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Nigeria: U.S. Mayors Resolution
Nigeria: U.S. Mayors Resolution
Date distributed (ymd): 970626
Document reposted by APIC
The Africa Fund June 24, 1997
Founded in 1966 by the American Committee on Africa, The Africa Fund
works for a constructive U.S. policy toward Africa and supports African
human rights, democracy and sustainable development. For more information
contact The Africa Fund, 17 John Street, New York, NY 10038. Phone: 212-962-1210.
E-mail: [email protected].
U.S. Conference of Mayors calls for U.S. Action Against Nigerian
Dictatorship
The 1,000 member U.S. Conference of Mayors, at its 65th annual meeting
in San Francisco, adopted a resolution today calling for swift restoration
of human rights and democracy in Nigeria, and the release of political
prisoners. The resolution urges the Administration and Congress to take
all practical steps, including economic measures, to achieve the early
restoration of democracy and human rights in Nigeria. The resolution welcomes
the measures adopted by cities across the U.S. in support of Nigerian democracy.
"By adopting the resolution the U.S. Conference of Mayors has shown
the same kind of leadership in support of the democracy struggle in Nigeria
as it did in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa," said
Jennifer Davis, Executive Director of The Africa Fund, who addressed the
International Affairs Committee at the conference.
The resolution notes that "the United States can have significant
impact on the Nigerian government because the U.S. annually purchases nearly
half the oil exports on which the regime depends for economic survival."
Nigeria, Africa's largest country with a population of more than 100 million,
has suffered under a military dictatorship since 1993 when the military
annulled presidential elections. The State Department has found that the
Nigerian regime commits serious human rights abuses, routinely detaining
and torturing pro-democracy activists, and denying free speech and the
right of assembly.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors is a non-partisan organization of more
than 1,000 cities with a population of more than 30,000. Each city is represented
in the Conference by its mayor. Mayors co-sponsoring the resolution include:
Hon. Willie L. Brown, Jr. (San Francisco, CA); Hon. Shirley Dean (Berkeley,
CA); Hon. Roosevelt Dorn (Inglewood, CA); Hon. Robert B. Ingram (Opa-Locka,
FL); Hon. Thomas E. Jennings (Roswell, NM); Hon. Thomas Menino (Boston,
MA); Hon. Marc Morial (New Orleans, LA); Hon. Norman B. Rice (Seattle,
WA); Hon. Sheila Doyle Russell (Cambridge, MA) and Wellington E. Webb (Denver,
CO).
Following is the full text of the resolution:
SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA
WHEREAS, in Nigeria a military dictatorship denies more than 100 million
people basic human and democratic rights and the State Department has found
that the Nigerian regime routinely commits serious human rights abuses,
including arbitrary detention and torture of pro-democracy activists and
denial of free speech and assembly; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 7,000 opponents of the military regime are in
jail including the winner of the 1993 Presidential election, Moshood Abiola,
who has been imprisoned for three years; and pro-democracy activists have
called for international action at great risk to their lives; and
WHEREAS, the 1995 execution of nine environmental activists from the
Ogoni region, including renowned writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, was condemned by
world leaders including Presidents Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela, and
many U.S. mayors; and another 19 environmental activists now face the danger
of execution on the same charges; and
WHEREAS, the United States can have significant impact on the Nigerian
government because the U.S. annually purchases nearly half of the oil exports
on which the regime depends for economic survival; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has a proud history of support
for democracy in Africa and around the world and The Africa Fund has launched
a campaign to help the Nigerian people win human rights and democratic
rule; and
WHEREAS, the cities of Amherst, Cambridge, New Orleans, New York, Oakland
and St. Louis have passed resolutions and ordinances in support of freedom
in Nigeria;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors welcomes
the actions by U.S. cities in support of democracy in Nigeria, and calls
for the release of political prisoners and the swift restoration of human
rights and democracy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors urges the
Administration and Congress to take all practical steps, including economic
measures, to achieve the early restoration of democracy and human rights
in Nigeria.
This material is produced and distributed by the Africa Policy Information
Center (APIC), the educational affiliate of the Washington Office on Africa.
APIC's primary objective is to widen the policy debate in the United States
around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa, by providing accessible
policy-relevant information and analysis usable by a wide range of groups
and individuals.
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