Nigeria: MEND Declares War

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) a little understood but well equipped group recently declared full-scale war against oil companies and the government if their demands of equitable development and environmental justice are not met. Since that time the MEND has destroyed nearly 25% of Nigeria's oil producing capacity, consequently pushing up gas prices worldwide. MEND Spokesperson Jomo Gbomo sent two recent communiqués to Philadelphia Independent Journalist Peter Bloom declaring "With effect from 12 midnight today, Sunday 23, 2007, we will commence attacks on installations and abduction of expatriates."



Recent Communiqués 1 | 2 at: http://www.indymedia.org/en/2007/09/893071.shtml

Nigeria is the world's eighth largest oil producer and the fifth largest supplier of crude oil to the United States. This natural resource is extracted from the region of Africa known as the Niger Delta. Sadly, the billions of dollars generated by this multinational industry are rarely invested in the region and the people live in continued misery, with few roads, little infrastructure and a decimated environment. Nigeria is notorious for its widespread corruption and the payments made from oil companies such as Shell and Chevron are kept by politicians and military leaders for their personal gain. This dire situation has led to years of continued struggle by many of the Delta's local indigenous groups such as the Ijaw and Ogoni peoples, among others, to receive their fare share of the oil revenues in order to better their communities. These efforts have been met with stiff and inhumane resistance from the Nigerian military and paramilitary groups funded by the oil companies themselves.

But the fight continues, most recently in the form of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a little understood but well equipped guerilla group. In 2006 the MEND declared full scale war against the oil companies and the government declaring that they would completely destroy the country's capacity to produce crude oil if their demands of equitable development and environmental justice are not met. Since that time the MEND has destroyed nearly 25% of Nigeria's oil producing capacity, consequently pushing up gas prices worldwide. Mainstream corporate media has covered the situation in the Delta with specific focus on the MEND, but most reports are sensationalist, stilted and de-contextualized, preferring to portray the group as petty criminals bent on their own enrichment.

Since national elections in the spring, the MEND has been in a provisional ceasefire as a show of good faith to the new government in order to push for immediate negotiations. After months of frustration and aggression on the part of the Nigerian states towards communities in the Delta and members, the MEND has declared that it will be resuming attacks.