Nonkilling explored in Niger Delta Seminar

The third “Seminar on Nonviolent Struggle and Social Change in the Niger Delta” took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State (Nigeria), on the August 7-8. The Seminar was organized by local nonprofits Centre for Global Nonviolence Nigeria, a partner of the Center for Global Nonkilling, and Social Action. Over 50 persons representing different organisations participated in the seminar.

The opening session included remarks by Fidelis Allen, representative of the Centre for Global Nonviolence Nigeria, and Ken Henshaw, Programme Officer of Social Action. In his opening speech, Allen explained that the seminar sought to redirect energies of activists, leaders of nongovernmental organisations and community based organisations in the Niger Delta from violent struggles to nonviolent methods, facilitating the understanding of the nonkilling approach to conflict transformation.

The seminar was basically interactive. It utilised group discussions where participants contributed and responded to issues raised in papers presented by the facilitators. In the last session of the seminar participants split into three groups, namely: Martin Luther King Jr.; Mohandas Gandhi; and Glenn D.Paige. Each of these groups was give specific task to undertake. The Martin Luther King Jr. group was given the assignment of discussing and recommending strategies and solutions to the Niger Delta crisis. Mohandas Gandhi group looked at the best way to address the issue of amnesty granted militants or freedom fighters in the Niger Delta as a nonviolent initiative of the Federal Government. The last group, Glenn D. Paige, addressed how activists and leaders of civil society should organise effective actions for social change without killing.

Communiqué

Following deliberations based on issues raised in papers presented by facilitators in a 2-Day seminar on “Nonviolent Struggle and Social Change in the Niger Delta,” organised by the Centre for Global Nonviolence Nigeria and Social Action at number 33 Orominike Layout, D-Line, Port Harcourt on 7-8 August,2009, participants note that violent conflict in the Niger Delta require commitment of the governments at the various levels of local, state and federal to the development of the region. We therefore state as follows:

1. That nonviolence is useful for resolving the crisis in the region by the government and aggrieved groups in the Niger Delta;
2. That a sovereign national conference of all ethnic groups in Nigeria to decide Nigeria’s federal system is over-due;
3. Repeal of all obnoxious laws, such as the Land Use decree in Nigeria;
4. Creation of employment opportunities for youths of the region;
5. Massive clean up the environment polluted by oil company activities in the Niger Delta;
6. Gas flaring should be stopped forthwith in the region;
7. Groups in the region should utilise nonviolent methods in their struggle for justice in Nigeria;
8. Social democracy should be the goal of groups in their quest for social change in the region. As such, provisions of “recall” in Nigeria’s constitution should be utilised to regulate representatives who fail to adequately represent their constituencies;
9. Use of regular rallies by oil bearing communities;
10. Use of constructive nonviolent public speeches

Communiqué draft committee:
Ken Henshaw, Fidelis Allen, Wuke Chidi, Ndorbu Brown, Romeo Need