Nigerian Democracy support group statement on the situation in Nigeria

By ANC Nigerian Democracy Support Group.
14 November, 1995

Leaders of the ANC, SACP, COSATU, NOCSA, SAFA, NSL, NADEL, Lawyers for Human Rights, Business South Africa and the South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights today 14 November met in Johannesburg to discuss the serious situation in, and to develop a programme of action to ensure a speedy movement towards the restoration of democracy in Nigeria.

The meeting was attended by ANC Deputy Secretary-General Cheryl Carolus, Cosatu General Secretary Sam Shilowa, SACP General Secretary Charles Nqakula, SACP Deputy General Secretary Jeremy Cronin, Carl Niehaus (ANC), Bangumzi Sifingo (COSATU), Sticks Morewa (SAFA), Dan Moyo (NOCSA), Irvin Khoza (NSL), Dr Matseke (SAFA), Bokkie Botha (Business South Africa), Corinna Gordon (Business SA), Yusuf Saloojee (ANC DIA), Nomazizi Mtshotshisa (NADEL), Corlett Letlojane (LHR), Laura Pollecut (LHR) and Golden Miles Bhudu (SAPHOR).

The meeting noted the recent disturbing developments and trends in Nigeria led by the military government of General Abacha which constitute an assault on the freedom, peace and justice of the people of Nigeria.

In this context, several leading figures within that country have been detained without a just cause. Even more recently, the Nigerian Government has defied the will of the international community in executing nine activists including Ken Saro-Wiwa.

The member organisations represented here today, therefore decided to constitute ourselves as the South African-Nigerian Democracy Support Group.

As members of the SA-Nigerian Democracy Support Committee we cannot stand idly by as the military government of General Abacha systematically undermine and erode the fundamental and basic freedoms of the people of Nigeria. Our own past experience in our country reminds us that an extra day under a dictatorship is a day too long.

The SA-Nigerian Democracy Support Group joins calls by our President Nelson Mandela and the broad international family of nations in expressing our unequivocal condemnation of General Abacha and his military government and commit ourselves to ensure within the means at our disposal the speedy movement towards the restoration of democracy in Nigeria.

Our condemnation must be directed at the Abacha regime while giving our full support to bring to a speedy end to the oppression and suffering of the Nigerian people.

In this regard, the SA-Nigerian Democracy Support Group calls on all South Africans to join us in calling:

• for an end to all executions specifically of those of political detainees, among them Chief Abiola, General Obasanjo and others
• the immediate release of all political detainees
• speedy restoration of democracy

In this context, the SA-Nigerian Democracy Support Group is organising the following events to ensure that as many South Africans as possible will be granted an opportunity to express their outrage and to associate themselves with these objectives:

• a gathering at the Nigerian Consulate, at 6 Bolton Road, Parkwood in Rosebank on Friday 17 November at 12h00 to lay nine wreaths in memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight Ogoni leaders who were brutally executed by the Abacha regime. We call on our people to organise similar events around all Nigerian Consulates throughout the country.
• all South Africans are called upon to participate in appropriate actions to express their outrage at what happened and to support the process of democratisation in Nigeria. In this regard, we congratulate the South African Football Association (SAFA) for the courageous step taken in withdrawing their invitation to Nigeria to play in the annual Simba Four Nations Cup.
• all religions are requested to remember in their prayer services, the people of Nigeria in these dark hours and their struggle for democracy. These could be done through pastoral letters and other appropriate measures.

Issued by the SA-Nigerian Democracy Support Group
Johannesburg
2000
14 November 1995