DATE=6/14/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43644
TITLE=WARRI / AFTERMATH
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=WARRI, NIGERIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TEN DAYS AFTER VIOLENT ETHNIC CLASHES ENGULFED THE CITY
OF WARRI, IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA, RESIDENTS ARE NOW ASSESSING
THE DAMAGE AND SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO PREVENT ANOTHER FLARE-UP.
V-O-A'S JOHN PITMAN REPORTS FROM WARRI.
TEXT: /// MOTORBIKES SFX ///
SOME TRAFFIC HAS RESUMED ON THE STREETS OF WARRI, BUT IT IS VERY
LIGHT COMPARED TO THE CONGESTION WHICH NORMALLY CHOKES THE CENTER
OF THIS SMALL CITY.
MANY RESIDENTS FLED DURING THE VIOLENCE WHICH ERUPTED JUNE 5TH
AND LASTED MORE THAN THREE DAYS. ALTHOUGH THE CITY HAS NOW BEEN
CALM FOR MORE THAN A WEEK, FEW HAVE RETURNED, AND PEOPLE CONTINUE
TO LEAVE WARRI, PACKING BUSES AND BUSH TAXIS WITH THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS AND BELONGINGS.
IN THE CENTER OF TOWN, PARTS OF THE RUINS THAT WERE ONCE THE
OKERE MARKET STILL SMOLDER, AND SOLDIERS FROM THE NIGERIAN ARMY
CONTINUE TO MAN ROAD BLOCKS, CONDUCT SEARCHES OF PEDESTRIANS, AND
ENFORCE A DUSK-TO-DAWN CURFEW.
THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE RECENT VIOLENCE IN WARRI IS STILL
SHROUDED IN CONFUSION, AND MAY NEVER BE KNOWN.
/// OPT /// SOME SAY IT WAS SPARKED BY THE SWEARING IN OF NEW
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS; OTHERS POINT TO THE ENTHRONEMENT OF
TWO TRADITIONAL KINGS; AND STILL OTHERS SAY IT WAS CAUSED BY A
ETHNICALLY-MOTIVATED KIDNAPPING GONE WRONG. /// END OPT ///
WHATEVER THE REASON FOR THIS BLOODY INCIDENT, THERE IS
WIDE-SPREAD AGREEMENT THAT THE ROOTS OF WARRI'S ETHNIC TROUBLES
LIE IN A PERCEPTION AMONG THE VARIOUS GROUPS THAT THEY DO NOT
HAVE ADEQUATE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
IN SHORT, ALTHOUGH A LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM ALREADY EXISTS, IT
HAS BEEN SO INFECTED WITH ETHNIC FAVORITISM THAT THE IJAWS NOW
SAY THEY CAN'T BE RULED FAIRLY BY THE ITSEKERIS OR THE URHOBOS
AND VICE VERSA.
FOR LOCAL LEADERS, LIKE CHIEF TENE OMADIDE, RESOLVING THE
CONFLICT WILL REQUIRE CREATING NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES FOR
THE GROUPS THAT CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ONE.
ALTHOUGH ETHNIC RIVALRIES DATE BACK DECADES IN THE DELTA, CHIEF
OMADIDE AND OTHERS SAY THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT CREATING NEW LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS SHOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARD REDUCING THE CURRENT
TENSION.
/// OMADIDE ACT ///
CREATING AN ADDITIONAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SAY, IN WARRI
FOR THE URHOBO PEOPLE, AND ONE FOR THE ITSEKERIS AND ONE
FOR THE IJAWS WILL, TO A VERY LARGE EXTENT, RESOLVE THE
PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM AT STAKE IS WHO OWNS THE
LAND ... THE THREE TRIBES JOINTLY OWN THE LAND, SO YOU
CANNOT CHEAT ONE AND LET THE OTHER ONE CUT AWAY THE
GOODIES.
/// END ACT ///
CHIEF OMADIDE SAYS THE FORMER MILITARY GOVERNMENT IS LARGELY TO
BLAME FOR THE CURRENT SITUATION, BECAUSE IT IGNORED THE GROUPS'
CALLS FOR NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICES.
THAT SENSE OF NEGLECT IS SHARED BY LEADERS OF THE YOUTH GROUPS
WHOSE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE VIOLENCE.
