mslanguage: http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/self-government-ogoni-long-overdue-diigbo
Self-government for Ogoni long overdue - Diigbo




MOSOP says the declaration is an enforcement of their rights

Article | August 4, 2012 - 1:53pm | By Tony Tamuno






Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, the President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), in a statement made available to Daily Times on Saturday, said the reason for the urgency behind the Ogoni declaration of self-governance was to enforce the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

On Thursday, August 2, in a live broadcast on a newly established radio station, Voice of Ogoni, Diigbo had, on behalf of the Ogoni people, declared a political autonomous Republic of Ogoni, saying: “By this declaration of political autonomy, we, the Ogoni people, are determined to enforce the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples without fear or retreat.”

Explaining the rationale behind the declaration, in a statement signed by Tambari Deekor, MOSOP Media's Associate Editor, Diigbo said they were “acting with legitimacy to reclaim all of our rights, without exception.”

“The urgency behind the declaration is that self-government for Ogoni was overdue, in view of many important issues bordering on indigenous rights of the Ogoni people being tampered with now. The UNEP Ogoni Report is one out of many,” he said.

“The Ogoni declaration of self-government now guarantees the Ogoni people the right to participate in decision-making in all matters which would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by Ogonis in accordance with own procedures, as well as to maintain and develop all our own indigenous decision-making institutions which we started to set up since 2011.

“It is my hope that this self-government will help to provide just and fair redress to decades of deprivation of our indigenous rights.”

On Friday, Diigbo while addressing some Ogonis in Bane, the hometown of late Ken Saro-Wiwa, stressed that Ogoni had, for decades, been devastated by petroleum operations of the Nigerian Government operating through NNPC and the Anglo-Royal Dutch/Shell, in alliance with other multinational oil corporations.

“Importantly, Ogoni can no longer accept dictation. Any institution, government and corporation interested in investment in Ogoni will enjoy transparent partnership, because we will end corruption and irresponsive governance in Ogoni," the MOSOP President said.

“This means partnership will be based on free, prior and informed consent, before any of our partners adopt and implement any project, and before the national government adopts any legislative or administrative measures that may affect Ogoni people.”

mslanguage: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/95841/1/enforcement-of-indigenous-rights-is-not-treasonabl.html

Enforcement of Indigenous Rights Is Not Treasonable Felony,Says Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, MOSOP President/Spokesman

By mosop media

Dr. Diigbo was reacting to an online report of August 4, 2012 by The Nation Newspaper credited to Rotimi Amaechi who occupies Government House, Port Harcourt. Amaechi is quoted as intimidating Diigbo by suggesting that he was committing “treasonable felony”, which is punishable by hanging in the same way Ken Saro-Wiwa was murdered.

“On Ogoni autonomy, I wish them well. Ogoni autonomy is not achievable. The man (Diigbo) who declared Ogoni autonomy will run into the bush tomorrow morning. What Diigbo is doing is treasonable felony. You do not declare autonomy on the pages of newspapers and magazines or on radio and television,” said Amaechi.

Diigbo said: “Article 20 (1) of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous is very clear that - Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems or institutions, to be secure in the enjoyment of their own means of subsistence and development, and to engage freely in all their traditional and other economic activities.”

Furthermore, Diigbo pointed out that: “In Article 34, indigenous peoples have the right to promote, develop and maintain their institutional structures and their distinctive customs, spirituality, traditions, procedures, practices and, in the cases where they exist, juridical systems or customs, in accordance with international human rights standards.”

By implication, Diigbo explained: “Issues pertaining to indigenous rights cannot be dabbled into by local or regional authorities that may be in conflict with indigenous rights, but rests with consultation with a nation state as Nigeria. We did not take Amaechi is ill-informed and trying to create security problems where they do not exist. It is this type of politicians that account for the violent bloodshed and lack of effective governance in Nigeria.”

Diigbo said: “I think Amaechi needs proper advice on international matters. It is also because of international instruments that citizens who want to live in organized society are able to aspire to self-government, freedom and to organize and subordinate their rights. You cannot pick and chose certain aspects of civilization and corruptly opt for primitivity as you deem fit.”

Diigbo added that: “To improve the quality of political leadership in Nigeria, will require well informed political elites and actors, and not those who rule with their entire trust rested on the misuse of security forces.”

Meanwhile, the President of Council of Ogoni Churches, Sir Mike Ibira said that tomorrow is a holy day and that the Ogoni people do not want to run into the bush, as they prefer to go to Church on Sundays as Christians, not to the bush.

Tambari Deekor
Associate Editor, MOSOP Media
tdeekor88@gmail.com

mslanguage: http://studytourus1.newsvine.com/_news/2012/08/04/13120460-ogonis-declaration-of-self-govt-is-a-treasonable-felony-claim-rejected-as-ill-informed
Ogoni's Declaration Of Self-Govt Is A Treasonable Felony - Claim Rejected as ill-informed
Sat Aug 4, 2012 1:41 PM EDT
world-news, ogoni-self-government, goodluck-diigbo-reacts-to-rotimi-amaechi, enforcement-of-indigenous-rights-is-not-treasonable-felony
By Goodluck Diigbo
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Enforcement of Indigenous Rights Is Not Treasonable Felony,

Says Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, MOSOP President/Spokesman

Dr. Diigbo was reacting to an online report of August 4, 2012 by The Nation Newspaper credited to Rotimi Amaechi who occupies Government House, Port Harcourt. Amaechi is quoted as intimidating Diigbo by suggesting that he was committing “treasonable felony”, which is punishable by hanging in the same way Ken Saro-Wiwa was murdered.

“On Ogoni autonomy, I wish them well. Ogoni autonomy is not achievable. The man (Diigbo) who declared Ogoni autonomy will run into the bush tomorrow morning. What Diigbo is doing is treasonable felony. You do not declare autonomy on the pages of newspapers and magazines or on radio and television,” said Amaechi.

Diigbo said: “Article 20 (1) of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous is very clear that - Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems or institutions, to be secure in the enjoyment of their own means of subsistence and development, and to engage freely in all their traditional and other economic activities.”

Furthermore, Diigbo pointed out that: “In Article 34, indigenous peoples have the right to promote, develop and maintain their institutional structures and their distinctive customs, spirituality, traditions, procedures, practices and, in the cases where they exist, juridical systems or customs, in accordance with international human rights standards.”

By implication, Diigbo explained: “Issues pertaining to indigenous rights cannot be dabbled into by local or regional authorities that may be in conflict with indigenous rights, but rests with consultation with a nation state as Nigeria. We did not take Amaechi serious, he is ill-informed and trying to create security problems where they do not exist. It is this type of politicians that account for the violent bloodshed and lack of effective governance in Nigeria.”

Diigbo said: “I think Amaechi needs proper advice on international matters. It is also because of international instruments that citizens who want to live in organized society are able to aspire to self-government, freedom and to organize and subordinate their rights. You cannot pick and chose certain aspects of civilization and corruptly opt for primitivity as you deem fit.”

Diigbo added that: “To improve the quality of political leadership in Nigeria, will require well informed political elites and actors, and not those who rule with their entire trust rested on the misuse of security forces.”

Meanwhile, the President of Council of Ogoni Churches, Sir Mike Ibira said that tomorrow is a holy day and that the Ogoni people do not want to run into the bush, as they prefer to go to Church on Sundays as Christians, not to the bush.

Tambari Deekor

Associate Editor, MOSOP Media

tdeekor88@gmail.com