RIGHTS GROUP WANTS END TO BLOODSHED IN NIGER DELTA

HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA, HURIWA, a democracy inclined non-governmental organization yesterday condemned what it calls “the consistent unleashing of deadly violence” in the oil rich Niger Delta region by both suspected renegade armed militants and operatives of the Nigerian military and advocated consistent constructive dialogues by all relevant stakeholders to resolve the imbroglio.

The Rights Group spoke against the backdrop of the tension generated by the cordoning off of Obioko Community in Nembe Local Government area of Bayelsa State by the Nigeria Army as they search for the remains of three soldiers allegedly felled by some armed militants last weekend. The civilian population of this oil rich but heavily underdeveloped community was apprehensive that there could be possible reprisals because of the killings of the soldiers who were suspected to be on covert mission before they met their demise. Report has it that a similar incident against policemen in 1999 led to the invasion by the military of Odi in Bayelsa State resulting in the wanton destruction of the community. In 2001, the military also invaded and destroyed Zakibiam in Benue State following the capture and killing of some soldiers by some armed youth.

Human Rights Writers association of Nigeria HURIWA which however condemned the dastardly killing of the three soldiers by alleged militants in Obioko Community in Bayelsa State, cautioned the hierarchy of the Nigeria Army not to rush into reprisals that could result in the wanton destruction of lives and property of innocent civilians who essentially have nothing to do with the killing of the soldiers. The Rights Group in the statement endorsed by its National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, reminded the Military Hierarchy in Nigeria of the existence of the International Crimes Court [ICC] in The Hague, Netherlands which Nigeria is a signatory and that military operatives accused of grave crimes against humanity against innocent civilians whether in conflict area or not could be charged for war crime. The indictment of the Sudanese President General Al Bashir by the International Crimes Court for alleged war crimes in Darfur Sudan, should serve as deterrent for the Nigerian soldiers, the group stated.

According to the coalition of Human Rights Activists; “We are worried by the signals we are getting from the Nigeria Army who have embarked on widespread search for the Killers of the three soldiers in Obioko Community in Nembe Local Government area of Bayelsa State. We observe that in as much as we totally and unreservedly condemned the brutal killings of these three Nigerian soldiers by suspected militants, utmost caution and care must be taken to avoid unnecessary collateral damage to the heavily impoverished civilian population in this oil producing area and other crude oil endowed communities in the Country. We want to urge our soldiers to treat the civilian population with utmost respect for their Human Rights protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, African Human and Peoples Rights Charter and other international statutes and conventions that are legally binding on Nigeria as a member of the International Community”

Turning to the armed militants, the Rights Group advised them to lay down their arms and ammunitions and allow common sense to prevail in the resolution of the long standing challenges of development confronting these oil rich but heavily impoverished areas. The Rights group stated thus; “The civilian population of these oil producing communities are seriously over traumatized. It is time all armed Groups fighting for the development of these areas lay down their arms and give the Federal and State Government a chance of a life time to remove the root cause of the crises in the Niger Delta areas which is the underdevelopment of these communities.” We also urged the Federal Government does to give conflicting signals regarding how it intends to resolve the problems. Armed insurrection by militants and military invasion by Government cannot resolve the crises in the Niger Delta, the Rights group insists.

RIGHTS GROUP WANTS COMPENSATION FOR NIS RECRUITMENT VICTIMS

HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA,HURIWA, a registered civil society group yesterday criticized the comments credited to the chairman of the panel investigating the circumstances which led to the unfortunate death of over fifty Nigerian youths attending the recent recruitment exercises into the Nigerian Immigration Service across the country even as it asked the president Umaru Musa Yar’adua to order the payment of huge compensations to the families of the departed Nigerians and even the surviving victims of the series of stampedes that attended the grossly shoddy recruitment drive.

