Chinwe Ochu
22 May 2009
Abuja — Amnesty International has called on the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the crisis-ridden Niger Delta to use force only in a way that would not result in human rights abuses as against forcibly displacing people and ensure free access to those in need of medical care.
A letter addressed to President Umaru Yar'Adua and copied Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta (Operation Restore Hope), Brigadier General Sakin-Yakin Bello; and all foreign missions in Nigeria said:
"Since May 13, 2009, thousands of villagers have been displaced and thousands more are trapped in the cross fire between the Joint Task Force (JTF), which is composed of troops of the Army, Navy, Air force and the mobile police set up in 2004 to restore order in the Niger Delta and armed groups in Delta State, South West Nigeria. The JTF attacks on the communities in the area, including the Okerenkoko and Oporoza communities, are continuing on a daily basis, reportedly because they believe the armed groups are hiding in the communities.
"The JTF offensive began on May 13 after the JTF was reportedly attacked by armed groups in Delta State. The JTF have been conducting land and air strikes on communities across the Warri-south and South-west Local Government Areas where the Nigerian government believes the camps of the armed groups are located. Hundreds of people are feared dead."
In a statement made available to THISDAY, the group claimed that the JTF had been frequently accused of using excessive force when attacking armed groups and gangs and often bystanders from local communities were injured and killed.
"On 15 May, using helicopters equipped with machine guns, the JTF attacked several communities of the Gbaramatu Kingdom, including Okerenkoko and Oporoza. In Oporoza, around 500 people had gathered for a yearly festival that was being celebrated in several communities of the Gbaramatu Kingdom."
"Exact casualty figures following the attacks are as yet unknown. According to reports received by Amnesty International, hundreds of bystanders, including women and children, are believed to have been killed and injured by the JTF, and by the armed groups, while shooting at the JTF", it said.
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Amnesty International should shut its frigging mouth and get out Nigeria's business. For it to say use "reasonable force" is tantamount to condoning, indirectly, the use of any force, at all, by the civilian politicians to accomplish what should have been a democratic approach of dialogue with the minority’s demand for its right to co-exist peacefully in its homeland without harassment by the majority. If the military juntas of the past had been reluctant in using any force, whatsoever, to 'Keep Nigeria One" why is a corrupt, greedy civilian govt using this undemocratic approach to compel compliance when the same govt cannot even compel foreign oil companies to stop gas flaring and polluting the local land, air and waters? The world sat by sending subliminal messages to the "democratic" govt to continue the use of “reasonable force”, (hook, hook, wink, wink), as long as the uncaring govt keeps the oil pipeline flowing to the West for their consumption, regardless of the effects of pollution on the lives of the locals. What is more shocking is the do-nothing attitude of the national assembly who are supposed to be the representatives of all Nigerian people, not the defender of the Executive branch's brutality – whatever happens to the role of "checks and balances" between the separate arms of the govt? This civilian govt deserves to be overthrown immediately and let us go back to old days of military rule. At least, there were some peaceful order in the land - the only people that suffered were the politicians. What we have learned in the last 2 years is that democracy by civilian politicians does not necessarily guarantee freedom and peace but misery and death due to the greed of the so-called people's representatives. What a sham.
HELLO PEOPLE, am k-ci from bayelsa state, i want to tell the federal government that they should make peace for them to save life of women and children. to stop millitant they can not because it is very had except they conply to their needs
Amnesty u bloody MAFIA!!!!STAY OUT OF AFRIKA. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL YOU ARE ASKING THE (JTF) IN NIGERIA TO COMMIT MURDER.STAY AWAY FROM US INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES. WE DON'T NEED YOUR LIES FOR OUR OIL.
i will advise the militant to produce the body of the soldiers,and end the hostitility. figthting the govment will only worsen the case of the niger deltan people.they should try to achieve thiere agitatoins through dailogue.
all these military opersations are ridiculous african leaders are ready to sacrifice their poeple for a peace of bread offered to them by their masters. Stupid How comes a giant oil producer of oil (6th in the world) run out of fuel or fuel price sky rocketing. let MEND be a challange may be the gov't can change the policy I don't support the war , but the gov't is ridiculous
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