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Africa Policy E-Journal
USA: Nigeria Policy, Letters +++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: West Africa Two related postings yesterday included a statement from the Africa Fund and the Africa Policy Information Center, and excerpts from the new book on Nigeria: This House Has Fallen. +++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
August 21, 2000 Dear Mr. President: As members of the International Roundtable on Nigeria (IRTON) and the Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA), coalitions of educational, advocacy, environmental, faith-based, labor and human rights organizations, we write to express appreciation for your decision to visit Nigeria this month. Your choice of Nigeria is particularly important at this time. The incredible sacrifices of the Nigerian people over the last seven years have made it possible for the country to move toward the establishment of a more open, just and democratic society. Their courage and efforts should be noted and applauded, and we hope you will do so publicly throughout your visit. Moreover, Nigeria's significance to West Africa and the entire continent cannot be underestimated. Nigeria can be a source of encouragement or discouragement for the rest of the continent. How Nigeria brings peace and stability to its own country is one important example. Your visit offers a rare opportunity to highlight positive developments in Africa and to reaffirm the support of the people and government of the United States for the people of all of Africa in meeting those challenges and issues which still remain We understand that your visit will be short. Nevertheless, we hope that you will be able to address some very critical national, regional, and continent-wide issues where the United States can and should help. Our recommendations are listed below and expanded upon in enclosed background materials. U.S./Nigeria Bilateral Relations
Nigeria today enjoys an elected civilian government. Both the
administration of President Obasanjo and the newly elected
legislators and governors have shown a welcome commitment to reestablishing
the rule of law, respect for human rights and Your recent reception of President Obasanjo and your reciprocal visit to Nigeria underscore Nigeria's movement from a pariah state to a partner state and welcome re-entry into the international community. However, much more needs to be done. Nigeria's transition faces many challenges and threats. We believe the following should be the top U.S. priorities: Supporting Democratization, Human Rights and the return to the Rule of Law
Corporate Accountability and the Crisis in the Niger Delta:
Only an open and transparent accounting of the past, as well as the transparent enforcement of the rule of law in the present will help bring lasting peace to the Niger Delta region. Oil corporations as well must submit to a full investigation into commission of or complicity in the commission of human rights and environmental violations. Additionally they must play a role in consolidating stability, democracy and the rule of law by ensuring that their activities do not contribute to further human rights or environmental abuses. We urge you to encourage U.S. corporations in Nigeria in particular to recognize that and to ensure transparency in all their transactions in Nigeria. Nigeria's democratic leadership throughout the region is contingent on its willingness to protect minorities and resolve the refugee crisis emanating from its own recent history. This is particularly so for the thousands of refugees from the Ogoni and other minority communities of the Niger Delta who fled from violence during the Abacha regime. U.S. Economic Policy regarding Nigeria
Returning the use of these two essential resources - debt payments and looted assets - to the Nigerian government to use to strengthen its capacity to eradicate poverty is a prerequisite to successful economic development and the entrenchment of a stable democracy which serves Nigeria's peoples.
Regional Issues Peacekeeping We welcome the decision to strengthen the regional peacekeeping capacity in particular for Sierra Leone, and reiterate that such assistance must be predicated on improving respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. Further, we urge the U.S. and Nigeria to help clarify and strengthen the mandate of the United Nations Mission to Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). In addition, we urge you to call for Nigerian support of the recently approved International Criminal Court (ICC) for Sierra Leone, and aggressive enforcement of embargoes on conflict diamonds and small arms trade as essential requirements for bringing peace and stability back to West Africa. While the ICC for Sierra Leone may help bring an end to impunity, and the strengthened peacekeeping capacity may begin to deter the RUF from continuing its violent campaign against the civilian population of Sierra Leone, it remains unclear what your Administration's long-term U.S. political policy or strategy is regarding peace and democracy, and reconstruction and development in the region. This trip would be an opportune time to announce a more comprehensive approach that goes beyond the current military strategy. HIV/AIDS and Health Infrastructure The most important continent-wide challenge facing Africa is the devastating AIDS pandemic. This and other poverty related health problems must be dealt with in unison rather than in competition with one another.
