DATE=6/11/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250549
TITLE=NIGERIA DELTA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO HAS APPEALED FOR
COOPERATION AND PATIENCE FROM RIVAL ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE
STRIFE-TORN NIGER RIVER DELTA. TOURING THE REGION ON FRIDAY MR.
OBASANJO PAID AN EMOTIONAL VISIT TO THE CITY OF WARRI WHERE
DOZENS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ETHNIC CLASHES OVER THE PAST
TWO WEEKS. V-O-A'S JOHN PITMAN HAS MORE FROM PORT HARCOURT,
NIGERIA, MR. OBASANJO'S FINAL STOP IN THE DELTA WHERE HE ALSO MET
WITH LOCAL LEADERS.
TEXT: PRESIDENT OBASANJO'S VISIT TO THE DELTA COMES AMID ONE OF
THE WORST PERIODS OF VIOLENCE IN THE REGION THIS YEAR. SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF JUNE UP TO TWO-HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN ETHNIC
VIOLENCE IN AND AROUND THE OIL CITY OF WARRI -- ABOUT
THREE-HUNDRED KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF LAGOS.
WARRI WAS MR. OBASANJO'S FIRST STOP ON FRIDAY AND BY HIS OWN
ACCOUNT THE VISIT WAS AN EMOTIONAL ONE. I WEPT, HE SAID LATER
DESCRIBING THE DESTRUCTION HE WITNESSED IN AREAS HARDEST HIT BY
THE RECENT CLASHES. HE ALSO SAID HE WAS DISTURBED BY THE DEEP
ETHNIC DIVISIONS HE SAW EVIDENT IN THE CITY WHERE MANY RESIDENTS
HAVE PAINTED THE NAME OF THEIR ETHNIC GROUP ON THEIR HOMES TO
PRESERVE THEM IN THE EVENT OF A RIOT.
IN WARRI AND AGAIN IN PORT HARCOURT MR. OBASANJO MET WITH LOCAL
LEADERS AND PRESSED THEM TO SET ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES. HE ALSO
PLEDGED TO HELP THE REGION BENEFIT MORE FROM THE OIL WEALTH
BURIED BENEATH ITS LAND. GREATER POLITICAL AUTONOMY AND THE
FREEDOM TO MANAGE THE PROFITS FROM THE DELTA'S OIL ARE TWO OF THE
REGION'S MAIN DEMAND, AND ONE OF THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF THE
CURRENT ETHNIC STRIFE.
STILL DESPITE REAFFIRMING HIS COMMITMENT TO HELP THE REGION MEET
ITS GOALS, MR. OBASANJO SAID HELPING THE DELTA SHOULD NOT COME
AT THE EXPENSE OF THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WHICH DEPENDS ON OIL
SALES FOR MOST OF ITS GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT.
// OBASANJO ACT //
THOSE WHO LIVE INTIMATELY WHERE THE OIL IS LOCATED MUST
DERIVE MAXIMUM BENEFIT OF IT. BUT THEY MUST NOT SAY
THAT THEY WILL DERIVE ALL THE BENEFITS AT THE EXCLUSION
OF THE REST OF NIGERIA.
// END ACT //
FOR MANY OF THE DELTA LEADERS WHO CAME TO SEE AND SPEAK TO MR.
OBASANJO IN PORT HARCOURT THE BURNING ISSUE WAS WHAT THE
GOVERNMENT PLANS TO DO ABOUT THE GRANTING THE DELTA THE AUTONOMY
IT WANTS.
FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST ORONTO DOUGLAS ENDING THE VIOLENCE
WILL REQUIRE TRANSFORMING THE NATURE OF NIGERIA'S FEDERAL SYSTEM.
