Lagos — The security situation in the Niger Delta Area has continued to dominate major issues globally as the Government of the United States of America yesterday said it would continue to be a problem as long as militant youths still embark on violence and kidnapping.

Though, the United State Government said it understood and with the legitimate aspirations of the people for the development of their area, it condemed hostage taking by militant youths to press home their demands.

These observations were made in La'gos yesterday by the Political Counselor, U.S Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Rusell Hanks while briefing newsmen on the Human rights Rollout in 2005.

He said the United States the Government hoped that with the recent achievement made by the Federal Government, the chapter of hostage taking in the Niger Delta area has come to a close.

According to him, the Federal Government has set up a committee, with some members drawn from the United States Embassy in Nigeria, to look into the demands of the people and find a lasting solution to the problems.

"The security situation in the Niger Delta continues to be a problem with violence, kidnapping, and impunity" he added.

The United States and other free nations, he said, have a duty to defend human rights and help spread democracy's blessing, since the U.S stand ready to help countries develop the democratic institutions that will ensure human rights are respected over the long term.

The report which also scored the Government of Nigeria'sHuman Rights as having remainedpoor throuout 2005, insisted that the situations have remain so as a result of the fact that government officials at all levels have continued to commit serious Human Rights abuses.

Sighting someinstances, Hanks said, recently it was discovered that some disturbing reports have arisen concerning the freedom of the press in thecountry. According to him, this was evidence in the closure of some media houses by the Federal Goverment and restrictions and freedom of assembly where political meetings have been interrupted' he stated.

Hanks further said as it is generally known that the U.S Congress requires the State Department to produce a Human Rights report for each country every year. Consequence upon this demand, Hanks said, the deparment have been doing so since 1977.

In 2005, he stated that the Human Rights provides a comprehensive overview of the status of individual rights and freedom in 196 countries.

"These reports are based on informations we recieve from governments and multinational institutions, domestic and international NGOs' he added

He revealed that three significant human rights concerns raised in the 2005 report

Apart from the security situation in the Niger Delta, Hanks further stated that in 2005, Nigeria witnesses increased religiuos and ethnic division, a situation which he said beset the nations almost through out the year under review.

While blaming public office holders for some of the situations, Hanks revealed that the Government sometimes has been as much a part of the problem as of the solution.

"The growing poverty and poor governance in many areas around the country have added tension to the political climate" he stated.

Similarly, credivle judicial reviews of challeged results from the 2003 elections were often hampered by alack of cooperation from the executive branch and court verdict related to the elections were ignored.

According to Hanks, through 2005, U.S policy on Human Rights and democracy in Nigeria targeted an accountable transparent democracy with a rubost civil society. And that in addition to this U.S policy focus on the need for the Government of Nigeria to improve the enviroment for free and fair elections and to strenthen adherence to and respect for the rule of Law.

"Corruption, ethnic and religous violence, respect for the constitution, andconcern over judicial independence were among other significant themefursued by U.S officials in Nigerian"he sais