26 May 2009
Lagos — A human rights non-governmental organization , Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has petitioned the United Nations (UN) over the festering crisis in the Niger Delta and the military action taken against the militants by the Federal Government.
The group said the serious human rights violations may amount to crimes against humanity as articulated in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which Nigeria is party.
In a petition sent to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Navi Pillay , in Switzerland , by its counsel, Mr. Femi Falana, Serap urged the world body to "urgently facilitate a special session of the Human Rights Council to address the human rights situation in Niger Delta South-south zone in the context of the on-going conflict ."
According to the petition, "Since 13 May 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 from troops of the army, navy, air Force and the mobile police set up in 2004 to restore order in the Niger Delta South-south zone.
"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 after it was allegedly attacked by armed groups. 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.
"According to Amnesty International, 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. Amnesty International also reported that 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.
"The 20,000 people who live in the area of the attack are trapped there by the JTF's continuing operations. The main method of transportation for these communities is by boat; however, people attempting to travel by water are reportedly targeted by the JTF or members of the armed groups. Thousands have fled their communities and are unable to return to their homes. Many houses in the communities have been set on fire and destroyed by the military. People are still in hiding in the forest, with no access to medical care and food.
"We also have information that some victims of the aerial bombardment of Ijaw communities by the JTF who were rushed to a hospital, in the riverside community of Okerenkoko, for medical attention were bombed in the hospital with helicopter gunships. Some of the victims reportedly died in the hospital when the JTF bombed the Okerenkoko hospital."
The group therefore urged the UN to "ask the Nigerian Government to provide restitution, compensation or both, as warranted, for damages resulting from the serious violations of the human rights highlighted above" and "urge the Nigerian government to fulfil its complementary obligations under the Rome Statute of the ICC to investigate fully, effectively, fairly, independently and impartially and bring to justice those suspected to be responsible for crimes against humanity in the context of the on-going conflict in the Niger Delta."
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I WISH SERAP GOD SPEED. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE NIGER DELTA IS GENOCIDE, SIMPLE AND TRUE
The people of the area should submit to Millitary order and focus on our One Nigeria, But they are not to blame because this is their own Biafran war, but Government should take it easy on civilans there, because all is not millitant (Rebels)
The people of the area should understand that we all have accepted to be one Nigeria weather you like it or not, because their people are there when our one Nigeria was sign, let known body violet it
ONE NIGERIA WILL TAKE ITS STANDS IF THE FEDERAL GOVT. ADMITS HER RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RURAL AREAS IN NIGER DELTA REGION. AS A MATTER OF FACT, JTF MUST STOP THEIR ONSLAUGHT AGAINST NIGER DELTA REGION OR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps the corrupt Nigerian govt will stop digging itself into a much deeper hole when the national income accruing to the federal coffers reaches zero for which the Patriots have nothing to lose. That is when Emperor Yar's administration and his foreign MNE masters, for which he is killing innocent Nigerians to please, will soon realize their errors that this is a war of attrition; let us see who will blink, first. Malam Yar has opened the Pandora's Box - let’s see how he puts the genie back into the bottle, unless it blows up in his face.
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