Specifically, the chairman of the probe panel Deputy Comptroller General of Nigerian Prisons Peter Ekperendu was quoted in most Nigerian media to have stated that since those who died or even got wounded and subsequently hospitalized were not workers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, they should not expect compensations from the organizers of the exercises. According to Ekperendu;”They should forget about compensation. There is nothing like compensation. They are not employees of the Nigerian Immigration Services. They are just victims of circumstances”. Ekperendu also blamed the dead applicants for allegedly orchestrating the stampedes that led to their deaths and injuries to the survivors.

But the Rights Group through its National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko in a statement made available to the media in Abuja faulted the inflammatory and derogatory remarks made about the dead by the Chairman of the investigation panel set up by the Federal Ministry of Interior Mr. Peter Ekperendu and demanded that he tenders unreserved apologies for these unacceptable remarks which according to the group are un-African since Africans do not abuse the Dead, and insensitive because these unfortunate group of Nigerians who perished during the highly chaotic and unorganized recruitment exercises did not invite themselves to the scenes of these reprehensible events that led to the untimely and avoidable deaths but were validly invited by the Nigerian Immigration Service and therefore the Nigerian Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Interior is vicariously liable for the circumstances that led to the deaths of these Nigerians and must pay damages and compensations for the aggravated losses suffered by the surviving family members who have lost their bread winners and for the victims of the recruitment stampedes who sustained various degrees of injuries during the recruitment exercises into the Nigerian Immigration Service.

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria also upbraided the chairman of the investigation panel for reaching a conclusion even before the panelists thoroughly conducted the investigations to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the stampedes which culminated in the unfortunate demise of these Nigerians in their prime who due to no faults of theirs, completed their higher educational programmes for years now and have wandered the streets of Nigeria searching for the elusive white collar jobs. The Rights group stated: “Why should the chairman of a panel set up by the federal ministry of interior display this brazen attitude of biasness even before the panel submits its findings to the Federal Government?. Why will Peter Ekperendu assigned by General Godwin Abbe, the minister of Interior to oversee the probe of the remote and immediate causes of the unfortunate stampedes that led to the death of over fifty Nigerians make these nasty comments that the victims were to be blamed for showing desperation on the fateful day of the tragedies? These comments are a clear vindication of our initial doubts that this investigation panel comprising mostly members of the same ministry which was responsible for the deaths of these Nigerians will not conduct dispassionate and unbiased investigations since the wise saying in law states that you can not be a judge in your own case. “The setting up of this panel followed the same old pattern of just bringing some civil servants to do the bidding of the master and at the end of the investigations millions of tax payers money are wasted, nothing positive will come out of them, and consequently no Government officials will be sanctioned for not implementing proactive recruitment strategies that could have avoided the stampedes and of course the families of the dead Nigerians and even the wounded survivors of these Immigration recruitments’ stampedes will be left alone to leak their wounds”.

The Rights Group objected to the practice whereby over ninety thousand Nigerians were invited to attend recruitment exercises to fill up only three thousand vacancies even as it asked the Federal Government to ensure that the officers responsible for these shoddy pre and post recruitment preparations must be made to face the books for orchestrating the circumstances that led to the demise of these promising Nigerians. HURIWA also demanded the timely payment of what it calls “meaningful compensations” by Government to the families of all the dead and to the surviving victims of the stampedes who sustained various degrees of injuries during the recruitment exercises. What is the essence of the principle of the rule of law if officials who aggravate bodily harm and deaths due to their inefficiency and lack of visionary recruitment planning and execution of recruitment exercises into any arm of Government are allowed to go scot free? Rule of Law means that no one is above the law, the Rights group averred.

RIGHTS GROUP REJECTS MOB JUSTICE ON IMOKE

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, a democracy inclined registered non-governmental organization has condemned a proposed demonstration by some amorphous groups on Tuesday at the National Assembly complex to demand the arrest of the immediate past Governor of Cross River State Senator Lyel Imoke over his alleged indictment by the federal House of Representatives Power Probe Committee led by Ndudi Elumelu.

The Rights Group specifically alleged that some amorphous groups have concluded all arrangements on the promptings of some politicians who are interested in the politics of Cross Rivers State to stage a public demonstration on Tuesday 22nd JULY 2008 to demand the arrest and prosecution of the former Governor and the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate at the forthcoming Governorship re-run Polls in Cross Rivers State Senator Lyel Imoke. The demonstrators have already being mobilized with among others, designer t-shirts and face caps with various inscriptions meant to incite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC against Senator Lyel Imoke.

