Discovery-network> DAILY NEWS UPDATE OF THE IHRHL , PORT HARCOURT, NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

["Tobias Eigen" <kabissa@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

DAILY NEWS UPDATE OF THE IHRHL, PORT HARCOURT, NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

ANGLOPHONE WEST AFRICANS WAGE WAR AGAINST GLOBAL RACISM

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are
endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a
spirit of brotherhod- Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR).

It is of utmost disappointment that inspite of a plethora of human rights
instruments, individual rights are still being violated with impunity. It is
in recognition of the need to respect these rights that the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on civil and political
rights and other instruments which makes up the International Bill of Human
Rights came Into being.

On the African sphere, the Organisation of African Unity OAU, came up with
the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

various countries of the world are signatories to these International Human
Rights Instruments and pledged their allegieces to uphold them. The
recurring question, however, is why do we still experience these harvests of
abuses of human rights. of primary concern is issue of racism and
discrimination. One would have thought that with the extinct of slave trade,
racial discrimination would have been a bye gone issue but happenings from
across the globe show case that we are still living in a racist world.


these isuesand many more formed the basic of discussion Monday to Tuesday,
February 19-20, 2001 by representatives from more than 60 non-governmental
organisations (NGOs )from Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Senegal who met in
Lagos at the Federal Palace Hotel.


Initiated by the Development Information Network (Dev Net) Ford Foundation,
and International Possibilities Unlimited Initiatve, the meeting was a
bedrock to a forthcoming workshop on the World Conference Against Racis,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance billed to hold in
Durban, South Africa from August 28 to September, 7, 2001.


Among the issues discussed by the participants included gender
discrimination, environmental racism, xenophobia, institutionalised racism
and phobalication and related intolerance. Such issues, they agreed,
manifest in religious intelerance, ethnic violence, torture and
extra-judicial executions, mass exodus of professionals/braindrain,
underdevelopment etc.


Indigenous people, women, youths and children, migrant tourists, visa
seekers, refugees, the poor and underprivileged, developing world, Hiv/Aids
patients, the aged and people living with disabilities, blacks all the
world, and casual and contract employees of major oil companies in Nigeria
were identified by participants as victims of racism.


On meaasure of preventing and combating racism, the group proffered
resistance, litigation, mobilisation and sustisation of groups, compliance
with international and regional instruments like the Africa Charter on Human
and Peoples Rights etc.


To remedy, redress, and compensate victims of racism, it was agreed that all
wrong ideologies and theoritical notions that gave credence to superiority
and inferiority of certain races must be eliminated.


On the economic sphere, participants advocated for a reverse of the perverse
nature of international economy while a reorganisation of the World Trade
Organisation WTO, World Bank and Internal monetary Fund is imperative.


In addition, it was suggested that there is the need to correct the
imbalance structure of the United Nations Security Council while
international conventions against racism and intolerance should be
implemented by UN, America and European.


African governments were also enjoined to come up with anti-racism and other
forms of discrimination and intolerance laws. Above all, the continent was
advised to establish an African Court on Human Rights.


On reparations for slave trade and colonialism, the group urged African
countries to intensify their demand for reparations, stressing that such
funds should be paid directly to African government but should be monitored
by the NGOs.


While calling for a cancellation of African debts and a mechanism to
forestall future increment of such debt, participants solicit for the
reparation to Africa of monies stolen by African leaders and deposited in
European and American Banks.


Highlights of the meeting were the formation of a fifteen member Anglophone
West African Coordinating Committee of with working groups on specific
themes. Whose mandate was to prepare Ngos for participation in the would
conference in Geneva, March and June and the South Africa in August.


Addressing the participants, the Executive Director of Dev Net and convener
of the meeting, Ms.Annie Davies said the meeting was a followship to the
African NGO preparatory meeting was a follow-up to the African NGO
preparatory meeting for the World Conference held in Darkar January 20-20th,
2001 at which Anglophone West African NGOs were poorly represented.


Dr. Deborah Robinson, Executive Director of the Washington DC based
International Possibilities Unlimited and facilitor of the meeting traced
the history of the fight against racism to 1996.