NENGI JAMES IS AN ETHNIC IJAW YOUTH LEADER FROM BAYELSA STATE,
WHICH HAS ALSO SEEN VIOLENT CLASHES BETWEEN RIVAL GANGS.
SPEAKING TO V-O-A IN PORT HARCOURT RECENTLY, HE SAID GOVERNMENT
NEGLECT AND UNFAIR HIRING PRACTICES BY OIL COMPANIES -- WHICH HE
ACCUSES OF IMPORTING LABOR FROM OTHER PARTS OF NIGERIA INSTEAD OF
HIRING LOCALLY -- CREATED AN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE OF FRUSTRATION.
/// OPT JAMES ACT ///
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE (KNOWN FOR) VIOLENT ACTS. BUT WE
WERE PUSHED TO THE WALL BECAUSE THE OIL COMPANIES AND
GOVERNMENT NEED VIOLENT ACTION. WHEN YOU DON'T DO SO,
THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE US.
/// END ACT / END OPT ///
THE MILITANCY OF THE DELTA'S YOUTH GROUPS MAY HAVE SUCCEEDED IN
GETTING THE
GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION. BUT THEIR VIOLENT TACTICS HAVE ALSO BRED
A SENSE OF BITTERNESS AMONG OTHER, MORE MODERATE YOUNG PEOPLE.
FOR STUDENT LEADER IZEZE REUBEN OF WARRI'S PETROLEUM TRAINING
INSTITUTE, THE VIOLENCE CAN BE TIED TO CORRUPT LEADERSHIP AMONG
THE REGION'S ELDERS, WHO HE ACCUSES OF MANIPULATING YOUNG PEOPLE
FOR THEIR OWN GAIN.
/// REUBEN ACT ///
THE ELDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE PROBLEMS. THEY WERE
SUPPOSED TO TELL THE YOUTHS TO ABHOR VIOLENCE AND SEEK
TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES THROUGH DIALOGUE. BUT THESE
LEADERS BUY AMMUNITION FOR THE YOUTHS! ... THE LEADERS
PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN CAUSING THIS CRISIS BECAUSE AT THE
END OF THE DAY, THEY ARE THE BENEFICIARY OF THE CRISIS.
THE YOUTHS DO NOT BENEFIT FROM ANYTHING! THEY JUST
LOSE THEIR LIVES, CAUSE DESTRUCTION FOR NOTHING.
/// END ACT ///
/// CHURCH SINGING SFX -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER ///
AS MANY WARRI RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO HARBOR FEARS ABOUT THE
FUTURE, THERE ARE POCKETS OF HOPE IN THE CITY. ONE OF THEM, THE
WORD OF LIFE BIBLE CHURCH PACKS IN UP TO 30-THOUSAND WORSHIPERS
FROM ALL ETHNIC GROUPS EACH SUNDAY.
/// SERMON ACT -- EST. AND FADE UNDER AFTER "...INHERITANCE" ///
IN HIS ENERGETIC, AT TIMES FIERY SERMON, PASTOR AYO ORITSEJAFOR
URGED HIS CONGREGATION THIS PAST SUNDAY TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF
ETHNIC SEPARATISM AND VENGEANCE.
/// ORITSEJAFOR ACT ///
MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE. THERE IS NO
TRIBE THAT HASN'T BEEN EFFECTED. EVERYONE HAS BEEN
EFFECTED. SOMEBODY HAS LOST SOMEBODY. I HAVE LOST
PEOPLE MYSELF. BUT WE MUST FORGIVE AND FORGET. SO WE
CAN MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE ONE VOICE AND ATTRACT
DEVELOPMENT TO OUR LAND.
/// END ACT ///
ATTRACTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CREATING MORE LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS: TWO SEEMINGLY STRAIGHT-FORWARD INGREDIENTS FOR
PEACE -- BUT THEY HAVE PROVED ELUSIVE IN THE PAST.
NIGERIA'S NEW CIVILIAN PRESIDENT, OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, HAS PROMISED
TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THESE ISSUES, AND MANY IN WARRI BELIEVE HE
WILL. THE QUESTION NOW IS CAN THE PRESIDENT DELIVER ON HIS
PROMISES FAST ENOUGH TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS ONCE AND FOR ALL.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JP/GE
14-Jun-99 12:24 PM EDT (1624 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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