VII. CONCLUSION

Given the complex realities of the Niger Delta-community dissatisfaction, weak and unresponsive government, security force abuses, and inter-community violence fueled, in part, by resources-a more comprehensive approach to the problems in the oil producing communities is necessary. Given increasing tensions related to upcoming local, state, and federal elections and the violence that has already occurred in the delta, urgent action is needed to avoid further conflict and the attendant human rights abuses. Local and state governments should be held fully accountable for their inability or unwillingness to effectively utilize revenues, and the federal government should seek to achieve a negotiated solution to the fundamental demands of the peoples who live in the oil producing areas of Nigeria. In addition, the federal government must ensure proper discipline over the security forces and hold them accountable for abuses. Oil companies should broadly assess their interactions with the communities where they work, including employment, community giving, relations with the government authorities and security forces, and community relations generally. They must ensure at minimum that they are not exacerbating the problems in the Delta, but also take steps to ensure that their actions contribute positively to the human rights environment in which they work. Given multiple failures by all of the institutions involved to adequately fulfill their obligations, external pressure is needed as well. The role of the international community has not been as forceful as it could, or should be.