Sunday 14 December
Nigeria has just celebrated the opening of an oil rig in Escravos situated in the oil rich Niger delta. Oilmen, politicians and militants took part in the 911 resort’s celebration. The place takes its name from Operation 911, the original military campaign against the militants.
However, militants and politicians seem to have reached an agreement which sounds incredible if we remember the kidnapping of numerous foreign oil workers and wealthy Nigerians, the clashes with the military, the killings or the pipeline destructions in southern Nigeria.
Billions of dollars worth of oil is pumped out of Nigeria every year, and yet the average Nigerian earns less than $2 a day. The militants have claimed to be fighting on behalf of local people who get no share of the oil riches, but their actions often bordered on crime.
Emmanuel Uduaghan the governor of the delta proposed to provide the militants with a wider place in the government with valuable contracts from well known companies like Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell, which dominate the oil business.
This situation is at the origin of the cease fire in the Delta state.
Henry Clarks who has been following the situation in the Niger Delta said: “The state governor is using the militants, he’s buying them over”.
“It’s not peace, it’s just quiet,” said Damka Pueba, of the delta-based Democracy Stakeholders Network.
Tom Polo is an example of this understanding between politicians and militants. He is a militant leader and the most powerful person in the region. He is earning a lot from oil businesses. His brother is a local politician.
Nowadays, oils firms want to deal directly with militants. Mr. Uduaghan said recently:
“The trend that is dangerous right now is the oil companies’ awarding contracts to militants”. “People of Delta State are entitled to contracts from oil companies, and I urge the oil companies to continue to give contracts to local communities.”
The Nigerian government tried to buy peace from the militants who have become quite powerful in the process.
Furthermore, other problems have grown. Oil firms want to trade with militants and the government still don’t bring wealth to the Nigerians.
It looks like Nigeria hasn’t found a strong agreement yet.
Sarah.D
Source: New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/world/africa/04nigeria.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=nigeria&st=cse&scp=6
No comments:
Post a Comment