Nigerian group writes the UN on Niger Delta Crisis

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, a Lagos-based human rights organisation, has asked the United Nations to address the human rights situation in the Niger Delta, in the context of the on-going conflict.

The organisation in a letter written to Navi Pilllay, the High Commissioner of the U.N. Human Rights Council, by its Lawyer, Femi Falana, said the council should urge the Nigerian government to curb the frequency of attacks on civilians in the Niger Delta by its soldiers.

The group said that despite the country’s membership of the human rights body and its ratification of several U.N. human rights treaties, its approach to the Niger Delta crisis and many others in the past has been very inhumane.

“The holding of a special session on the Niger Delta will be consistent with the practice of the Human Rights Council, regarding its previous special sessions on the Occupied Palestinian Territories; Lebanon; Darfur; Myanmar; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the Global Food Crisis and the Global Economic and Financial Crises,” the letter said.

A long list

The organisation said since May 13, thousands of villagers have been displaced and thousands more trapped in the cross fire between the Joint military Task Force and militant groups. The task force was established in 2004 to restore order in the Niger Delta after heightened attacks by militant groups which profess to fight for the emancipation of the people of the area.

The latest military operation started after the soldiers were attacked by armed groups. The human rights group, in the letter, also urged the world human rights body to look into the following:

* Address the responsibility of the Nigerian government with respect to allegations of serious human rights violations committed in the context of the on-going conflict in the Niger Delta

* Ask the Nigerian government to ensure a better and healthier environment for Nigerians, including those in the Niger Delta

* Ask the Nigerian government to provide effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy to victims of human rights violations in the context of the on-going conflict in the Niger Delta

* Ask the Nigerian government to provide restitution, compensation or both, as warranted, for damages resulting from the serious violations of the human rights highlighted above

* Urge the Nigerian government to fulfil its complementary obligations under the Rome Statute of the ICC to investigate fully, effectively, fairly, independently and impartially and bring to justice those suspected to be responsible for crime against humanity in the context of the on-going conflict in the Niger Delta.

* Ask Nigerian militants to halt further hostilities and attacks.

The special session should also urge other states to exercise universal jurisdiction over those suspected to be responsible for crime against humanity or war crime committed in the context of the ongoing conflict.