Why We Fight – MEND Writes An Open Letter To Nigerian Soldiers
Wed Jun, 10 2009

By Jomo Gbomo


My Dear Brothers,
Unfortunately our paths are crossing at a time of war instead of a time of peace.
With the potentials of our great country from the North to the South and the East to the West, one would have expected that almost 50 years after independence we will be meeting in an atmosphere of true federalism, prosperity, mutual respect and genuine peace.
Alas, this is not the case today where you have been posted to fight an unjust war against your fellow brothers all for the sake of blood oil.
Some of you have a conscience. As you sit behind sandbags watching the gas flare from the oil wells, you wonder why the oil that is being processed every day and night is generating revenue for the country to develop other regions while the host communities remains in darkness, poverty, misery and to add salt to injury are bombed indiscriminately.
Then there are others who have come with an ignorant and arrogant attitude developed by a strange doctrine that they are superior to our people in tribe, religion, culture and language. They have been told that their mission is to ensure that oil continues to flow from the South to the North and gas from the South to the West and the dollars generated be used to build super highways and buildings in those regions while the natives should be grateful to receive the crumbs and play second fiddle in an environment that is degraded by years of greed and insensitivity.
By late 2005, some of us decided that the nonsense going on in our country has to stop. We formed the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta or MEND to bring out the wrong that have long been swept under the carpet and mend it right.
We had to take up arms to fight a system that is deaf and rigid to change. This fight has cost many of your colleagues and ours the ultimate sacrifice.
Today, we hear a lot of talk about criminality hijacking our noble struggle and for that reason everyone must be treated as criminals and exterminated.
Criminality is in every facet of the Nigerian society. Have you noticed that the fish starts to get rotten from the head?
By ascending to the position of President through an electoral fraud, Yar'Adua is an illegal commander in chief. Hijacking the peoples mandate is the highest form of criminality and therefore any order you take to destroy your fellow citizens from such a leader is having their blood on your head.
While calling the kettle black, criminals can be found in the armed forces, the customs, police, immigration, ministries, banking sector and National Assembly. I am sure you have been reading one scandal or the other by the same men who order you to be sent to fight an unjust war while they relax in the comfort of their home or guest houses heaping a fortune for themselves and immediate family.
Some of your officers may even be interested in having your beautiful wife for themselves so they post you to guard a facility in the middle of the dark forest hoping you will get killed or missing in action. This is a possibility and you can learn from King David.
When your colleagues protested for their stolen allowances due them after serving at the UN, the army rewarded their efforts with a life jail sentence.
The generals who ruled this country and who continue to play a role in the government today are among those that have put the country in the mess we find ourselves. Yet, not one of them is in jail or have to face the Jerry Rawlings treatment.
It was for such wickedness that the late Major Gideon G. Orkar and some gallant junior officers and men tried to change. We remember them today and salute them for their courage.
Our attack at the Chevron Otunana flow station last night did not claim the lives of any one because we were not fired upon as  we approached. We will not shoot first except fired upon.
Some of your colleagues have begged for their lives and even tell us of loved ones left behind. We sympathize with you and that is why it is important to understand that if you have an over zealous soldier or sailor by your side caution him not to shoot at us or else it will end in a blood bath to our advantage.
Our mission is to destroy the facilities that is being used to generate funds to buy bombs to destroy our already traumatized communities and the killing of soldiers becomes necessary only in self defense.
Our fight is just and we except the government does the right thing peacefully or we will have to negotiate true federalism which includes fiscal federalism when the oil and gas exports are down to zero.
Quoting from Mao Tse-tung is a truth about guerrilla warfare that will be found out inside the creeks: " When you want to fight us, we don't let you and you can't find us. But when we want to fight you, we make sure you can't get away and we hit you squarely,  and wipe you out, The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue"
Allow us use this opportunity to again warn oil workers to evacuate the entire region. Hurricane Piper Alpha is for real.
Jomo Gbomo

http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com/Article.aspx?id=1850

This is so thought provoking.

This is what they should have done long time ago - Mend needs a political arm or wing - They should learn from the IRA

This is a very serious sign that the militants are not only well armed and organised but also have people with the brains to strategise and effect psychological warfare before shots are fired. I feel bad when people take them lightly as armed bandits you can bomb them all to death. They were birthed and crystallised due to major flaws in this country and its not possible for force of arms alone to silence them, violence and exploitation is what started this in the first place. Lets learn from Ireland and other recent examples

blacksta:

This is what they should have done long time ago - Mend needs a political arm or wing - They should learn from the IRA

I agree with you.

