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.

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4 Indians, 2 Poles Kidnapped Offshore Rivers
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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.

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FEHN Nonviolence Training Well-Received
Nigeria to Host Global Conference
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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

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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