The Human Rights Group in a statement by its National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko warned that the emerging trend whereby rented mobs will be sufficiently mobilized by some forces bent on scuttling the political ambitions of some Nigerians, will resort to causing maximum chaos through public demonstrations in the name of crusading for anti-corruption, will not promote the noble ideals of the Principle of Rule of Law, respect for the Human Rights of all persons and Democracy. This kind of demonstration only promotes mob justice which is anti-thetical to democracy.

HURIWA noted that though it has been at the fore front of the advocacy for the anti-graft fight to be intensified across the Country because of its’ conviction that corruption is the root cause of the massive Human Rights Violations that Nigeria has witnessed and continues to experience, but observed that the use of mob justice will do Nigeria no good in the crusade against Corruption and all forms of impunities.

The Rights Group stated that though the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Chapter four guarantees freedom of Association and expression to all persons but quickly noted that these freedoms and Rights come with responsibilities and duties on those exercising them not to use them for witch hunt or for the promotion of mob justice on other persons or authorities.

The Rights group reminded Nigerians of the Universal Declaration on Democracy made by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in September 1997 which states in part that “As an ideal, Democracy aims essentially to preserve and promote the dignity and fundamental Rights of the individual, to achieve social justice, foster the economic development of the community, strengthen the cohesion of society and enhance national tranquility, as well as to create a climate that is favorable for international peace”. The Rights Group therefore emphasized that the anti-graft fight in Nigeria must comply substantially with the Rule of law and not Rule of the Mob, even as it reminded Nigerians of Section 36[1] and [5] of the 1999 Constitution which guarantees fair hearing to all persons.

RIGHTS GROUP WANTS PUBLIC HOLIDAY FOR ADHERENTS OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, a registered Non-Governmental Organization made up essentially of Nigerians devoted to deploying their creative talents as Writers, Humane Thinkers, Philosophers, Poets, and Journalists to work for the comprehensive enthronement of the Respect for the Human Rights of all Nigerians and other citizens of the Global Community resident in Nigeria including the persons in conflict with the law and victims of crime. Our mandate is simply to highlight the Human Rights Challenges confronting corporate Nigeria, Nigerians and other citizens of the world resident in Nigeria. This letter to your good self is one way of achieving our mandate since we consider your good offices and good self collectively as a key stakeholder in the polity, especially in matters of Culture.

We write to bring to your notice as the Federal Minister responsible for the protection, projection of our valued and pristine African traditional values, practices and ways of life about the persistent human rights violations and other psychological threats and intimidations been faced by the millions of Nigerians who are adherents of the revered African traditional Religions. These wanton discriminatory practices and observances include the systematic demolition of sacred shrines and other places of worship of the African traditional worshippers by the adherents of the two dominant Religious groups viz the Christians and Moslems using the instrument of cohesion controlled essentially by Government officials who are adherents of the two dominant Religions of Christianity and Islam. In some South Eastern States like in Enugu, Nsukka to be precise, adherents of the African traditional religions are being demonized systematically by some Religious groups that fall under one of the two dominant Religious denominations. In Anambra State, some selected African traditional shrines in Okija and other parts were in the very recent time desecrated by teams of Nigeria Police led by the disgraced Inspector General of Police- Mr. Tafa Balogun who said he was looking for members of the Okija Shrines who were wrongly classified as cultists. A presiding judge at the lower election tribunal in Abia State even went up to the level of the absurd and profane by categorizing the adherents of African traditional worshippers at some Okija Shrines in Anambra State as Cultists. This conclusion by this judge who presided over the election petition instituted by one of the parties in the 2007 elections in the Abia state Governorship contest is not only erroneous, but very offensive, odious, reprehensible, unconstitutional and unacceptable. We were even disappointed that the office of the Federal Minister of Culture and Tourism did not stand up to defend the Human Rights of African traditional worshippers to practice their Religion.

