Victory! Unocal Quits Afghanistan Pipeline Project

In a stunning victory for the Feminist Majority's "Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan!" campaign, Unocal Corporation has withdrawn its support from plans to build an $8 billion dollar oil pipeline through Afghanistan.

The New York Times reported Saturday that low oil prices, pressure from feminist groups, and concern over the Taliban's harboring of suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden all contributed to Unocal's decision.

The article cited Mavis Leno's appearance at a Unocal shareholders meeting and the Feminist Majority's attempts to petition the State of California to revoke Unocal's charter as actions which influenced Unocal.

California-based oil company Unocal had previously issued statements indicating that it had postponed its work on the pipeline project. On Saturday, Unocal's participation in the Central Asia Gas consortium (Centgas), a consortium of companies slated to build the pipeline, officially ended. Unocal also closed three of its four offices in the nearby Caspian region republics.

The energy pipeline would have provided Afghanistan's repressive Taliban regime with $150 million in profits each year. While Unocal's abandonment of the pipeline project is good news, Afghan women are still being imprisoned in their homes and denied their basic human rights.

Go to our Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan Web page to find out what you can do to help free Afghan women!

Media Resources: New York Times - December 5, 1998

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