NIGER DELTA STANDS FOR NON-VIOLENCE!
Hope for Niger Delta Campaign, HNDC, The Netherlands have watched with keen interest the recent sad development in the Niger Delta involving the bombing of Oil installations and the kidnapping of foreign Oil workers by some militant group.
Based on our commitment to peace, justice and use of nonviolence we have decided the following after an extensive and deliberative executive meeting -:
We have condemned in strong terms the acts of uncivilized bombing and kidnapping by a group of militant youths. We refuse to accept the cynical notion that youths must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of societal destruction. We believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.
We understand that our people live on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. We are also mindful that debilitating and grinding poverty afflicts our people and chains them to the lowest rung of the economic ladder. In the face of all this man made creative suffering, we must still recognize the use of nonviolence as the answer to the crucial social, political, environmental and moral question of our time – the need for us to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. We must travel the part of peace to find a new sense of dignity.
We hereby appeal to all militant groups that are responsible for the unleashing of this mayhem to put an immediate stop to this unacceptable action. These actions do not get the support of the peace and law abiding citizens of the Niger Delta. We therefore ask for the immediate release of all foreign workers held hostage and a final stop to the destruction of all Oil facilities in the Niger Delta.
We want to appeal to the government of president Obasanjo to adopt dialogue instead of confrontation which has been its usual practice in the past. The government must learn from the mistakes that led to the destruction and killing of innocent people in Odi and Odioma. The government must evolve for all human conflicts a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. Any use of force will do more harm than good. Will generate unemployment instead of reducing it; suffocate the spirit of initiative instead of arousing it, narrow horizons instead of expanding it. A long term solution is needed to put an end to youth restiveness and all stake holders must develop a plan that will create more jobs, offer scholarship, rural developmental programs, offer micro loans to farmers, fishers and traders. When the youths begin to get occupied with any of these schemes then the era of militia will come to an end. An idle mind they say is the devil workshop. The government must exhibit in totality the spirit of altruism in rescuing the people of Niger Delta from this long suffering that has paved the way for this unrecognized militant youth.
We hereby appeal to all well meaning youth movements in the Niger Delta to rise up and challenge this satanic act of sabotage by this group of militant who are only being used by greedy politician to destabilize the Niger Delta for their selfish interest. In unity we must stand and Niger Delta stands for peace!
Signed
Comrade Sunny Ofehe
President and Founder
Hope for Niger Delta Campaign, HNDC.
The Netherlands
sunnyofehe@yahoo.com
www.nigerdeltacampaign.comTelephone: +31(0)10-2940204/+31 (0)653-227381 Fax: +31 (0)10 – 2940203
Email:info@nigerdeltacampaign.com
Website: www.nigerdeltacampaign.com
