"Ogonis lament woes" from Vanguard

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Subject: Re: "Ogonis lament woes" from Vanguard  / Burma

extract "and the oil companies' rage."

One has to wonder why the Socialist International Resolution 1999
November on Burma DID NOT target the oil and gas companies. They did in
1998, and now they have backed off.

 Is this a TOTAL payoff or what?

ds


Mira Tanna wrote:
> 
> Ogonis lament woes *Four years after Saro-Wiwa
> 
> 
> Wednesday, November 10, 1999
> The Vanguard
>                   By Sam Onwuemeodo, Port Harcourt
> 
>                   THE Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People
> (MOSOP) which marks today,
>                   the fourth anniversary of the hanging of its leader, Ken
> Saro-Wiwa and eight other
>                   Ogonis, lamented yesterday that Ogoniland remained
> "polluted and our waterways
>                   fouled."
> 
>                   However, counsel to Ken, Mr. Femi Falana said yesterday
> that members of the
>                   tribunal that sentenced the "Ogoni Nine" to death must
> be tried in Ogoniland.
> 
>                   According to the US branch of the movement, compensation
> from the Obasanjo
>                   government has also "failed to arrive," while Shell
> "continues to put pressure the
>                   government to reopen operations in Ogoni.
> 
>                   Ken, Baribor Bela, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel
> Gbokoo, Barinem Kiobel,
>                   John Kpuinen, Paul Levura and Felix Nuate were hanged on
> November 10, 1995 in
>                   the Port Harcourt Prisons just a few days after they
> were sentenced to death by a
>                   military tribunal for the murder of four Ogoni leaders.
> 
>                   Their executions earned for Nigeria, particularly the
> Sani Abacha regime, much hatred
>                   abroad, culminating in the suspension of Nigeria from
> the Commonwealth.
> 
>                   The executions came while that organisation's Heads of
> State and Government were meeting in New Zealand.
> 
>                   Nigeria will be formally rejoining the organisation
> later this month in South Africa
>                   where the next meeting comes up.
> 
>                   However, in a statement in Chicago, USA to mark the
> Ogoni Eight's death MOSOP said: "Every day we commemorate
> the nine brave environmentalists, and non-violent
>                   fighters for the Ogoni cause for an environmentally
> healthy region for all Ogonis,
>                   whose lives were taken by a crazed dictator acting in
> concert with Shell Oil. But on
>                   this special day we share our memories most openly.
> 
>                   "News that is startling to the world, but came as no
> surprise to Ogonis and their
>                   friends, recently confirmed from no less a source than
> the Director of the Nigerian
>                   Environmental Ministry that the oil companies were
> behind the death of the Ogoni
>                   Nine.
> 
>                   "We ask the world to pause in the midst of its busy
> existence on November 10 to
>                   remember the unjust and cruel deaths of nine men who
> through their supreme sacrifice
>                   alerted the world to the horror that was Nigeria during
> those times. We ask that their
>                   memories be honoured:
> 
>                             *Baribor Bera
> 
>                             *Saturday Dobee
> 
>                             *Nordu Eawo
> 
>                             *Daniel Gbokoo
> 
>                             *Barinem Kiobel
> 
>                             *John Kpuinen
> 
>                             *Paul Levura
> 
>                             *Felix Nuate
> 
>                             *Ken Saro-Wiwa
> 
>                   "There can be no doubt that it was this tragic event
> that led to the world's awareness        of the extreme and murderous
> repression that was occurring in Ogoni, and conditions
>                   throughout Nigeria, situations that continued even after
> the hangings.
> 
>                   "We are firmly convinced, and Ken Saro-Wiwa's writings
> leave no doubt, that Ken
> was fully aware of the end to which his actions would lead yet willingly
> gave of himself
>                   so that Ogonis might live a peaceful and happy life in a
> healthy and productive
>                   environment. We know that his only regrets for that grim
> day in 1995 would be that
>                   eight other innocents were sacrificed in an attempt to
> conceal the central target,
>                   himself, of the government's and the oil companies'
> rage.
>                   Meanwhile, addressing a rally Tuesday at Bori, Ogoni,
> Mr. Falana said:
> 
>                   "Those who tried the Ogoni Nine must be tried here. The
> members of the panel must
>                   be told that the wives and children of the Ogoni Nine
> are crying for justice.
> 
>                   "Those who waged war against Ogoni people must be tried
> for genocide. Those who
>                   killed Ogoni people must be tried for murder. Those who
> attempted to kill Ibru and
>                   Adesanya must be tried of attempted murder. These trials
> and justice must take place
>                   before leniency," he stated.
> 
> 
>                                                Back to top
> 
> 
>                   Vanguard Transmitted Wednesday, 10 November, 1999
> 
> Mira Tanna
> American Friends Service Committee
> 438 North Skinker Boulevard
> St. Louis, Missouri  63130
> (314) 862-5773
> Fax: (314) 862-8155
> mvtanna@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> ______________________________________________________________________
> 
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> includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice,
> peace, and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the Quaker belief
> in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome
> violence and injustice.
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