These guys are obviously educated and good students of history. Any soldier in the field who reads this will have a second thought or two. The letter is spot-on accurate

While calling the kettle black, criminals can be found in the armed forces, the customs, police, immigration, ministries, banking sector and National Assembly. I am sure you have been reading one scandal or the other by the same men who order you to be sent to fight an unjust war while they relax in the comfort of their home or guest houses heaping a fortune for themselves and immediate family.

Do the zombies soldiers know this?

desgiezd:

Today, we hear a lot of talk about criminality hijacking our noble struggle and for that reason everyone must be treated as criminals and exterminated.
Criminality is in every facet of the Nigerian society. Have you noticed that the fish starts to get rotten from the head?

While calling the kettle black, criminals can be found in the armed forces, the customs, police, immigration, ministries, banking sector and National Assembly. I am sure you have been reading one scandal or the other by the same men who order you to be sent to fight an unjust war while they relax in the comfort of their home or guest houses heaping a fortune for themselves and immediate family.

A very succinct point!

Thought Provoking.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm!!
Really thought provoking!

Thought provoking and profound piece. The sad part is that the illiterate Nigerian Generals will not be able to read this piece.

It's quite unfortunate that both sides have lost many innocent lives.I strongly agree with u that True federalism will end this war.Will Nigeria not survive without the oil?

''As you sit behind sandbags watching the gas flare from the oil wells, you wonder why the oil that is being processed every day and night is generating revenue for the country to develop other regions while the host communities remains in darkness, poverty, misery and to add salt to injury are bombed indiscriminately.
Then there are others who have come with an ignorant and arrogant attitude developed by a strange doctrine that they are superior to our people in tribe, religion, culture and language.'' . . . . Jomo Gbomo

The emboldened is the bane of Nigeria's sorrows! The reason we fought a senseless civil war; witnessed scores of senseless riots in the North and suffer from the charade called 'Federal Character'. May the voice of reason finally prevail in the hearts of Nigerians and bring an end to this quagmire.

I think its unfortunate that it took the Militants to remind the Nigerian soldiers that when they engage in illegality, they destroy the future of everybody including their own kids.

When the police rig elections for particular candidates they destroy everybody's future including themselves and the police.

In the 21st century what ensures loyalty within the ranks of any armed forces or military, is to fight for truth, justice and greater good.
The President can control his cabinet and the generals, but if junior offices oppose any form of injustice they can actually win.

I have always wondered why some opposition politicians have not taken time to remind the Police and Army officers this fact.

There is a proverb in my language that "holding a turtoise to the ground is akin to holding yourself to the ground" That is what the Nigerian police and army do when they collude with leaders to destroy the country. Especially the junior officers.

@topic

However on the issue of the day, I think the preaching by MEND is a sign of accepting defeat. They have been beaten badly in the latest Military onslaught. I also do not think MEND has any moral grounds to advice anybody on morality. They have kidnapped little kids and raped girls . . .they have done all sorts living in affluence while the people they claim to fight for live in poverty.

Amazing! Was this piece put where everyone in Nigeria can see it so people can understand whats going on?

nonsense. those guys have themselves to blame. the first target of their campaign should have been their political representatives: govs, senators, reps etc. they should have started this movt by harrasing those guys. if those guys were under enough pressure, they wont go to abuja to drink and dance. they would fight with their hearts and believe me, even in corrupt nigeria, by the time we see reps from the niger-delta crying out vehemently, they will have support. . . . . . . . .and a lot will be achieved peacefully.

how many mosgues did the yorubas blow up in I993 b4 the rest of the country ceeded the presidency to them for 8 yrs? not even abacha stood in their way.

those mend guyscould have used their influence on their own leadership to think right. they are just being political now b/c the fed/govt has done what it should have done long ago.

people will slam me for this, but i believe in common sense, if they want to fight the nigerian army. . . good luck. na nairaland we go dey to analyse as e take happen. with all it's corruption, we have a democratic govt in nigeria, we have courts, we have private tv, We have natnl assembly, and finally, say what u want about nigerians, history shows that when chalenged . . nigerians have a conscience. mend should have done this better. . .with all the kidnappings etc they have lost my support or goodwill . . . . they ought to rot in hell.

how can i support people who kidnap children and old women? then take money for ransom. these people are not only dangerous, they are as corrupt as the politicians they are criticising.

they(mend) ought to rot in hell . . . . . nonsense

I say it very often, "if i had the means, i will FUND these guys o". I think it is only violence that the people in power understand.

