Iheanacho Nwosu
28 October 2009
The declaration last Sunday by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta(MEND) of an indefinite ceasefire registers a new dawn in the ongoing efforts to enthrone peace in the region . The development is, indeed , a milestone in the battle for a new order in the area.
MEND's decision stems from the agreement reached at the October 19, meeting between President Umaru Yar'Adua and the leader of the group, Henry Okah at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Okah was flown from South Africa where he is currently receiving medical treatment on a presidential jet.
The mien of Minister of Defence, Maj-Gen. Godwin Abbe and Minister of Communications, Dora Akunyili last Sunday showed how happy the government is with the unfolding development. The duo had briefed newsmen in Lagos on the issue.
MEND had in the last one year crippled oil production by nearly 50 percent of about one million barrels of crude oil per day. The militants had also blown oil installations and facilities of major oil companies operating in the region. The Federal Government through the Joint Military Taskforce(JTF) some months ago engaged the militants in a military action. But called off the strategy some weeks after.
In a surprised move President Yar'Adua announced amnesty for the militants. He anchored the gesture on the militants surrendering their arms and embracing the option of dialogue.
Some of them opened their alms to the offer. Whether they surrendered all the arms at their kitty has remained in the realm of conjectures. The seriousness of the exercise was displayed when top militant leaders like Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo, Ateke Tom and Farah Dagogo not only surrendered their arms but also paid a visit to President Yar'Adua.
Those who followed last weeks meeting between Okah and the President cannot be taken aback that days after MEND is singing a new song. The spokesman of the group, Jomo Gbomo, in a statement said the decision is "to encourage dialogue between the government and the team that we have selected to negotiate our demand for a lasting peace in the Niger Delta region".
He elaborated "On Tuesday ,October 20, 2009, the Federal Government expressed its readiness to engage in serious dialogue with every group or individual towards achieving a lasting peace in the Niger Delta.
"This welcome shift in position conveyed to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(MEND) by Mr Henry Okah after his meeting with President Umaru Yar'Adua on Monday October 19, indicated the willingness of the government to negotiate with the MEND Aaron team". The Aaron team is made up of Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe, Maj-Gen. Luke Kakadu Aprezi(rtd), Prof. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Madam Ankkio Briggs. Briggs has been replaced by Mr Amagbe Denzel Kentebe.
However, there are fears that even with both the government and MEND showing signs of willingness to cooperate danger appears to be lurking in the corners. The two seem to be heading for a collision following the statement by the Federal Government that it will not dialogue with the Aaron team. Abbe said the government will engage the militants directly.
He said "Nobody can negotiate for the people unless those in the creeks that have suffered from the biting of mosquitoes there. Who are the Aaron team? If MEND exist they must stop their activities as they are acting against the interest of the state.
"The goal of the amnesty was to achieve peace, reconciliation, healing and sustainable development and to achieve this all the major actors,that is the ex militants,the communities, community based organizations, the three tiers of government and the oil majors have to be carried along"
There is no doubt that Abbe who is supposed to be speaking the mind of government may have a point but the question is why did the presidency after accepting during a meeting with Okah to work with the Aaron team decided to make a volte face less than a week after?. Dialoguing with the team will not stop the Government from discussing with other groups and individuals from the creeks since the primary target is to achieve a lasting peace. There is danger in government grandstanding at this time.There may be nothing wrong with dialoguing directly with the militants but the fact known to everybody is that there is a limit they can go. And it is in realization of this truism that the militants themselves appointed the Aaron team to discuss on their behalf.
Take for instance when Tompolo and Ateke Tom visited Aso Rock they were mesmerized and struggled to utter comprehensible words. How can such people dialogue meaningfully.
National Secretary of United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy(UNDESS), Tony Uranta is reasoning in the same way. He said that arrogantly dismissing the Aaron team by the Government may jeopardize the peace process. He argued that members of the team are credible and well respected individuals who could use their their good offices to mobilize people against any measure taken by the presidency.
He said "I think first and foremost we must eschew arrogance and grandstanding in approaching the matter. We cannot just dismiss the Aaron team because they are venerable people who can mobilize opinion against government's initiatives on the issue. We lose nothing by treating them with decorum".
President Yar'Adua unarguably has recorded some strides in the Niger Delta issue, but the final handling of the amnesty and Master plans will determine the colour and tenor of praises that he will get from the people. It will also show the level of support he will get not only from the Niger Delta but the South generally in his second term bid.
"The resolve to lay down arms indefinitely by MEND was necessitated by the way the President laid on the table the post amnesty plans. For once, we feel the government is serious but we have to wait for implementation", Uranta said.
Abbe had acknowledged that the challenge of the post amnesty is "to ensure that militants are fully resettled to prevent them from returning to the creeks. This aspectof the amnesty involves reorientation, rehabilitation and capacity building like training and skills acquisition. The process we are adopting is original to Nigeria. Although our projection based on initial assessment estimated the figure of all true militants as 17,500 the number we have now is 15,260".
So far the Federal Government has taken a step in the right direction on the issue. Whether it will not misstep when the dialogue with the militants commences is for tomorrow to tell. The fact is that not handling the issue well may fritter the little gains made in the past few months.
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