Professional ethics

Is Shell`s position on non interference in the affairs of a sovereign governmen

t justified?
Shell`s position of non interference is not justified to a larger extent. The co
mpany did not consider that it was already involved in the Nigerian government`s
affairs in that oil earnings totalling $10 billion annually provided eighty (80
) percent of all government revenue. It had aided in sponsoring for ammunition f
or the security forces. By sponsoring for these weapons Shell allied itself with
the Nigerian government`s military dictatorship. The government had previously
encouraged conflicts between Ogoniland and neighbouring communities they used th
is as an excuse to use security forces against Ogoniland. Moreover the company w
as somehow responsible for the actions done by the Movement of the Survival of t
he Ogoni People (MOSOP). Oil production in Ogoniland produced a great amount of
pollution but few benefits to the people. The people in Ogoniland felt that they
had been damaged by the presence of the oil industry. MOSOP was against this po
llution and they were able to make a stand against this. Despite wanting to stan
d up for what was right the tactics of murder they used where ethically wrong. M
OSOP applied the utilitarianism rule as it weighed the social benefits of stoppi
ng pollution and representing their people and the costs of killing chiefs and g
etting the death sentence. The blame is however shifted back to Shell Oil Compan
y as they caused the pollution that triggered MOSOP to act. Shell saw these acti
ons as greed by the community as they were prepared to foment unrest to extract
the maximum benefits from and damage an oil industry that was necessary to the e
conomic well being of the whole of Nigeria. Shell did not perform the social dut
ies a company is responsible for when it is in a community it did not address th
e burning issues of the community and all this had caused the MOSOP to act. Rath
er Shell just focussed on the economic gains and mot on the negative impacts of
oil production to the community. thus the company`s position on non interference
is largely not justified as they had already been involved. The government was
not just and fair it was taking the side of Shell because of the economic benefi
ts it brought to the company whilst ignoring that they had not performed their s
ocial duties. The people in Ogoniland had a right to those social benefits as th
e company was operating in their land the profits should have helped improve the
ir living conditions. The company pulled out when the situation had turned nasty
and it was too late.
However, on the other hand Shell`s position of non interference is justified to
a lesser extent as it is not appropriate for a private company to interfere in s
tate affairs. The company will not get involved as it was afraid that would crea
te bad name for the company. Shell Oil Company had pulled out of Ogoniland and t
hey where no longer involved in the issues of the area.