Native Alaskan village calls Shell Oil "a hostile and dangerous force"

5/24/06

Kaktovik, Alaska

Kaktovik's City Council has passed a resolution calling Shell "a hostile and dangerous force" and authorizing the mayor to take legal or other actions necessary to "defend the community."

A long time supporter of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, The village of Kaktovik is now feuding with Shell Oil over its offshore oil-hunting plans, according to a report in the Anchorage Daily News today.

"We've been trying for a year to develop communication with Shell that would give us a measure of confidence about their intentions and their ability to function safely in our homeland waters. They just keep working against us at every turn," Sonsalla said. "Instead of technical staff or people with authority, they send public affairs. Instead of true consultation with community leaders on substantive issues, they try to schedule superficial social gatherings where they can talk at us."

Kaktovik is an Inupiat Eskimo village of nearly 300 people along the Beaufort Sea coast. ANWR cradles the village to the south.