NIGERIA: DELTA AMNESTY OFFICIALS ASK FOR FOREIGN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001407 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: DELTA AMNESTY OFFICIALS ASK FOR FOREIGN DONOR SUPPORT, AGAIN REF: 08 ABUJA 1989 ¶1. (U) Summary: On July 21, Mission Nigeria was invited to an international donor meeting hosted by Air Vice Marshall L.O. Ararile, Chief Coordinator of Nigeria's Amnesty Program, to discuss "areas of possible collaboration" for funding and implementation. Dr. Ferdinand Ikwang, consultant for the Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee and Nigerian Air Force Commodore Faluyi hosted a follow up donor meeting on July 24 on the same themes, but with more specific proposals for social and economic development projects. The meetings follow previous discussions on Niger Delta assistance, dating back to October 2008, in which the GON requests unconditional donor funding to address the region's social and economic problems. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On July 21 Air Vice Marshall L.O. Ararile, Chief Coordinator of Nigeria's Amnesty Program, invited international donors to seek collaboration on funding and implementation of the GON Amnesty program. USAID, the British High Commission, and UNDP were the only donors to attend the meeting. Ararile reported that the military plans to leave areas it occupies in the Niger Delta three weeks after the Amnesty process ends. Ararile added that his plan is to "ensure that the Ministry of Niger Delta takes charge of the implementation of the amnesty process." At that time, he claimed, "civilians will take full charge of the process," (via the Ministry of the Niger Delta),which he estimates will draw 10,000 amnesty participants to the program. ¶3. (U) Ararile informed donors that the current rehabilitation centers have limited space. He specifically noted that Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta states will have two rehabilitation centers each because of the high numbers of militants that are expected to disarm in those areas. According to Ararile, the budget for the rehabilitation centers has been tripled to ensure that the goal of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) program is fully achieved, but no actual figures or other details on the financial arrangements were provided. He also informed donors that he will request that the Center for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) and the Global Health Initiative on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (GHAIN),(both of which currently receive USAID funding for other projects),will be asked "to implement project activities focusing on HIV/AIDS issues and women's empowerment, specifically as it relates to the militants." ¶4. (U) Nigerian Air Force Commodore Faluyi and Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee consultant Dr. Ferdinand Ikwang hosted a follow-up donors meeting on July 24 at the Ministry of Defense. Faluyi began briefing donors from USAID, British High Commission, and UNDP, stating that he is in charge of "collecting and destroying 'militants' weapons." He informed donors that the military needs assistance in designing a data collection program to identify and track disarmed militants. When asked if the GON had considered using an independent institution to implement its Amnesty projects due to distrust within the Niger Delta communities, Faluyi responded that "the only state that might consider doing so is Rivers state, where some 'militants' are afraid that the government has poisoned the food and medicine." Faluyi also explained that "Rivers state is a different dilemma because the violence there is more political than resource driven." Faluyi then informed donors of his plan to establish a large disarmament site in Enugu state (Faluyi's home state),where "militants will have nothing to fear because President Yar'Adua is behind the Amnesty process." ¶5. (U) Ikwang told donors that the military has a comprehensive disarmament and demobilization plan, which considers reintegration and resettlement as "crucial components." Ikwang told donors that he is considering setting up a "Truth and Reconciliation Center, similar to the one used in Rwanda." Ikwang also reiterated Ararile's request for CEDPA and GHAIN assistance, specifically "utilizing its mobile test kits to screen ex-militants who are willing to be tested." When pressed to explain details of the these plans, Ikwang said that the Ministry of the ABUJA 00001407 002 OF 002 Niger Delta would brief donors in the future. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: We doubt that any of these proposed programs will be successfully implemented any time soon, especially since the governors of the states of Delta, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo and Akwa Ibom are all threatening to abandon Yar'Adua's amnesty program, due to grievances with the proposed petroleum reform bill. In addition, many international donors agreed after previous meetings on the Niger Delta (reftel) that it is not feasible to offer large-scale assistance without a Delta-wide political settlement and the better use of state government funds on a regular basis for basic services and development. End Comment. SANDERS