BP Disrespects the Underserved - Again

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – BP disrespects the underserved—again, and in doing so, it disrespects itself. A year after the oil spill it caused in the Gulf of Mexico, the multinational corporation has yet to settle claims brought by thousands of Gulf Coast residents who sustained damage to their property and livelihoods.

As part of our ongoing efforts to get BP to pay for damages, a delegation that included Activist and Entertainer Dick Gregory, Art Rocker (Founder of Operation People for Peace), Police Chief Jimmie Gardner of Prichard, Ala., and I traveled Aug. 1 to BP’s headquarters in London.

Before going to London, we sent a letter to Mr. Robert Dudley, president and CEO of BP, requesting a meeting with him or a designee who would have the authority to work with us to resolve the situation for the claimants we represent.

After arriving in London, we headed to BP’s offices and were met in the lobby by a man who appeared to be a low-level employee, who knew very little about the company. He could only tell us that absolutely no executive-level employee was in the building for us to see.  We found that unbelievable. We departed, stating we would return the following day. 

Upon our return, we were met by guards who told us only one member of our group could enter the building. Our group’s lead representative, Mr. Rocker, was told once again that BP (a global enterprise) had no official who could talk with us about resolving the claims, which amount to $488 million. The people due the money are voiceless and many live below the poverty level.

CNN and London’s Black press captured our attempts to meet with BP officials. They wanted to know what steps we will take next in the face of BP’s refusal to meet with us. We are not discouraged by what didn’t happen in London. We left even more determined to get the claims paid. 

Before leaving, we appeared on the “Bev Smith Show” and called upon those sympathetic to the claimants to call on Kenneth Feinberg, Administrator of the Gulf Coast Claims process, to pay the claims without further delay. Before going to London, because of his broken promises to claimants and to us, we had lost faith in Mr. Feinberg’s ability to handle the situation.

Since we began this effort, those of us leading this campaign have expressed deep concern about the potential negative effect of oil spill toxins on women and children.  Upon returning to the States, we noted that Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine will study the spill’s impact on pregnant women and women of reproductive age, as well as women’s health in general.

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has called for an audit of claims, and the White House has expressed its concern about the slow pace of claim payments.

After our visit to BP, we decided the following measures: Engage in a daily noon prayer vigil concentrated on settling the claims.  We are calling for a boycott of BP stations beginning Thanksgiving Eve until the claims are resolved.  Some of us will begin a fast from then until New Year’s Day. We know that 2012 is a big year for BP.  That is the year BP will seek to become a major player in the 2012 Olympics in London.  Unless BP corrects injustices in the U.S. we will ensure the true story is told about BP on the world stage.  In the coming days, we will begin direct action and civil disobedience at Feinberg’s Washington office.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. is Chair of the National Congress of Black Women.  She’s Chair of the Board of the Black Leadership Forum in Washington, DC.  To reach her, call 202/678-6788; e-mail dr.efayew@gmail.com or see website at www.nationalcongressbw.org.)