We also wish to inform you for the avoidance of doubts that in Nigeria, the Federal and State Governments over the years have consistently denigrated and disrespected the African traditional worship/Religions and the Federal Government has also elevated DISCRIMINATION OF THE AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION AS THE OFFICIAL POSITION AS AGAINST THE LETTERS AND TENETS OF SECTION 42 [1] of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which clearly states that “A Citizen of Nigeria of a particular Community, ethnic Group, places of origin, Sex, Religion or political opinion SHALL not by Reason only that he is such a person [a] be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the Government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other Communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, Religions or political opinions are not made subject, or [b] be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of any law in force in Nigeria or any other such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, Religions or political opinions”.

Sir you will agree with us that the practice of observing some days in the year as public holidays to observe holy and other sacred ceremonies of only Moslems and Christians and the establishment of Pilgrims’ boards for the two dominant foreign Religions of Islam and Christianity amounts to discrimination and is a breach of section 42 of the 1999 constitution and even section 10 of the same supreme law since the two dominant Religions are treated as official Religions while the indigenous and African traditional Religions are relegated to the background and made to face series of organized attacks by the adherents of the two dominant groups. Section 10 of the 1999 constitution provides clearly that The Government of the Federation or of a State SHALL NOT ADOPT ANY RELIGION AS STATE RELIGION. The observance of public holidays in honor of adherents of the two dominant Religions of Christianity and Islam without commensurately granting separate public holidays at the Federal level for the African traditional worshipers in Nigeria, is without any doubt amounts to double standard and a grave abuse of the Human Rights of a section of Nigerians who are traditional African Religious worshippers. Section 21of the 1999 constitution states that THE STATE SHALL PROTECT, PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE NIGERIAN CULTURES WHICH ENHANCE HUMAN DIGNITY AND ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVES AS provided in this chapter. There is no gainsaying that African traditional Religion and the abundant African Cultural values are deeply sacred, humane and pristine and therefore are in compliance with the fundamental objectives of Nigerian State policy. The high moral decadence afflicting the largest percentage of Nigerians in our contemporary times is rightly attributed to the collapse of the observance of the sacred African cultural values which promote all that are good, humane and sacred and Nigerians have rather accepted CONSUMERISM as a way of life. We believe that one way of redressing this anomaly is by according the African traditional religious worshippers their due RIGHT AS CITIZENS OF NIGERIA PROTECTED BY THE SUPREME LAW.

PRAYERS: The HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA is hereby writing to plead that you initiate an executive Bill with the support of the Federal Executive Council to amend all relevant statutory provisions which give legal backings to Christian and Islamic public holidays in Nigeria with the aim of including a unified day for a National Annual public Holiday for all adherents of African Traditional Religionists in Nigeria since the continuous denial of this Right as provided for in section 38 [1] of the 1999 constitution which recognize RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF RELIGION, is unacceptable. The Ministry of Culture should also hold series of consultative dialogues with relevant stakeholders, African traditional Religion worshipers including Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations and of course Traditional Rulers, to work out the modality for recommending to the Federal Government to prepare a Bill to the National Assembly to create a single National Public Holiday for all African Traditional Religions’ adherents in Nigeria. We are by this letter on this day September 3rd 2008, appealing to your good offices and good self to initiate this Bill or commence practical effort to initiate the Bill within twenty one days or we may be left with no option but to seek legal opinion from the Federal High Court and thereafter stage series of non-violent civil disobedience activities across the Country to drum up support for the promulgation of a national public Holiday for African traditional worshippers in Nigeria. Be assured that posterity will forever remain grateful and appreciative to your good self and your children if you become the first Nigerian Minister of Culture to initiate this beautiful Bill that will redress the age long Human Rights violation visited on regular basis to African Traditional Worshippers in Nigeria.
God bless Nigeria. Accept the assurances of our highest honor and consideration even as we await your expeditious response to this clarion call.

COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO                                               Read more
CHIEF OF OPERATIONS, NATIONAL COORDINATOR.