NLC has gone on strike, ASUU don strike, Doctors don strike, eminent Nigerians and scholars have written essays in the papers, Journalists have their columns that are filled with plea's daily, the foreign media has embarassed us sufficiently, people have died meaninglessly and so on and so forth - yet our leaders have not done anything. All that remains now is for soldiers to down their weapons, when ordered to go and guard/kill the MEND members. Maybe govt go wake up

Abegi, MEND and others should continue blowing up all those facilities jare! Maybe this is what will make our leaders open their eyes and hearts. I sometimes hope that one day, Shell and others will wake up in anger and just abandon Naija. Maybe govt officials go wake up when they realise that their means of livelihood is gone.

mikeansy:


@topic

However on the issue of the day, I think the preaching by MEND is a sign of accepting defeat. They have been beaten badly in the latest Military onslaught. I also do not think MEND has any moral grounds to advice anybody on morality. They have kidnapped little kids and raped girls . . .they have done all sorts living in affluence while the people they claim to fight for live in poverty.

@mikeansy

The highlighted are things that both the Nigerian Military and Government have done to a far greater extent.
Let's not kid ourselves. Nobody has any moral ground to advice anyone else on morality regarding this issue.

I believe we should not use violence to settle our disagreements. But I have no moral ground to tell people not to use
violence to protect their children and their children's futures.

mikeansy:

However on the issue of the day, I think the preaching by MEND is a sign of accepting defeat. They have been beaten badly in the latest Military onslaught. I also do not think MEND has any moral grounds to advice anybody on morality. They have kidnapped little kids and raped girls . . .they have done all sorts living in affluence while the people they claim to fight for live in poverty.

Mikeansy, if you know a bit of psychology, you'd read the letter more carefully and understand that the battle has entered a new phase!
That letter doesn't signify any form of defeat, it actually connotes a shift toward a more ideological stand as against the aimless kidnapping that was previously followed.
Any battle with a strong ideological leaning is usually a more dangerous one.

blacksta:

This is what they should have done long time ago - Mend needs a political arm or wing   - They should learn from the IRA

I see where you are coming from Sinn Fein worked in a country with a notion of civil rights. The security services in 9ja would simply round up members of this political wing for summary execution or indefinite detention.

Hello guys i wrote a topic on this some time ago but no one cared to read it.
The title was the solution to the niger delta problem.
This battle cannot be won by using guns alone at least am happy some one out there read it.
This battle can be won idealogically and am happy that they are seeing the light now.
They need a strong political wing and this battle does not just belong to the ijaws alone this battle is for everyone in the Niger Delta we
have to come together as one unit and one voice.
It is said in the bible when we all unite who can come against us no one.
The other tribes should come together to make the dream a reality.
Mend can cannot win this battle alone.
Long live Niger Delta

PapaBrowne:

Mikeansy, if you know a bit of psychology, you'd read the letter more carefully and understand that the battle has entered a new phase!
That letter doesn't signify any form of defeat, it actually connotes a shift toward a more ideological stand as against the aimless kidnapping that was previously followed.
Any battle with a strong ideological leaning is usually a more dangerous one.

The letter itself was not carefully written, so no need to ask me to read it carefully

MEND are not as smart as you guys are making them look.

They don't even have an appreciation of history.

In the letter they wrote, they alienated everyone but themselves.

True federalism will not be achieved in the creeks or in any battle field for that matter. It has to be achieved at the NASS. South South senators or representatives alone will not get 2/3 majority.
Listen to political commentators from all zones, you will understand that neither the South West nor the South East are scared of true federalism so what is the point declaring these folks as enemy.

So the intentions of the letter is great but some of the contents are short-sighted.
Even the attempts to stoke up dissent within the ranks of the army was not even cleverly done. They went for tough talk rather than making a credible argument and owning the Moral Grounds.

MEND need to spend some of the money they have already made from kidnapping to hire brilliant and strategic SPIN DOCTORS.

mikeansy:

I think its unfortunate that it took the Militants to remind the Nigerian soldiers that when they engage in illegality, they destroy the future of everybody including their own kids.

When the police rig elections for particular candidates they destroy everybody's future including themselves and the police.

In the 21st century what ensures loyalty within the ranks of any armed forces or military, is to fight for truth, justice and greater good.
The President can control his cabinet and the generals, but if junior offices oppose any form of injustice they can actually win.

I have always wondered why some opposition politicians have not taken time to remind the Police and Army officers this fact.

There is a proverb in my language that "holding a turtoise to the ground is akin to holding yourself to the ground" That is what the Nigerian police and army do when they collude with leaders to destroy the country. Especially the junior officers.

@topic

However on the issue of the day, I think the preaching by MEND is a sign of accepting defeat. They have been beaten badly in the latest Military onslaught. I also do not think MEND has any moral grounds to advice anybody on morality. They have kidnapped little kids and raped girls . . .they have done all sorts living in affluence while the people they claim to fight for live in poverty.

This fool, are you going to remain a fool forever? Do you even read the letter, talkless of understanding the content? What does the below quote tells you, especially the bolded part?

