OIL WORKER HOSTAGE UPDATE SITREP #22 - HOSTAGES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000138

SIPDIS

STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY
TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS AND SRENENDER
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
STATE FOR DS/IP/AF, AF/EX, DS/IP/OPO, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/ITA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2016
TAGS: EPET PGOV ASEC PTER KHLS PINR ETRD CASC NI
SUBJECT: OIL WORKER HOSTAGE UPDATE SITREP #22 - HOSTAGES
HEADING HOME

REF: LAGOS 130 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reasons 1.4 (D & E)


1. (C) The four hostages left Lagos late last night bound
for London aboard a British Airways flight. AmCit Pat Landry
will leave London today for Houston. (Note: Post received
confirmation that Mr. Landry's flight is now on the way to
Houston. End note.) Harry Ebanks will fly to Miami with
Ivan Romero, the Honduran attach in London. Milko Nitchev,
the Bulgarian hostage, has an onward flight today for Sofia.
British national Nigel Watson-Clarke has been reunited with
his family.


2. (C) The quartet met Consulate officers prior to departing
Lagos last night and described details of their captivity.
Mr. Landry said there were about thirty militants constantly
in the camp, but the number would change depending on whether
they were going on raids. Scores of armed men mustered in
the area before the Benisede raid. The hostages said the
militants bragged about their raids and disavowed all
connections with the spate of armed robberies, even making
threats against the groups responsible. Landry indicated
that most members of the group wore headbands and face paint,
while some wore black masks. Drugs and alcohol use was
common among them. Describing the group dynamics of their
captors, the hostages stated that no one leader seemed
dominant but several of them were the clearly recognized
leaders. The group was fairly well disciplined and the
hostages did not notice any schism within the group.


3. (C) The hostages stated that their prime contact was with
the group leader while the rank and file kept their distance
by and large. The hostages were treated to a regular diet of
Ijaw nationalist rhetoric demanding control of oil resources,
decrying the environmental degradation of the Delta, and
grousing about the lack of concern by the GON and oil
companies. The kidnappers asserted lack of interest in
ransom and stated their aims were political and social. They
also claimed that they would react ardently to any GON
military reprisal. Throughout this ordeal the kidnappers
assured the hostages they would not be mistreated but added
that they were prepared to take other hostages or assault oil
facilities. One of the hostages said their captors did
threaten to kidnap and do bodily harm to other expatriates
should the hostages make any unfavorable public statements
once they were released.


4. (C) The captors also told the hostages that they planned
an unspecified operation in the Delta between February 3-5.
One hostage heard the operation would take place February 10.


5. (C) All four hostages were given identical letters to
deliver to their governments (the one given to Landry was
turned over to FBI),listing demands and threatening
additional actions if their conditions were not met.


6. (C) Below is the verbatim text of the letter.

Begin Text

THE MOVEMENT FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF THE NIGER DELTA
Press Release:

HOSTAGES RELEASED; FURTHER ACTIONS SURE.

The four(4) hostages held 11th January,2006 as pointers to
the determination for the liberation of the Niger Delta by
the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger
Delta(MEND),have been conditionally released 12;00 hours of
Sunday night,29th January,2006.
Suffice to alert the World over that our movement and the
Federal Government of Nigeria have reached substantial
agreement on our fundamental demands for the Niger Delta
people if the latter characteristic-to-type does not renege.
For the international community and the decent minds of the
Nigerian public like Prof. Wole Soyinka, here are a few of
our pertinent demands:
(1). Immediate and unconditional release of Alhaji Asari
Mujahid Dokubo, Former President of the Ijaw Youth Council
(IYC) and Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer
Force(NDPVF).
(2). Immediate and unconditional halt and release of Chief
Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (JP),Governor of Bayelsa State who
is under-going political trial and persecution.
(3). Immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Joshua
Macaiva a youth leader arrested in Bayelsa State for
protesting against the inhuman activities of oil Multi-
Nationals at Lokpobiri 2004.
(4). Immediate and unconditional demilitarization of the
Niger Delta for, the vices of rape, arson, genocide and
bunkering committed by the military have become unbearably
embarrassing to the Niger Delta and particularly the Ijaw
Nation.
(5). That Anglo/Dutch Shell Must immediately pay the approved
sum of $1.5 billion compensation by the National Assembly of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 to the Government and
people of Bayelsa State for environmental degradation due to
its oil exploration activities in the region for over four
decades.
(6). That our activities are not pecuniary and ransom-based.
We shall receive no money from any quarters and to
unequivocally dissociate from any such body of persons.
(7). We express our regret over the media/public
disinformation embarked upon by section of Ijaw purported
leaders as a result of this genuine struggle and strictly
warned that same fate awaits them henceforth.
(8). We finally urge the international community; The United
States of America and the United Kingdom governments in
particular to advise the Nigeria Government to stop their
planned attacks on Ijaw Communities. Such plans would be
resisted with our native military capabilities to fruition
whilst we promise to incapacitate oil exploration and
exploitation for ten (10) years only. "A WORD IS ENOUGH".

Signed:

Maj. Gen. Tamuno Godswill (Field Commander)
Col. Oyinye B. Alaebi (Director Operations)

End Text
BROWNE