Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LAGOS328
2008-08-18 11:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:  

NIGERIA: BAYELSA STATE SEEKING PEACE WITH MILITANTS

Tags:  PGOV PREL EPET NI 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHOS #0328 2311155
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181155Z AUG 08
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0125
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000328 

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
DOE FOR GPERSON,CHAYLOCK
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EPET NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: BAYELSA STATE SEEKING PEACE WITH MILITANTS

REF: ABUJA 1600

Classified By: Consul General Donna Blair, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000328

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
DOE FOR GPERSON,CHAYLOCK
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EPET NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: BAYELSA STATE SEEKING PEACE WITH MILITANTS

REF: ABUJA 1600

Classified By: Consul General Donna Blair, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: In a meeting with Poloffs on August 1,
Dimieri Von Kemedi, Head of the Due Process and eGovernance
Bureau for Bayelsa State reported efforts by Bayelsa State to
negotiate a permanent peace with militant groups operating in
the State. Kemedi indicated that key militant groups had
approached the government of Bayelsa State seeking peace. The
State is developing a training program for former militants
and the governor is optimistic about pacifying the State.
Success will depend on the economic opportunities (if any)
available to reformed militant youth. End Summary.


Bayelsa's Militants Say They Want to Disarm
--------------


2. (C) According to Kemedi the majority of militants in
Bayelsa State wants peace. Since December 2007, when Bayelsa
State entered into agreements with the militants, there have
been no major incidents, Kemedi claimed, with the notable
exception of the June 19 attack on Shell's Bonga offshore oil
facility. (Note: the newspaper Business Day Online reported
on August 1 that Bayelsa State had signed a "Peace Pact" with
14 militant groups, and Champion Newspaper quoted Governor
Sylva as saying his State was the "most peaceful in the
region." According to the same press report, Governor Sylva
claimed that Bayelsa State would be "free of militants within
the year." End Note.) According to Kemedi, the State's
December 2007 agreement with the militants involved paying
them a living allowance in return for their not engaging in
militant activities. The State pays approximately five
million naira ($43,000) per month to a camp of 450 youths.


3. (C) Kemedi reported that there are five main militant
camps operating in Bayelsa, and one of these came to the
government last year looking to negotiate a permanent peace.
While the State government was still trying to work out
details including training and employment opportunities for
members of this group, the leaders of two other camps
approached the government. At this point the government
reached out to the remaining camps. Although some of the
militant commanders wanted to see just what program for
reintegration the government developed, they were not
fundamentally hostile, according to Kemedi. Kemedi had just
returned from Ghana where he had been in negotiations with
the government there for the establishment of a training camp
for former militant youth. He argued that it was important
for the youths to be taken out of their environment during
their training. He expects three hundred youth to take part
in the first training program and hopes to train a total of
one thousand.

Delta and Rivers States have Different Strategies
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Asked about Delta and Rivers States, Kemedi said that
Delta State had also sought to pay off the militants, but
that the main militant, Government Mbambolo Ekpemupolo,
commonly known as Tom Polo, has been "overfed". In contrast
with Bayelsa State, which is giving just enough so that the
youths don't starve, Delta is paying so much that the
militant commanders have developed an appetite for more. In
Rivers State the governor, Rotimi Amaechi, is pursuing a very
different strategy of trying to eliminate the militant groups
by force of arms.


5. (C) Comment: The cease-fire with militants is a good sign,
but the training objectives seem vague and it is not clear
just what kind of job prospects will be available for
reformed militant youths. Without rapid economic development
leading to expanding employment opportunities, the training
will have little utility and the peace will be short-lived.
End Comment.
BLAIR