Ogoni: MOSOP Calls for International Community to Intervene.
For several decades, the Ogoni People have been struggling for the protection of their environment, and indeed their entire livelihood, amidst exploitation from energy giants Shell and ENI. Following a recent report from Amnesty International that exposed the gross negligence of these companies, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People have released a statement calling for the aversion of a potential deaths against their people due to resource exhaustion and oil spills ruining their habitat, as well as a government “counter-insurgency” operation. The call was issued once again in the hope that the international community look into this case and step up for the rights of the people in the Niger Delta.
Below article published by The Nigerian Voice
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) wishes to call on world leaders and all men of conscience to intervene in the situation in Ogoniland and to put pressure on Nigeria and Shell Petroleum to immediately commence the implementation of the United Nations report on the Ogoni environment and avert an impending genocide.
Between 2nd and 17th of March 2018, Bodo community in Gokana local government area alone buried 33 persons while 29 persons died in K-Dere also in Gokana local government area. Similar reports are coming from all Ogoni villages.
MOSP wants to use this opportunity to alert the world of what is clearly a shell/state-sponsored genocide in Ogoniland. We are concerned that Shell and the federal government of Nigeria is doing little or nothing about the restoration of Ogoniland and the immediate provision of water for the people even as communities record increasing death rates.
MOSOP flays this inhuman attitude of the Nigerian government and Shell and urge the world not to allow this happen in the 21st century.
We take exception to the fact that just recently in December 2017, the Nigerian government approved $1billion to purchase arms to kill in the fight against insurgents, the same government has failed to provide an agreed sum of $200million annually for five years to save the lives of over 1million people in Ogoniland.
We note that in the midst of these terrible conditions, government remain silent about the threats posed by Belema Oil Producing Limited and Robo Michael Limited, both Nigerian oil firms who are currently sponsoring rival groups in the hope to force a resumption of oil production in Ogoniland despite our repeated notification and firm position expressing our disapproval to oil production without the implementation of the UNEP report and other conditions,
It is disturbing that while Ogoni is increasingly threatened by the effects of years of pollution from Shell's reckless business practices, the Nigerian government is doing nothing as Belema Oil and Robo Michael continue to sponsor divisions and rivalry thereby increasing the potential for conflicts that can worsen the condition of people who are already faced with death from environmental pollution.
We call on world leaders to stand up for humanity and save the Ogoni people from going extinct. The world must not be silent over this grave danger faced by over 1million people in Nigeria's Ogoniland. We urge all men of conscience to stand up and stop Shell and the Nigerian government from executing this genocide.
Signed:
Fegalo Nsuke
Photo courtesy of Internazionale
