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Promptly investigate the 2003-2004 violence
around Port Harcourt by the NDPVF and the NDV, including allegations of the
role of state government officials in sponsoring armed groups. Independent
investigations must also be undertaken into alleged abuses and excessive use of
force by state security forces. Prosecute any individuals alleged to be responsible
for serious human rights abuses, including murder and wanton destruction of
property, in accordance with international fair trial standards.
Take prompt and effective measures to ensure
that families who suffered loss of lives and property as a result of human
rights violations committed by government agents, including government
complicity in abuses committed by the armed groups, receive appropriate
reparation. Work with international donors and multinational oil companies to
obtain financial and logistical assistance to assist all those who have been
internally displaced, and had homes and property destroyed during the violence
in late 2003 and 2004
Deploy adequate numbers of police in Rivers State, in particular to the riverine communities, to protect the local population
from potential acts of violence by armed groups. Ensure that members of the
police force deployed act professionally, impartially and in accordance with
international standards.
Take measures to stop the flow of small arms
into the Niger Delta, such as the strengthening of controls over
government-controlled weapons and the improvement of border security with
neighbouring countries. Take the lead in pressing for the implementation of a
binding regional convention on small arms to replace the ECOWAS small arms
moratorium. Establish more robust mechanisms for monitoring the disarmament
process.
Provide to the public, reports on payments of
oil companies to the government and government revenues derived from the
extractive industries sector, as recommended by the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative, signed onto by the Nigerian government in 2003.
Establish a comprehensive strategy for
investigating illegal oil bunkering activities, and for ensuring that such
investigations and resulting arrests and prosecutions are not affected by
political considerations. Explore the possibility of oil certification as a
means of eliminating the role of illegal oil bunkering in fuelling the
violence, by reducing the income that can be made from the illegal sale of oil.
Urge the federal and state government to
investigate responsibility for the 2003 and 2004 violence around Port Harcourt and to hold perpetrators of serious human rights abuses accountable.
Provide assistance for government and civil society initiatives
to assist internally displaced persons.
Provide technical and financial assistance for
initiatives to curb the flow of small arms in the Niger Delta and the wider sub-region.
Encourage full implementation by the Nigerian government of the
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and support the international
campaign - commonly known as the Publish What You Paycampaign - calling for
the mandatory disclosure of all taxes, fees, royalties and other payments made
by companies to governments for the extraction of natural resources.
Urge the federal and state government to
investigate responsibility for the 2003 and 2004 violence around Port Harcourt and to hold perpetrators of serious human rights abuses accountable.
Take measures to stop the flow of small arms
into the Niger Delta, such as the improvement of border security with
neighbouring countries. Press for the implementation of a binding regional
convention on small arms to replace the ECOWAS small arms moratorium.
To oil companies
operating in the Niger Delta:
Publicly and privately urge the federal and
state government to investigate responsibility for the 2003 and 2004 violence
around Port Harcourt and to hold perpetrators of serious human rights abuses
accountable.
Encourage full and swift implementation by the
Nigerian government of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
Publish details of all fees, royalties,
contracts and other payments made to all levels of the Nigerian government and
to local communities, including compensation payments and community development
funding.
Ensure credible third party audits of community
development assistance, including payments that are given to community
representatives to disburse or spend on community projects and employment
agreements with local communities. Results of such audits should be made public
to ensure that all funds are used for their stated and intended purpose.
Explore the possibility of oil certification as
a means of stopping illegal oil bunkering.
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