For the past several weeks, the people of the Warri South portion of the oil-rich Niger Delta have been caught in the violent crossfire between the Nigerian military Joint Task Force (JTF) and rebel groups, drawing media attention from around the world.
The Joint Task Force offensive started in early May after military members were reportedly attacked by armed resistance groups. The JTF has been performing land and air raids on communities in the Warri South area in belief that the rebel fighters are hiding in those communities. On June 1, the JTF decided to expand the scope of the offensive into neighboring states and denied media claims of a potential ceasefire.
Hundreds of civilian men, women, and children are believed dead or injured. Many houses and whole communities have been systematically set on fire by the JTF and thousands of people have been forced to run and hide in the forest, without access to food or water, intensifying the humanitarian crisis. Some of the people have made it to the Ogbe Ijoh refugee camp, but the camp is ill-equipped to handle the influx of refugees and is desperate for food and water.
Senators Feingold and Kerry both issued statements condemning the actions of the Nigerian government and urging all parties involved in the conflict to bring an end to the widespread violence in the region. Click here to read the statements from Senator Kerry and Senator Feingold. National Public Radio recently covered the issue; click here to access the story.
Oil companies in Nigeria have wreaked havoc on the environment, destroying viable streams and forests, making it almost impossible to farm or fish, and creating tension between local communities. Corrupt and repressive government practices have augmented the tension between local communities and oil companies. While the oil companies argue that they provide economic resources and aid development, environmentalists and human rights organizations see them as a destabilizing force within Nigeria.
Greengrants has supported several groups in the Niger Delta in their campaign to raise awareness about the socio-economic and environmental impacts of oil extraction in the area and to mobilize community-level activists to advocate for better oversight of the oil and mining industry in Nigeria. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of grantee Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria comments on the affects of oil and gas development in Nigeria: “Corporations will become more vicious, the government will work harder to hold onto power, and democracy will decline in Nigeria. The question is how to restore power to the people, how to give them a voice in decision making so they don’t just give up. The answer is to build alliances, strengthen civil society, and set up rapid response networks.” For more information on Greengrants grantees in Nigeria, click here.
For more information, click here for an article from the BBC, and here for an article from IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.