NIGER DELTA ACTIVISTS WELCOME U.S. ENGAGEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000169

SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, AF/PDPA, DRL, INR/AA
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/26
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SOCI KPAO NI
SUBJECT: NIGER DELTA ACTIVISTS WELCOME U.S. ENGAGEMENT

REF: ABUJA 0163 AND PREVIOUS

CLASSIFIED BY: James P. McAnulty, Political Counselor, U.S. Embassy
Abuja, Political Section; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)

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SUMMARY

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1. (C) Activists from civil society told Assistant Secretary for
African Affairs Ambassador Johnnie Carson that they welcomed
greater U.S. engagement during a round table discussion on Niger
Delta in Lagos on February 6. Participants praised U.S. public
statements urging a constitutional end to the leadership vacuum
created by President Yar'Adua's prolonged absence and stressed that
they believed greater international involvement in the Niger Delta
would spur progress. All activists endorsed the Niger Delta
Technical Committee's final report and urged its immediate
implementation. When asked to identify the greatest impediment to
a solution to the crisis, participants cited a lack of sincerity
and political will on the part of the federal government. Whether
Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, an ethnic Ijaw with roots in
the heart of the Niger Delta, can break through the existing
inertia and start to deliver on promises remains to be seen. END
SUMMARY.



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DIVERSE PROBLEMS, COMMON PERSPECTIVES

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2. (C) On February 6, seven activists met in Lagos with Ambassador
Carson for a round-table discussion on the Niger Delta.
Participants included Gary Akpobire of the Delta State Integrated
Development Programme, Dr. Chris Ekiyor President of the Ijaw Youth
Council, Eneruvie Enakoko of the Civil Liberties Organization,
Sheriff Mulade of Center for Peace and Environmental Justice,
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Obi of the Niger Delta Technical Committee,
Allen Onyema of the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria, and
Tony Uranta of the Commission of Nobel Laureates to the Niger
Delta. Each participant provided a summary of key issues that
ranged from the impact of environmental degradation on the economy
of the region to the need for internationally-recognized
organizations to provide nonviolence training to communities and
youth throughout the Niger Delta. Several participants addressed
the issue of economic and political disenfranchisement, emphasizing
the need for greater resource control at the local level and
credible elections leading to accountable government.




3. (C) Participants praised recent U.S. statements on the need for
a constitutional transfer of presidential power in light of
President Yar'Adua's prolonged absence. They endorsed greater U.S.
and international involvement in the Niger Delta peace process,
with Obi saying it was the best way to keep pressure on the federal
government to deliver on promises of rehabilitation and
development. Onyema stressed the need for the involvement of
credible international organizations to end a "self-interest
driven" post-amnesty program. Mulade urged the U.S. to demand
greater responsibility and respect for law on the part of the
international oil companies. Uranta, Enakoko, and Onyema requested
U.S. support in building the capacity of civil society in
grass-roots democracy, non-violence, litigation, and election
monitoring. Ekiyor added that Nigeria needed U.S. assistance in
technical training, pointing to the fact that Nigeria has "no
functioning refineries, no functioning hospitals."




4. (C) Participants agreed that the Niger Delta Technical Committee
Report provided a workable blueprint for addressing the problems in
the Niger Delta. The failure of the federal government to issue a
white paper on this report and to adopt its recommendations is,

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they stated, a major factor undermining GON credibility in the
Niger Delta.



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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INSINCERE

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5. (C) Ambassador Carson asked participants what they believed was
the greatest impediment to solving the Niger Delta crisis. Uranta
noted that too many vested interests benefited from the status quo,
including international interests who profited from illegal oil
bunkering or illegal arms sales. Akpobire said the federal
government lacked sincerity in finding a permanent solution,
arguing that while President Yar'Adua and the individual governors
wanted a solution, because they saw peace as an accomplishment that
would enhance their image and legacy, "everyone below them is only
interested in themselves." Enakoko summarized the problem as a
lack of "political will" on the part of the small clique of people
who "have controlled Nigeria since independence."



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COMMENT

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6. (C) As an ethnic Ijaw, Jonathan is presumed to be on the side of
Niger Delta activists with respect to development, resource
control, and environmental action. Viewed as a weak vice president
and reluctant to take charge in Yar'Adua's absence, it remains to
be seen if Jonathan as Acting President will have the clout and the
will to advance the Niger Delta process. END COMMENT.




7. (U) Assistant Secretary Carson did not have an opportunity to
clear this telegram before departing from Lagos.




8. (U) ConGen Lagos prepared and coordinated this telegram with
Embassy Abuja, which transmitted this telegram on behalf of ConGen
Lagos.
SANDERS