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Nigeria: Recent US Actions
Nigeria: Recent US Actions
Date distributed (ymd): 971013
Document reposted by WOA
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: West Africa
Issue Areas: +political/rights+ +US policy focus+ Summary Contents: This
posting contains: (1) a press release from the Free Nigeria Movement reporting
on new sanctions against Nigeria adopted by Alameda County, California;
(2) a press release from Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) condemning the harassment
of the outgoing US Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington; and (3) the
text of H.Res. 260 calling for increased US sanctions on Nigeria.
+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Free Nigeria Movement
P.O. Box 441395
Indianapolis, IN 46244
Phone/Fax +1 (317)216-4590
Email: PR@FreeNigeria.org - unavailable 01/00
Website: http://www.FreeNigeria.org - no longer available 01/00
Listserv: Maiser@listserv.butler.edu,
text of message "SUBSCRIBE FREENIGERIA"
Radio Station: Voice of Free Nigeria (VoFN) 11.680 kHz, every Saturday
at 19:00 GMT (8:00pm Nigerian Time)
County of Alameda, California Enacts Binding Selective Purchasing/Divestment
Resolution against Nigeria
Tuesday, September 30, 1997
The County of Alameda, in the State of California, U.S.A., today (September,
30, 1997) adopted a binding resolution prohibiting the County from contracting
with or purchasing from those who do business in or with Nigeria. This
followed the recommendation of the September 22nd, 1997 meeting of the
County's Personnel/Administration/Legislation Committee, which recommended
inter alia that the County should adopt a selective purchasing/divestment
policy against the General Sani Abacha led illegal Nigerian military junta,
which illegally seized the electoral mandates of all the duly elected representatives
of the Nigerian people, including the detained legitimate President of
Nigeria, Chief Moshood K.O. Abiola.
The issue of Nigeria was brought before the Alameda County Board of
Supervisors, and coordinated thereafter by the Free Nigeria Movement (FNM),
an effort which led the Board of Supervisors' President, Mr. Keith Carson,
to thank the President of the Free Nigeria Movement, Mr. Tunde Okorodudu,
for the continued efforts of the Free Nigeria Movement to bring the plight
of Nigeria before a global audience.
Economically, this is the most important action taken against the military
regime of Sani Abacha and the Nigerian military in the country's 37 years
of flag independence. Unconfirmed estimates value the direct economic impact
of the Alameda sanctions on business interests which are in, or do business
with Nigeria somewhere in the range of US$200 million and above in lost
revenue.
Especially effected by this resolution are Coca-Cola, Chevron Oil, Shell
Oil and Motorola, all of which are major beneficiaries of the County's
US$1.25 billion annual budget.
The County of Alameda has under its jurisdiction the cities of Alameda,
Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark,
Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro and Union City.
The Alameda County ordinance is the first of its kind at the county
level, although the towns of Amherst and Cambridge in the State of Massachusetts,
as well the cities of Oakland and Berkeley in the State of California have
passed similar resolutions. Tomorrow, October 1st, 1997, Free Nigeria Movement
activists are scheduled to present a similar ordinance before the Austin
City Council, in the State of Texas.
The FNM wishes to thank everyone involved in this endeavor, and to again
request that all foreign businesses involved in the Nigerian economy immediately
divest all their shares and effect a total pull out from the country, till
the democratically elected legitimate representatives of Nigeria have their
mandates restored, and decide on the modalities for the return of foreign
investments and investors.
Long live Freedom, Long live the Free Nigeria Movement, Long live the
Federal Republic of Nigeria!
On behalf of the Free Nigeria Movement: Sincerely,
Nasiru Ikharo,
National Information Secretary, FNM
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515-0535
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 7, 1997
CONTACT: Marcela Howell (202) 225-2201
CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS URGES OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL CONDEMNATION
OF NIGERIA
Calls for Increased Sanctions Against Brutal Dictatorship
Washington, D.C. -- Congresswoman Maxine Waters introduced a resolution
to condemn the Nigerian dictatorship for its campaign of political intimidation
and personal harassment of United States Ambassador Walter Carrington.
The resolution, which has seventy-five cosponsors, also calls for stronger
sanctions against the Nigerian dictatorship of Sani Abacha.
The resolution was introduced following the recent storming of a farewell
reception organized by fifteen human rights groups in Nigeria for U.S.
Ambassador Carrington by the armed security forces of Abacha. Ambassador
Carrington, along with other Embassy officials, was physically blocked
from entering the first reception location by armed personnel and police
vehicles.
After he arrived at an alternative site of a private residence, the
party proceeded. Approximately twenty minutes later, security forces forced
open the gate of the private residence, breaking the lock, and entered
the compound. Armed with automatic weapons, uniformed security personnel
wrestled the microphone from the speaker and demanded that the party cease.
Security force officers cocked their weapons, but did not fire them.
After a brief presentation of a farewell gift to Ambassador Carrington,
the reception disbanded. No one was injured and there were no arrests.
"The treatment of U.S. Ambassador Walter Carrington is just the
latest incident in a series of human rights violations," said Rep.
Waters. "Past human rights abuses have already led us to impose limited
sanctions on the dictatorship in Nigeria. Obviously, these sanctions are
not enough.
"We should all be incensed about this treatment of one of our Ambassadors.