MR. DOUGLAS SAYS THE STATES SHOULD DECIDE HOW AND WHERE TO SPEND
THE PROFITS FROM THE OIL NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
// DOUGLAS ACT //
IT IS A QUESTION OF SURVIVAL AND THE WAY FOWARD IS
NEGOTIATION. AND WE ARE HERE TO GIVE GENERAL OBASANJO A
CHANCE, AND THAT CHANCE IS TO CALL FOR A NEGOTIATION
BETWEEN THE ETHNIC NATIONALITIES OF THE NIGER DELTA AND
THE FRAUDULENT SO-CALLED FEDERATION THAT HAS BEEN
IMPOSED ON US.
// END ACT //
/// OPT /// CHANGING THE WAY NIGERIA WORKS AS A COUNTRY WILL TAKE
TIME THOUGH AND MOST HERE AGREE THAT SOME STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN
IMMEDIATELY TO HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE REGION.
PETER ODILI IS THE GOVERNOR OF RIVER STATE, ONE THE FOUR STATES
WHICH MAKE UP THE DELTA. HE SAYS THE GOVERNMENT COULD BEGIN BY
INVESTING MORE THAN ONE BILLION DOLLARS OR ONE-HUNDRED BILLION
NIGERIAN NAIRA IN EACH OF THE STATES.
//ODILI ACT//
I THINK THAT AS AN IMMEDIATE REMEDIAL ACTION THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE READY TO PUMP IN A
MINIMUM OF ONE-HUNDRED BILLION NAIRA INTO EVERY STATE IN
THE NIGER DELTA AREA IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. AND THEN
LONG TERM PLANS REFLECTIVE OF A TRUE FEDEALISM SHOULD BE
PUT IN PLACE
///END ACT --END OPT --///
WHILE IN PORT HARCOURT, PRESIDENT OBASANJO HEARD DIRECTLY FROM
TRADITIONAL CHIEF ABOUT THE PROBLEMS FACING THE AREA -- PROBLEMS
LIKE POLLUTION, POOR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LAWS WHICH PREVENT THE
STATES FROM CONTROLLING WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN THEIR BORDERS. MR.
OBASANJO ALSO HELD A SEPARATE MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM
THE YOUTH GROUPS WHICH HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE RECENT
VIOLENCE. IN A DISCUSSION PUNCTUATED BY SEVERAL SHARP EXCHANGES,
MR. OBASANJO PUSHED THE YOUTH TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY THEIR GOALS AND
TO RENOUNCE VIOLENCE.
THE PRESIDENTIAL TRIP TO THE DELTA WAS HAILED BY MOST RESIDENTS
AS A NECESSARY AND SUCCESSFUL FIRST STEP FOR THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION. STILL SOME SAID THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT WAS TOO
BRIEF TO BE SIGNIFICANT. LEDUM MITTEE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE
MOVEMENT FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE OGONI PEOPLE, SAW THE TRIP AS
MOSTLY SYMBOLIC.
///MITTEE ACT ///
WELL I THINK THAT HE CAME IS A GOOD SIGN, BUT MY CONCERN
IS THAT I DON'T THINK WE CAN GET MUCH OUT OF THIS SORT
OF MEETING. I THINK THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF
HE MET WITH DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS PRIVATELY AND
SEPARATELY SO THAT EACH CAN POSE THEIR PROBLEMS.
///END ACT///
BEFORE LEAVING PORT HARCOURT, PRESIDENT OBASANJO ANNOUNCED HE HAD
REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE REGION'S GOVERNORS TO FORM A PANEL
TO INVESTIGATE THE DELTAS DEVELOPMENT NEEDS. HE ALSO PLEDGED TO
KEEP FIGHTING CORRUPTION IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM AND
MAKE THOSE WHO HAD ENRICHED THEMSELVES ILLEGALLY WITH THE DELTA'S
OIL WEALTH IN THE PAST TO, IN HIS WORDS, VOMIT WHAT THEY HAVE
SWALLOWED. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/AC/DWJ-T/PT
11-Jun-99 10:16 PM EDT (0216 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
