An Open Letter to the UN Secretary General: State-Sponsored Terrorism in the Niger Delta of Nigeria
Niger Delta World Congress PRESS RELEASE May 20, 2009
The Honorable Ambassador Ban Ki-moon
Secretary General, United Nations
United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017
Dear Sir,
We write to draw your attention to the on going massacre of thousands of defenseless innocent elderly men, women and children by the Nigerian federal troops since Wednesday, May 13, 2009 in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. This regional annihilation started at the enclave of the Escravos River, Warri – South Local Government Area of Delta State. The Niger Delta region is the source of over 95% of Nigeria’s crude oil. The Nigeria government is deploying gun boats, artillery bombardment, and helicopter gunships against innocent civilians, killing and maiming thousands and driving citizens from their destroyed homes without food or shelter.
The Niger Delta World Congress categorically condemn the above genocidal mission and state sponsored terrorism in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.
For over five decades, this over exploited region has been the primary source of revenue that sustains the Country’s economy and lopsided government. Ironically, this region remains the least developed because the Nigerian government has consistently spirited away all of the wealth generated from the Niger Delta to develop polyglot hegemonies that have had a stranglehold on political power since the Country’s independence.
As we write this letter, thousands of defenseless, innocent and suffering Niger Delta people are being displaced from their homes and thousands are being massacred by the Nigerian government using state military apparatus funded by resources generated from the Niger Delta Oil wells. The actions of the Nigerian government is not only immoral and unjust, it is disturbingly barbaric and counter intuitive for a government that purports to be democratic.
We are appealing to the United Nations to call the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to order and urge them to desist from terrorizing innocent villagers in the Niger Delta, provide humanitarian relief and shelter to the displaced region and to seek just political principle like Resource Control, as solution to the Niger Delta crisis. We make this appeal strongly believing that we have an opportunity to request for United Nations involvement in the pursuit of dialogue, resolution, and rehabilitation. The repressive methods that the Nigerian government continue to use in the Niger Delta can no longer pacify the region’s residents who are fed up with the decades of abuse and wanton neglect.
It is critical to find an urgent political solution to prevent a broader and full blown civil war or upheaval and conflict that can seriously impact the world’s energy supply and economy. We consider it imperative for you to act now to avoid a Somalia or a Sudan from reoccurring in West Africa. We are confident that with your intervention a potentially catastrophic regional conflict can be prevented.
Sincerely,
Chief Mpaka Princewill
Chairman
E-mail:
Tel: 347 – 515 – 1333
Dr. Aruegodore Oyiborhoro
Vice Chair
E-mail:
Tel: 917 – 319 – 1981
Dr. John Tebepah
General Secretary
E-mail:
Tel: 718 – 501 – 1264
Mr. Omasan Ofuya
Publicity Secretary
E-mail:
Tel: 516 – 476 – 8955
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