It is an insult to all of the citizens of the United States and cannot
be tolerated," added Waters.
The resolution, H. Res. 260, will be heard in the International Relations
Committee.
105th Congress, 1st Session
H. RES. 260
Condemning the Nigerian dictatorship for its abuse of United States
Ambassador Walter Carrington.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 6, 1997
Ms. WATERS (for herself, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr.
HINCHEY, Mr. NADLER, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. CLAY, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. PAYNE,
Mr. FLAKE, Mr. WYNN, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. THOMPSON, Mrs. CLAYTON,
Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr. MILLER of California, Mr. SAWYER, Mr. MOLLOHAN,
Ms. DELAURO, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts,
Mr. WISE, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. GREEN, Mr. FROST, Mr. FAZIO of California, Ms.
KAPTUR, Mr. GORDON, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. DIXON, Mr. BISHOP, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE
JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. VELAZQUEZ, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Mr.
KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut, Mr. WATT of North
Carolina, Ms. FURSE, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. FORD, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. MENENDEZ,
Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. REYES, Mr. BLAGOJEVICH, Mr. EVANS, Mr. POSHARD, Mr. GEJDENSON,
Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. SCOTT, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts, Mr.
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. JACKSON-LEE
of Texas, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. EDWARDS,
Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. HOYER, Mr.
HEFNER, Mr. CONDIT, Mr. BOYD, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. DANNER, and Ms. HOOLEY
of Oregon) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations.
RESOLUTION
Condemning the Nigerian dictatorship for its abuse of United States
Ambassador Walter Carrington.
Whereas the Nigerian Government has conducted a campaign
of intimidation and harassment against the United States Ambassador to
Nigeria, Walter Carrington, throughout his tenure including--
(1) accusing the United States of attempting to destabilize the Government
of Nigeria;
(2) attempting to strip the Ambassador of diplomatic immunity in an
effort to create false charges against him relating to a series of bombings;
and
(3) harassing, intimidating, and embarrassing the Ambassador;
Whereas the United States has already imposed limited
sanctions against Nigeria following a series of abuses including--
(1) the imprisonment of the duly elected President Moshood K.O. Abiola,
arrested and imprisoned by current dictator Sani Abacha;
(2) the execution by hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 Ogoni environmental
activists, universally condemned by the international community as a travesty
of justice; and
(3) the State Department's classification of Nigeria as a major drug-trafficking
country in May 1994, followed by Nigeria's continuing refusal to cooperate
on anti-narcotics efforts;
Whereas the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter
Carrington, has suffered harassment, physical intimidation, and embarrassment
throughout his tenure as Ambassador;
Whereas a farewell reception was organized for United
States Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, by some 15 Nigerian prodemocracy
and human rights groups, including the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO);
Whereas at 6:15 p.m. on September 18, 1997, Ambassador
Carrington, accompanied by 4 other Embassy officials, was enroute to the
reception;
Whereas Ambassador Carrington's car was intercepted by
vehicles and armed security forces and was prevented from proceeding to
the residence where the reception was scheduled to occur;
Whereas Ambassador Carrington, having been forcibly barred
from proceeding to the designated reception site, went to the private residential
compound that had been designated as an alternative venue for the reception;
Whereas upon the arrival of Ambassador Carrington at the
alternative venue at 7:15 p.m., the Ambassador was greeted by approximately
100 people waiting in an open yard surrounded by a high cement wall and
a tall metal gate;
Whereas, around 7:30 p.m., approximately 20 uniformed
security forces, heavily armed with automatic weapons, pounded on the gate,
broke the lock, and entered the compound;
Whereas members of the Nigerian security forces rushed
into the reception shouting at the guests, and cocking their weapons in
an aggressive attempt to break up the gathering;
Whereas 1 armed police officer threatened to shoot a human
rights activist who was attempting to address the crowd;
Whereas Ambassador Carrington quickly departed the compound
with other Embassy officers and diplomats under duress;
Whereas the United States Department of State has lodged
numerous complaints prior to this incident and several formal protests
following these events with the Nigerian Government; and
Whereas the Nigerian Government has neither explained
nor apologized for the incidents of September 18, 1997, instead, the Nigerian
Minister for Presidential Affairs publicly derided the United States Ambassador's
tenure as 'four years of waste during which nothing was accomplished':
Now, therefore, be it Resolved,
That the House of Representatives--
(1) finds that the actions of the Nigerian security forces on September
18, 1997, are the culmination of a campaign of political intimidation and
personal harassment against United States Ambassador Carrington by the
regime of dictator Sani Abacha;
(2) condemns the Abacha dictatorship in Nigeria for these outrageous
acts;
(3) calls for the United States Department of State to take all necessary
and appropriate measures to ensure the physical safety of the United States
Ambassador and Embassy staff in Nigeria; and
(4) calls for stronger sanctions by the United States against the Nigerian
dictatorship of Sani Abacha in response to these egregious events.
Related resource:
At its meeting of September 11-19, 1997, the Central Committee of the
World Council of Churches approved a new statement on Nigeria. (no longer
available on-line).
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the Washington
Office on Africa (WOA), a not-for-profit church, trade union and civil
rights group supported organization that works with Congress on Africa-related
legislation. WOA's educational affiliate is the Africa Policy Information
Center (APIC).
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