NIGER DELTA: 6 EXPATS RELEASED, GOVERNMENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000711 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC OSLO FOR HELENA SCHRADER DOE FOR GPERSON, CAROLYN GAY TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR FLISER STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC NI SUBJECT: NIGER DELTA: 6 EXPATS RELEASED, GOVERNMENTS SWINDLE NGO REF: LAGOS 694 Classified By: Acting Consul General Vicki Hutchinson for reasons 1.4 ( B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Four Indian and two Polish nationals kidnapped offshore Rivers State on October 26 were released on October 29. Despite being swindled by the Rivers and Lagos state governments, the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN) will host a high level Global Conference on Nonviolence in Abuja in December. End Summary. -------------- 4 Indians, 2 Poles Kidnapped Offshore Rivers -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Four Indian and two Polish nationals working on Italian-owned ENI's floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel offshore Rivers State were kidnapped October 26; they were released on October 29. The kidnappers reportedly demanded USD 50 million as ransom for the six hostages, who were kidnapped over 50 miles offshore. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for this attack. According to press reports, ENI lowered production by 50,000 barrels per day as the result of the attack. ¶3. (C) Comment: This represents the second kidnapping in late October in Rivers State after a lull in Niger Delta hostage takings (Reftel). However, these attacks are not necessarily a sign of a failure on the part of the Federal Government to dialogue with militants. Talks with Delta and Bayelsa militants do not include arrested arms dealer Henry Okah (who is being held in Angola and is facing extradition requests from Equatorial Guinea) and other criminals in Rivers State, who refused to join the talks and to enter into a moratorium on kidnapping. End Comment. -------------- FEHN Nonviolence Training Well-Received Nigeria to Host Global Conference -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN) will sponsor the 2007 Global Conference on Nonviolence and Peace Series in Abuja in December. The second day of the conference will focus on women and youths, according to FEHN National Chairman, Allen Onyema. Onyema was hopeful governors throughout Nigeria would nominate school teachers to attend the conference. The former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah, will chair the Conference's organizing committee as he was a supporter of FEHN's nonviolence training for youths in Akwa Ibom. ¶5. (C) In March the Rivers State government asked FEHN to offer nonviolence and anti-corruption training to commissioners and development chairmen; Shell agreed to sponsor the project and gave funds to the Rivers State government. (Note: Shell and Chevron have both sponsored FEHN's conferences in the past. End Note.) However, Onyema told Poloff bitterly, the state government did not release the stipend and boarding funds, which were meant to support FEHN's visiting trainers. ¶6. (C) Onyema told Poloff he also presented a proposal to the Lagos State House of Assembly to train legislators to resist corruption. The House of Assembly hi-jacked his proposal and sold it to themselves, he criticized. He found out they held their "conference" at the venue he had recommended, but the program was significantly shorter and LAGOS 00000711 002 OF 002 shallower in content, he said. Onyema said FEHN will continue its work regardless of political will or government support. ¶7. (C) Comment: FEHN has worked with Niger Delta militants and youths over the past few years and has trained emerging leaders in nonviolence. The President of the Gbaramatu Youth Council found FEHN's training to be excellent and has incorporated much of its teachings into his work with Ijaw youths from the oil-rich Gbaramatu community in their discussions with the Vice Presidency. The President of the Ijaw Youth Council also attended FEHN's workshop and has integrated aspects of its training into his leadership style. End Comment. HUTCHINSON