As we mark the world’s Environment Day on June 5, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) calls for urgent action to save the Ogoni people and its environment.
MOSOP is deeply concerned about the threat to Ogoni survival posed by the failure of government and Shell to clean the Ogoni environment which had been devastated by long years of oil mining activities in the area.
MOSOP shares the concern of Nigerians about the country’s non-commitment to human rights as a major set-back to a healthy environment. MOSOP urges Nigeria to improve its human rights records and allow people to live, work and enjoy the peace that comes with fundamental freedom and respect for humanity and the environment.
MOSOP calls for the creation of a Bori state as a first step to enforce the rights of the Ogoni people to self determination urging the Nigerian government work towards an end to rights violations which is currently pervasive in the country.
While calling on the Ogoni people to stand up for their rights and peacefully protest violations, MOSOP condemns the Rivers State government over forceful take over of about 20,000 hectares of farmland belonging to subsistence farmers in Ogoni.
MOSOP views the Rivers State government land grab policy as a direct assault on the rights of the Ogoni people to survive.
Seizing land from subsistence farmers in a environment where land for farming is in high demand owing to massive oil pollution is nothing short of forcing hunger on the people.
MOSOP therefore calls on the government to discontinue the forceful land grab policy and compensate the people for the negative impact the land grab has had on them.
MOSOP calls on the Nigerian government to show greater commitment to fundamental freedom. We note that Nigeria’s claim to being a free society without respect for citizens’ rights is cosmetic and deceptive.
Nigeria must take steps to stop impunity and courageously enforce respect for human rights and fundamental freedom, this will be a necessary prerequisite to an environment that supports political, economic and social transformation.
Signed:
Jonah N. Frank
Chairman, MOSOP Kingdom Coordinators Forum
For: MOSOP