Dr. Robinson noted that the International Community had been in the Vanguard
against racism for a long time, adding that they were applying a
comprehensive definition of racism which included ethnic, national and
religious discrimination and other related intolerance.


Chike Kani Omo, a Nigerian, working with the Race Relations Institute in
Tennessee, U.S. called for greater effort to raise issues affecting Nigeria
into the global agenda.


He said that racism in Nigeria involves discrimination against Nigerians
abroad and at airports, undignified treatment of Nigerians at foreign
embassies in Nigeria and gender discrimination.


Others he said were, discrimination and conflicts among different ethnic
groups, Religious intolerance and conflicts and environmental racism of mult
corporations.



April 11, 2001


YOUTHS DEMONSTRATE SOLIDARITY FOR STATE RESOURCE CONTROL


Youths of the Niger-Delta Youth Coalition numbering about 500 stormed the
Supreme Court premises on April 9 in demonstration of their support for
resource control by the southern governors.


Chief Bola Ige (SAN) the Attorney-General and Minster of Justice of the
Federation had earlier on February 6, 2001 dragged the 36 states to the
Supreme Court seeking Constitutional interpretation of Section 162 of the
1999 Constitution.


The Youths reported to hail mainly from Akwa-Ibom State immediately after
the court session at about 1.05 p.m.-displayed placards, singing solidarity
songs in support of states resource control.


This issue of resource control should be treated with care and urgently so
that it will not degenerate into disorder or give rise to political
upheaval. Already, the issue had generated a lot of controversy thereby
placing the Federal Government against the States.


COMPANIES RECEIVE BASH FOR YOUTHS RESTIVENESS


The incessant youths' restiveness in the Niger-Delta has been traced to
denial of employment opportunities by Companies operating in the area.


Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State while welcoming members of the board of
Eleme Petrochemical Company Limited led by its Chairman made the assertion,
expressing deep concern over the teeming rate of Youth's unemployment in the
regoin.


He maintained that for Youths' restiveness to be reduced, Companies must
imbibe government's directives of giving employment priority to indegenes
who would not sit quietly and watch their inherent rights usurped. .


It is vital that good community relations is maintained at all times as lots
of lives and property have been lost in clashes between companies and
community members. It will also ensure optimal productivity for general
developments of the nation.


Over the years, companies operating in the Niger Delta region have exhibited

little or no regard for the federal government's guidelines that host
communities should be employed within the grade levels 1-6.




SUPREME COURT ADJOURNS SUIT TO MAY 21


On Monday April 9, 2001, the Supreme Court entertained the much talked about
suit made by the Federal Government against the 36 states over resource
control. Also in contention is the control of natural resources located
offshore which the littoral states insisted should be treated or regarded as
located within their states.


The Federal Government asked the Supreme Court to determine the seward
boundary of a litoral state within the Federal Republic of Nigeria, "for the
purposes of calculating the amount of revenue accruing to the Federation
account directly from any natural resources derived from that state.


There were applications from some states for extention of time to file their
defence, other motions were for amendment of statement of defence. Ten
states raised preliminary objection, challenging jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court to hear the matter.


Justice Uwais advised the states to file briefs of argument within 14 days
on the federal attorney-general would file a respondent brief.


The court adjourned hearing on the preliminary objection on jurisdiction to
May 21.


In attendance were Governors James Ibori of Delta, Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom
and Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa states.


The debate on resource control though very crucial should not be allowed to
drift the attention of the leaders from grass-root development and nurturing
of our nascent democracy. The matter should not be unnecessarily
over-stressed to continue lingering on at the expenses of the masses whose
money is being used to hire the services of lawyers.


FORMATION OF NEW POLITICAL PARTIES IN PROGRESS


Following the public agitation for INEC to make the door open for more
parties to be formed, some former public office holders and notable
politicians have come up with a new political group known as National
Solidarity Association (NSA).


Discovery source disclosed that both top ex-military officers and civilians
of great personality drawn from different regions of the Board of Trustees
and Governing Board.


Proten National Chairman of the NSA, Alhaji Sale Jambo while addressing the
press on behalf of the group stated that the mission of the group wash
rebuild the Nigerian Nation using the enormous human and material resources
available in the country.


We only hope that the party would not be another PDP party.