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Communique Issued at the End of MOSOP-USA Meeting
Washington DC, March 7-9, 1997
Leaders of the USA chapter of the Movement for the Survival of the People Ogoni People
(MOSOP-USA) met in Washington D.C. from the 7th to the 9th of March 1997; assessed the
current situation in Ogoni; in Nigeria; the international responses to the situation, and
adopted the following resolutions:
- MOSOP condemns the worsening state of repression and human rights abuses in Ogoni
especially and Nigeria in general. In this respect, MOSOP calls for the immediate release
of the Ogoni 19 and other political prisoners in Nigeria, including Chief M.K.O. Abiola,
the disbandment of the military taskforce in Ogoni, and the implementation of the Ogoni
specifics in the recommendations including the release of the bodies of the Ogoni 9.
- MOSOP notes with regret that, instead of taking genuine steps to solving the problems it
[Shell] has caused in Ogoni and the Niger Delta through its reckless disregard for the
environment and collusion with the military, Shell continues to embark on crude tactics
and public relations blitzes. MOSOP resolves to intensify its campaigns at the local,
national and international fora. However, MOSOP restates its belief in and preparedness
for honest and genuine dialogue as soon as the enabling environment for such dialogue is
created.
- MOSOP insists that the only proof of genuine transition to democracy is the restoration
of guarantees of fundamental freedoms and due process and, in so far as these enabling
environments are absent in Nigeria under Abacha, the current transition programme lacks
credibility. MOSOP expresses solidarity with all groups struggling for the enthronement of
democracy in Nigeria by non-violent means and calls on all Nigerians to ignore the March
15 local government(s) elections and further appeals to the international community not to
take any steps (including election monitoring) capable of giving the flawed electoral
process any semblance of credibility.
- MOSOP expresses unreserved gratitude to those countries that have remained steadfast in
their principled condemnation of the human rights violations and lack of genuine march to
democracy in Nigeria, and appeals to these countries and the international community to
remain steadfast and to reject current attempts by the Nigerian military junta to
blackmail them from supporting the democratic and human rights groups in Nigeria.
For more information and interviews please call MOSOP at (773) 643-5310 [USA] or 181
563-8614 [UK].
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