A massive infusion of funds is needed immediately, not only for education and prevention, but also for treatment and for restoration of basic health services that can deliver both disease prevention and care. In this context, the recent U.S. proposal to lend Africa $1 billion a year at commercial rates is a cruel hoax at best and a vivid example of government-subsidized corporate greed at worst. Today multiple strategies to fight the epidemic are available, and can make a dramatic difference even in the worst-affected countries. Why not take the opportunity of your visit to Nigeria to call for dedicating a modest 5 percent of the annual U.S. budget surplus -- approximately $9.5 billion this year -- to a global health emergency fund? This would send a signal in favor of global responsibility rather than reinforcing the perception of globalization as only an opportunity for corporate profit. We look forward to your response and working together on these critical issues. Sincerely,
Advocacy Network for Africa
Africa Faith and Justice Network
Africa Fund
Africa Policy Information Center
African Gender Network Organization
Career Resources Network
Center for International Policy
Coalition for Democracy in Sierra Leone
Comboni Missionaries
Global Alliance for Africa International Student Organization, Coppin State College Dr. Fellina Nwadike, Advisor
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns National Organization of Sierra Leoneans in North America Frederic Coker, Vice-Chair
Society of African Missions Office of Justice, Peace and
Environmental Care
Society of St. Ursula, Africa Liaison
Transafrica United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society Jaydee Hanson, Assistant General Secretary
United Methodist Women Office of Public Policy
Washington Office on Africa
Washington State Africa Network
Women's International League for
World Relief
Concerned Individuals Write President Clinton about the Niger Delta 08/02/00 From:
Shell-nigeria-action mailing list
President William Jefferson Clinton Dear President Clinton: Your Visit and Repression in Nigeria In August 2000 you will be visiting Nigeria, one of the most economically and strategically important countries in Africa. Nigeria exports fifty percent of the oil extracted from the Niger Delta to the United States of America, amounting to one-twelfth of the US oil consumption. No doubt the two countries are important to each other, and you intend to raise issues of trade and debt relief with the Nigerian government. We were informed that your administration intends to use this visit to seal an agreement of military cooperation between the United States and Nigeria. We are however concerned and would like to alert you that a major thrust of this agreement will be the training of the Nigerian military for operations in the Niger Delta. These operations intended to violently suppress the stout resolve of the people to control their God-given natural resources. We are further concerned that there are no guarantees that US military aid will not inadvertently be used to fuel the already volatile situation in the Niger Delta. We would like to believe that the policy of the US government in Nigeria is not one of ensuring the unhindered flow of oil to the US at any cost to the local population. We appeal to you to use the opportunity of your visit to Nigeria to condemn the activities of the Nigerian armed forces in the Niger Delta; in particular the destruction of Odi community in Bayelsa State. Your silence on this issue will only be sending a dangerous signal approving the Gestapo policies of General Obasanjo's government in the Niger-Delta. As you wine and dine with your host General Obasanjo, he continues to supervise the murderous activities of Nigerian security forces in the Niger-Delta. This is intended to subdue the peaceful demands of the people for a better environment and self-determination. We commend your strenuous personal effort in seeking a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. We appeal to you to show the same vigor and dynamism in addressing the Niger Delta crisis. Far from what the official Nigerian script to you may be; the stark reality is that you are visiting a nation on the path of an impending violent internal implosion -- one that will negatively impact the entire African continent. However, this dark scenario can be averted by the convocation of a conference of freely elected representatives of the different ethnic nationalities. This is to engage in dialogue, and agree on the modalities of continued co-existence within Nigeria. The current political atmosphere as currently being fostered by your host is the signpost for the eventual violent disintegration of Nigeria. Following the footsteps of President Carter, and even your own special envoys, including Rev. Jesse Jackson; we urge you to use the opportunity of your visit to Nigeria, to visit and sit with the Niger Delta people in order to have a deeper understanding of the issues that drive the people in their quest for change. This will be consistent with your administration's avowed commitment to putting people above special interests. The integrity of your administration is at stake on this issue, as Americans and the world will be watching this test of the level of commitment of your administration to human rights and democracy. We ask you not to miss this historic opportunity to influence positive democratic change in Nigeria and to avert the possible breakdown of civil society as a result of current inequities. Yours truly, ORGANISATIONS
Agbere Community Association of Great Britain and Ireland
Bayelsa Center USA plus over 200 individual signatories
Documents previously distributed in the e-journal are
available on the Africa Action website: To be added to or dropped from the e-journal subscription list, write to e-journal@africaaction.org. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the source mentioned in the posting.
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Africa Policy E-Journal
