Press Statement - Port Harcourt
The Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law(IHRHL) have received with much trepidation the latest threat of bomb blast by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta Region(MEND), and urgently wishes to call and appeal to MEND to forthwith sheath its sword of violence as means, and join civil society groups that strongly believe in the cause of just peace for the peoples of the region and Nigeria generally, in navigating rational alternative policy strategies in filling the enormous gaps that still exist in critical matters concerning the region.
The IHRHL recognizes the fact that government is yet to acquit itself of its responsibilities to the peoples of the region, in terms of sustainable critical infrastructural development, governance issues, human security, human rights violations, as even recommended by its own Committee on the Niger Delta, over two years running; but insist that in the present scheme of things, continued violence can only be retrogressive, increase the sufferings of the peoples of the region and Nigerians, rather make progress that can be enduring.
The IHRHL recognizes the fact that government has not effectively and convincingly acquitted itself of its responsibility under the Decommissioning , Demobilization and Rehabilitation(DDR) processes which its Amnesty Program is critical part, and insist that rational progress in a holistic DDR process shall be achieved through support by MEND for intellectual activism in an environment devoid of bombs, human slaughter and chaos.
The IHRHL recognizes that federal outfits manned by Niger Deltans, including state and local governments; and aimed at invigorating transformation in the region, even though with limited budgetary provisions, have yet to acquit themselves in terms of effectively and efficiently applying available resources in a meaningful, quality and sustainable manner to encourage reduction of sense of helplessness, frustration in youths and others, which lead to call to arms and violence in the region. Rather they have engaged in destructive and retarding bad governance, squabbles (NDDC and Ministry of the Niger Delta) over who does what, along the line, wasting the resources on senseless duplication of projects, corruption and wasting of precious time, at the expense of the impoverished and devastated of the region.
The IHRHL is convinced that inspite of these anomalies which results from poor reading and understanding of the true situation of events in the region; poverty of advice by self-interested entities within the corridors of power at both state and federal levels, and most importantly absence of effective political will and leadership; that legitimate peaceful inter-action of all groups in the region, including MEND, aimed at creating alternative just peace strategies and bringing pressures to bear through dialogue and protests involving all genuine agents of change in the region shall serve the cause of the region and its peoples best.
Finally, IHRHL while urging government in the interest of public safety to take the threat seriously and engage policy strategies most obvious to them to avert such possible catastrophe, beyond physical use of force and men, wishes to remind MEND that peoples of the region have died and sacrificed enough to bring their grievances to the fore. That time is ripe to consolidate the gains of our collective activism over the years through bottom-up advocacy and peacebuilding strategies that in no way detracts from the real issues of the day, until freedom morning.
Signed:
Anyakwee Nsirimovu
Executive Director
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