Today, we hear a lot of talk about criminality hijacking our noble struggle and for that reason everyone must be treated as criminals and exterminated. Criminality is in every facet of the Nigerian society. Have you noticed that the fish starts to get rotten from the head?

While calling the kettle black, criminals can be found in the armed forces, the customs, police, immigration, ministries, banking sector and National Assembly. I am sure you have been reading one scandal or the other by the same men who order you to be sent to fight an unjust war while they relax in the comfort of their home or guest houses heaping a fortune for themselves and immediate family.

i get only one message from that letter_______ the military action of the JTF is hurting mend badly.

these people are criminals. period. i know the nigerian govt has been terrible . . . . . since I960, but these people have been corrupt, selfish, criminal, violent . . . . . all for their own enrichment and not the enrichment of the average ijaw/niger-delta man.

they can go to hell. the problem in niger-delta can never be won with violence. u can try. mend can never have the sympathy of the nation. not after all those kidnappings of children and elderly people. what kind of human beings can kidnap a 3 yr old? if the only people that can fight for the rights of ijaw people are child kidnappers, then i can say. . . the ijaw people are amongst all peoples, the most miserable

violence is not the solution. yorubas didnt go to war, yet they got the presidency . . . and other privileges that go with it.

pres-elect:

(1.) they can go to hell. the problem in niger-delta can never be won with violence. u can try. mend can never have the sympathy of the nation. not after all those kidnappings of children and elderly people. what kind of human beings can kidnap a 3 yr old?

(2.) if the only people that can fight for the rights of ijaw people are child kidnappers, then i can say. . . the ijaw people are amongst all peoples, the most miserable

(1.) First of all, no kidnapping of any 3 year old has ever been claimed by MEND. . . . infact MEND have never claimed any kidnappings apart from that of expatriates. . . . 3 yrs olds get kidnapped in Anambra, Abuja, Lagos, Owerri etc. . . . but when one is kidnapped in Niger Delta, it is conveniently attributed to 'militants'. . . .

(2.) hehehehe. . . . your motive is quite clear, you bigot. . . . buzz off.

MEND need to take a step back, drop their guns, go back to class room, read their history and that of Nigeria, compare the realities and behaviours of today to the different versions of our history of the past, make up their mind on what is and what is not the truth.

Then they can start talking about waging a strugle whether militarily or ideologically or political.

You can't pick a fight without knowing your objective or being clear on how the trouble you seek to resolve came about.

They are just making noise right now.

Sorry for the pounding, but it looks like Major Gen Sarkin Bello is winning this one, very soon he will be crowned a five star general.

Impressive keep it up mend!, FG must do the right thing, and not the wrong they have been doing for ages. I am equally happy Obama isnt coming to Nigeria to visit our illegal govt. We must start organising ourselves and vote massively against the PDP come 2011 even tho! we know it will be rigg, lets just try, we are the once to save this nation. Yaradua has failed and has no reason to return after 2011. He should go back to his state and nurse his illness.
Rotational presidency is the biggest fraud the political class has placed on Nigeria. If the man with the right mind and holding the will of the people comes from the North, then let him rule. Rotational presidency will kill our vision for the future and not give the best minds a chance to deliver. Rotational presidency is a bold sign that the country is deeply divided. Weather you are from the North, east, west or south, We all have common goal, power, jobs, security,

pres-elect:

if the only people that can fight for the rights of ijaw people are child kidnappers, then i can say. . . the ijaw people are amongst all peoples, the most miserable

violence is not the solution. yorubas didnt go to war, yet they got the presidency . . . and other privileges that go with it.

Oboribọ!!

pres-elect:

violence is not the solution. yorubas didnt go to war, yet they got the presidency . . . and other privileges that go with it.

What reasoning!! As if getting the presidency is a thing to be compared with resource deprivation and environmental degradation!
Priviledges He I don't know of any oh!

Quoting from Mao Tse-tung is a truth about guerrilla warfare that will be found out inside the creeks: " When you want to fight us, we don't let you and you can't find us

the thing is when they don't find you, they blow up your villages as a form of consolation.

MEND took the wrong initial approach and it's sad to say this philosophical argument has come way too late. You are now terrorists to the international community that would have had sympathy for your cause.

bawomolo:

the thing is when they don't find you, they blow up your villages as a form of consolation.

MEND took the wrong initial approach and it's sad to say this philosophical argument has come way too late. You are now terrorists to the international community that would have had sympathy for your cause.

Who told you the militants care one inch about the villages. They've made more than enough money and moved into the cities.
Asides the villages have long been destroyed by those fires from gas flaring by the multinationals.

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Mandela and Arafat were once called terrorists.