Nigeria: Dutch Group Hail Yar'adua On Dokubo-Asari

In a wire statement to this reporter, President of the group, Sunny Ofehe, calaimed that Dokubo-Asari's release has come as a welcome development due to the incessant demand by the various militant groups in the Niger Delta led by the popular Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) clamouring for his release as a condition to free all hostages.

''The release of Dokubo-Asari is pivotal to our campaign for a peaceful Niger Delta. Now that it has been achieved, we hereby call on him (Dokubo-Asari) to abstain from any action that will define violence and undermine peace, which will not serve the better interest of the people he represents. As all well meaning Nigerians agitated for his release, he must also work for the release of all hostages and try to rally all the various militant groups to chart the part of reconciliation'', the group said.

While re-iterating their unshaken commitment and resolve to non-violence by calling for the immediate release of all hostages still in captivity, the group said, ''we unequivocally condemn every act of militancy and violence by calling on the militants to exude the part of dialogue to address the desired need of our people. To this end, we must work to harmonise our struggle as laid down by our pioneer and icon Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa. His agitation for a better Niger Delta was built on the foundation of non-violence and on this foundation we must derive our victory''.

According to them, ''there is no denying the fact that the region has seen many decades of oil exploitation and environmental degradation whose blame falls on the doorstep of the National Government and the multi-national companies. This has led to the resultant high visible poverty level. In addressing this issue, we should be concise to the universally appreciated method of agitation; Dialogue in a non-violent manner''.

Continuing, they added, ''we must give the new government the chance to implement the new Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan (NDRDMP). The government must not relent in its effort to follow this path of goodwill with proper implementation programmes as the region is not devoid of policies. The militants must be seen as part of the integration to foster a peaceful implementation process''.

They then appealed to the general public to join them in their advocacy for a peaceful and enduring solution to the socio-economic problems that has plagued the oil and gas region for 50 years.

ENDS

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