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International Campaigns: Nigeria Letter by Environmental Organizations on Nigerian Executions American Oceans Campaign · Defenders of Wildlife · Environmental Action Foundation · Environmental Defense Fund · Friends of the Earth · Izaak Walton League · National Audubon Society · National Parks & Conservation Association · National Wildlife Federation · Natural Resources Defense Council · Physicians for Social Responsibility · Population Action International · Sierra Club · Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund · World Wildlife Fund · Zero Population Growth December 20, 1995 President William Jefferson Clinton The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Clinton, As members of the Green Group we appreciated your concern and outrage at the Nigerian government's executions of environmental and human rights activist Ken Saro Wiwa and eight co-defendants, but we urge you to respond more concretely and strongly to the Nigerian situation. There is now legislation in the Senate introduced by Senators Kassebaum, Leahy, Feingold, Jeffords, Simon and Pell, as well as a similar bill in the House, introduced by Rep. Donald Payne which will send a forceful message to the regime of General Sani Abacha that the United States will back its words of outrage with concrete action. We urge your to support this legislation. The legislation calls for some tough new sanctions including a ban on all new U.S. investment in Nigeria, the freezing of personal assets of top Nigerian government officials and it commits the United States to building international support for an oil embargo. President Nelson Mandela of South Africa has called for an oil embargo and Vice-President Gore on his recent visit to Pretoria has stated that the United States considers an oil embargo as a possible option. We strongly believe that an oil embargo is the surest way to cripple the Nigerian military regime before it drags the country into further chaos. The U.S. should take concrete steps toward an oil embargo and work to obtain multilateral support for it. Your earlier appeal urging the Nigerian Government to suspend the death sentences and to ensure open and fair trials for the accused fell on deaf ears as did the appeals of other world leaders. Despite comments by a senior administration official stating that the U.S. would consider an oil embargo if the Nigerian situation further deteriorates, we cannot wait for more violations of human rights and environmental destruction to occur before taking action. The time for stronger action has come to help put in place a peaceful transition to democracy, which is indispensable to allow Africa's most populus nation to embark on a path of sustainable development. Thank you for your attention. Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club