Emma Amaize
17 August 2008
analysis
Niger Delta militant group, MEND, rescued two kidnapped Julius Berger staff from their abductors after the seeming feud between the group and the construction giant.
HOW it started
WHAT is the bone of contention between construction giant, Julius Berger and the militant group in the Niger-Delta, the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND)? That is the question many people have been asking following the feud between the militant group and the German builder which pulled out of the Niger-Delta, last year, after rampaging militants kidnapped its workers working on the strategic East-West Road and has refused to come back to the region to complete the road or execute other projects, notwithstanding the several appeals by the people.
Over the years, the MEND has not really had any cause to exchange words with Julius Berger on the Niger-Delta emergency because the company is not a government parastatal or one of the oil exploration companies that is in the bad books of the Niger-Delta militants.
Niger Delta militants
The company returned to the East-West Road after the President Musa Yar'Adua government initiated a peace process with Ijaw activists but it pulled out again when gunmen kidnapped two Germans working for the firm, on Friday, July 11, blowing their armoured vehicle off the road with dynamite and killing a soldier in their convoy. "The ambush by around 15 gunmen on three senior employees, who were traveling in armoured jeeps accompanied by 28 soldiers, was so brutal that there was no alternative but to suspend operations", a company official said then.
"The current security environment makes it impossible for us to continue our operations in the Niger Delta and to protect our employees," he told Reuters, asking not to be named for security reasons while the staff were being pulled out. Julius Berger stopped work on three major sites same day their workers were kidnapped and, at the just concluded South-South Legislative Retreat in Port-Harcourt, facilitated by the Vanguard Newspapers, Governor Rotimi Amaechi lamented the pulling out of the company from the state, which he blamed on militants. Julius Berger is said to be one of Nigeria's biggest private sector employers, with more than 16,000 staff and, in pulling out of Niger-Delta, over 4,500 persons lost their jobs. A top executive of the company explained to Sunday Vanguard that the company's operation in the Niger-Delta was suspended "indefinitely not just for the safety of expatriate staff but for everyone, black and white."
MEND's show of concern
In a rare case of responsibility by a militant group, the MEND, on July 20, nine days after the kidnap of the two German workers by a ransom-demanding militant group in Rivers State, offered to help Julius Berger to release its workers. It explained in a statement by its spokesman that the enemy of the people was not the construction company, which was involved in construction of infrastructure in the region, which is what the people were agitation for.
The spokesman's words, "The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) will intervene towards the release of the two German construction staff of Julius Berger who were ambushed and kidnapped for ransom in Rivers State of Nigeria on Friday, July 11, 2008 because, from all indications, the inept Nigerian security forces have been unable to make any progress towards their freedom.
"We consider such criminal acts as a duty for the law enforcement agencies as practised in every part of the world and, as a rule, never get involved. However, this case will be an exception to the rule because the men are involved in construction of infrastructure in the Niger Delta region. "MEND has located and identified the culprits and will begin negotiating with the kidnappers in the hope for a safe and unconditional release of the captives".
Tuesday, 22 July, 2008, 8:03 PM:Twist in the affair:
Something however appeared to have snapped in the olive branch extended by the MEND, as 48 hours later, July 22, Jomo Gbomo, the group's spokesman, in an email message, entitled, "An update on the German hostages", expressed its utter dissatisfaction with an e-mail sent to it by the security operations manager of Julius Berger, Arjan Meliesie.
According to him, in an e-mail sent to Sunday Vanguard, "We received a disrespectful letter from Julius Berger and told it in the language they understand that if ever it is rude and sarcastic again, the company should free the hostages themselves".
The controversial email, dated July 21, from Arjan Meliesie, was addressed thus: "Dear Jomo Gbomo (or whatever you name may be), I understand that your organization, MEND, will now help us in bringing back our kidnapped colleagues. "I myself was the victim of one of your men, last year. I spent 12 days in Commander Africa's camp enjoying his 'hospitality', so I know how these men feel presently. "I would appreciate it if you could keep me updated on your progress in this issue. Needless to say confidentiality is guaranteed".
MEND springs surprise
But, in what appeared to be a movie filled with suspense, the MEND, last Thursday, rescued the two German hostages, saying its tough talk on Julius Berger in the past few days was a calculated ploy to divert the attention of the kidnappers. Jomo Gbomo, in a statement, said, "At 16.00 hrs on Thursday, August 14, 2008, an elite commando unit from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) concluded a successful rescue of the two German hostages and staff of Julius Berger PLC, Mr Jurgen Vetten (43) and Mr Bernd Mechlen (60), from inside the heavily fortified hideout of the group that kidnapped them when it became apparent that the older of the men risked losing his life from the injuries sustained during the initial attack if further delayed. "The rescue was more of cunning as it gave the kidnappers the impression we were on the same page and had a grudge against Julius Berger. Our ultimate prizes were rescued without any shots being fired and no loss of life even though the commando unit were on standby to intervene if necessary for this symbolic rescue, code named OPAS (Operation Paul and Silas).
"Weeks of intense intelligence gathering, planning and training culminated in this tactical victory for which we salute everyone involved including the Coventry Cathedral. The decision to carry out this audacious mission was reached on humanitarian grounds even though the Nigerian government has not shown good faith in Henry Okah's case such as follows:
* Henry Okah was brought into Nigeria without the government following the due international process for extradition.
* He is being held hostage in northern Nigeria under inhuman prisoner of war type confinement.
* His family has been denied access to see him, while his legal team has limited access to their client to prepare his defense.
* He is being tried under a flawed kangaroo judicial process that does not guarantee justice.
It is apparent that the insincere Nigerian government prefers to negotiate and offer amnesty only to those that have evaded capture as against those in its custody. "By this action, we are only proving that MEND is not on the same pedestal as the criminals inside the government of Nigeria who prefer to use the situation in lining their pockets without realising our threats to Julius Berger were part of a plan to put the abductors off guard.
"The hostages will be delivered tonight (Thursday night) at a location to be arranged and the over zealous men of the JTF must keep away from the rivers leading into Port Harcourt as the hostages will be escorted to the drop off area by heavily armed fighters. An air ambulance should be made available in Port Harcourt as the older of the hostages suffered spinal injuries in the initial abduction and may require advanced life support.
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