That Human Rights Watch Report on Nigeria - Comment by

 Dr. Emmanuel Omoh Esiemokhai, Akintokunbo A Adejumo and Mazi Ogbonna

Champions@championsfornigeria.org

It is prudent to be wary of "reports" by the US based Human Rights Watch.  Human Rights, both in National and International Law, come under the watch of one of the authors (Dr. Emmanuel Omoh Esiemokhai) as a University professor. He has written on the subject enough to know the “holier -than-thou" attitude of the octopus organisation, Human Rights Watch.

Such organisations tend to see human rights violations in every other state in our universe, except in the United States of America . They tell the world about human rights violations as if the generally well-documented violations in the USA do not constitute human rights violations. However, for the purpose of this commentary, it will be too much to go into these issues here.

However, we would like to draw the attention of Human Rights Watch to a very recent editorial published in the New York Times of 8th October 2007 entitled "On Torture and American Values".  Also, Human Rights Watch should react to the accusations  by the Cuban delegation to the just concluded United Nations 62nd Session, as well as the remarks by the Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, the Iranian President, Mamoud Ahmadinajad and other recent commentaries including Dr. Esiemokhai’s research  published in his book entitled "IRAQ: The New Carthage. International Law and Diplomacy in the Iraqi Crisis” (2003).

Until Human Rights Watch takes on a fairer and more balanced view of Human Rights violations across all the world frontiers, its authoritative pronouncements can only impress those, who have not looked at the preponderance of evidence.

We all admit that it is true that the April 2007 elections in Nigeria were totally flawed, but there are all sorts of refined, electronic systems of rigging elections in some developed nations. What we are pointing out is that Man is Man on planet Earth. We have all travelled widely on this planet and so it is laughable each time intelligent people read hypocritical comments by people or organisations, who wish to pretend that they are perfect while others can be associated with every vice and not a single virtue.

For example, we all know that corruption in Nigeria , especially among Nigerian political leaders cannot thrive, if the Western nations do not look the other way when a political urchin brings millions of dollars or pounds to store in their financial institutions. This practice had been going on for decades. These trans-Atlantic financial deals are well-known to the eagle-eyed Intelligence Organisations world-wide. Human Rights Watch should react to this statement.

Wholesale looting of African and Nigerian treasuries for safe keeping in Euro-American financial houses every day, violates the human rights of Africans and Nigerians, more than equally damnable electoral mal-practices. Where can we start to count as evidence abound that great museums of Europe and America are richly furnished with numerous “LOOTS” from African countries while Africans continue to be impoverished? To add insults to injury, Euro-American journalists and other commentators always feel that they have the licence and right to insult African leaders, while they hold their leaders in high esteem and pedestal, even when such leaders commit atrocities around the globe. It is un-condonable, that the world’s greatest Looters of humans and materials as well the greatest accomplices to corruption practices are taking a holier than thou hypocritical stance.

We are really tired of all these reports on the level of corruption in Nigeria . A kid born yesterday knows about that already. Nigerians and the international communities know about that already. So what's new in this? Nothing really. We have over-analyzed the problem while hardly any proffered solution is adhered too. What we should be doing is looking for solutions, not more reports on the problems.

Seriously, we don't think the outside world; especially the super powers are interested in finding a working, practical solution for Nigeria ’s ills because that will contradict their aged-long “Divide and conquer” doctrine. We are very much aware of their interest in the oil wealth, or rather, resources of Nigeria . Otherwise, why should the USA , Britain continue to provide safe havens for Nigerian thieves? If these corrupt folks are hit hard with their looted money, maybe they will begin to realize that their choices are limited to doing the right jobs as opposed to embezzlement and finding ways to wriggle out of it. Our thieving political leaders spend an extra-ordinary amount of their time and efforts in office devising new methods of embezzling money and dodging detection than actually concentrating on the job at hand for which they are elected. Unless, we call a spade a spade and line them up from Shagari to IBB to Obasanjo/Atiku and try them for misuse of our treasury, Nigeria is not serious about improvement.

The pressure will come, if Nigerians abroad and those at home will band together and march in the streets of London, New York, Washington DC, Luxembourg, Sidney, Johannesburg and Switzerland and demand that these countries as “accomplices” are responsible for our problems, nothing will change. If we can't do that, all these hypocritical reports will not solve any problem. The international pressure and international press can have a resounding lasting effect.  

But do we have the guts or the willingness to do that? Who's going to champion that?

Emmanuel Omoh Esiemokhai is a Professor of Law at The School of Law, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.  

Akintokunbo Adejumo, a social and political commentator on Nigerian issues, lives and works in London, UK . He is a graduate of the University of Ibadan , Nigeria (1979) and University of Manitoba , Canada (1985). He also writes on topical issues for newspapers and internet media including Nigeriaworld.com , Nigeria Today Online, Nigeriansinamerica.com, Nigerianvillagesquare.com, Gamji.com, etc.  

