The Adaka Boro Centre

“The Niger Delta is home to massive oil reserves, but these resources have brought more suffering than wealth to the people of the Delta through corruption, environmental destruction, and lack of development.

Reports of growing civilian casualties and displacement in the latest clash between the government forces and armed groups are extremely disturbing.

Civilian protection and humanitarian needs must be prioritized in the current offensive, and all parties to the conflict should engage in a process to bring an end to the widespread violence and criminality that have long plagued the region and to address the needs of the population.” - Senator John Kerry, Chairman US Senate Foreign Relations

Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold on the Nigerian military's
ongoing offensive in the Niger Delta

(http://feingold.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=313444)

Friday, May 22, 2009

“I am very concerned by reports that hundreds of civilians have been
killed and potentially thousands displaced by the Nigerian military’s
ongoing offensive in Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta region. Some military
actions may be justified to stop the criminality, kidnappings and
killings by militants in the Niger Delta, but such measures should be
accompanied by a larger political strategy. Genuine peacemaking will
require not only legitimate political negotiations but a convincing
case for transforming the illicit war economy into one of peace. The
Nigerian government needs to undertake a serious and sustained
initiative to address the underdevelopment of the region. I urge the
Obama administration to think creatively about how we can work
multilaterally to help end this long-standing crisis in the Niger
Delta.”

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