals such as these where issues such as these can be openly discussed then why not accept their help?”
In a letter to the National Human Rights Commission, the Citizens Forum for Civil Liberties questioned whether the NHRC should be sharing a sponsorship platform with companies that had such a dubious reputation. When contacted, K.S. Mani the Secretary General of the Commission said: “I must confess we did not know who the other sponsors were. But we cannot share a platform with violators of human rights. I shall write to the Commission and insist that these things should be examined before any future commitment is made. We must know who the other sponsors are before we can commit in the future.”
Author Geeta Hariharan said: “No one is pure and we all know that. But there are certain red lines that cannot and should not be crossed. I know that I could march with the Congress up to a point. But I could never ever march with the BJP. The festival should think of which companies should be on their no-no list.” Tarun Tejpal, Pallavi Aiyar and Scottish writer James Kelman expressed similar sentiments as did Sri Lannkan Briton Roma Tearne, author of novel Brixton Beach .