Mazi Ogbonna, an IT Consultant and Publisher lives and works in New York, USA . He attended Methodist College , Uzuakoli, the University of Nigeria , Nsukka and Seattle University with a Masters Degree in Transportation Engineering. He writes on topical issues for Helium, Truthdig, WiseNewsToday, and other internet based publications such as Nigeriavillagesquare.com, Nigeriainamerica.com and Gamji.com.

Robot  Villager

# 1 That Human Rights Watch Report ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 13.10.2007 12:28

I Love Nigeria  Villager

# 2 It is good for Nigeria and personally, I find this encouraging... to see Nigerians begin to see and examine issues that are essentially Nigerian, from a global perspective.... measuring therefore, our local circumstancesand conditions against what obtains in the rest of the world I think Nigeria will be better for it.... Nigerians have for far too long, had this siege mentality... coupled with the assumptions that the field is ALWAYS greener outside Nigerian shores As it turns out, virtues are vices are, as much Nigerian as, they are universal! I want human rights, individual rights, civil rights, property rights, gender equality etc for all Nigerians from Aba to Zaria .... I also want the same for citizens of New Orleans, Baghdad, Myamar/Burma, Saudi Arabia, Darfur Sudan, Guantanammo, Abu Ghraib, Palestine, Jena Louisiana and everywhere in between! human rights, individual rights, civil rights, property rights, gender equality etc should not be constituted into some sorts of tools or machineries for blackmail by the political hypocrites and hegemonic opportunists! Posted by I Love Nigeria| 13.10.2007 15:45

Adeola Aderounmu  Villager

# 3 What we should be doing is looking for solutions, not more reports on the problems> This is actually one thing get I don't like to read about! The problems in Nigeria can NEVER be over-EMPHASIZED How can you look for solution to our problems in Nigeria? With men like these: Yar Adua who became a president with the worst mandate in human history? Mike Aondoakaa who is helping looters to escape? David Mark who is an enemy of the poor masses? Etteh who is benefitting from a 628 million naira scandal? and so on and so forth with foo lish leaders. There are NO solutions yet because we still have the wrong people in power. So there is no way someone like me will not talk about the problems in Nigeria. I have infact written my own book and the essence of it is to draw attention to the problems in Nigeria. People are suffering and you are telling me not to talk about it! Forget it! And what have the foo ls in power and the idi ots who rule in Nigeria done to ALL the solutions that we have suggested over the years? I grew up in poverty and if I don't talk about these problems, then I'm in my grave. http://aderinola.wordpress.com/ Posted by Adeola Aderounmu| 13.10.2007 15:55

MAGNUUM777  JJC

# 4 Adeola Aderounmu: I don't think you read the quotes below with emphasis on the underline: "We are really tired of all these reports on the level of corruption in Nigeria . A kid born yesterday knows about that already. Nigerians and the international communities know about that already. So what's new in this? Nothing really. We have over-analyzed the problem while hardly any proffered solution is adhered too. What we should be doing is looking for solutions, not more reports on the problems." Nobody said you should not talk about the problems in Nigeria. But the article is suggesting, we have seen them all and it is a high time they are tackled.......'while hardly any profferred solution is adhered to. This to me means, more emphasis should be chanelled towards permanent solutions, instead of continous listing of the problems we already know exist. Also, the writers made a suggestion that Nigerians should band together and march in international streets so that those encouraging Nigerians to loot will stop. That can help solve our problems when looters don't have safe heavens to hide their loot. The article also suggested trying our looters from IBB to Shagari to Obj/Atiku. That is a also making suggestions about a solution. I wish you should re-read the article. Thanks. Posted by MAGNUUM777| 13.10.2007 19:25

I Love Nigeria  Villager

# 5 MAGNUUM777 My sentiments exactly, upon reading Adeola Aderounmu who seem to mistake the import and emphasis of the article by the three gentlemen. 1. That it is important to address the foreign component of the looting of Nigeria... pointing to those who provide succor, for Nigerian looters... such as their bankers in Switzerland and elsewhere who connive and collude to hide stolen Nigerian public wealth 2. Pointed Nigerian Citizen actions .... such as public protests and marches/picketing banks and others who help to hide money looted from Nigeria 3. Government and foreign entities who are sheer hypocrites..... in their assessments of situations in their home countries in comparison to similar or identical situations outside their countries, including Nigeria Posted by I Love Nigeria| 13.10.2007 19:49

MAGNUUM777  JJC

# 6 I Love Nigeria: Thank you for your understanding of the situation. Your response about the article shares mine too. Hopefully others will soon begin to be enlightened with what is going on as we watch every day. Keep the understanding alive. Posted by MAGNUUM777| 13.10.2007 20:48

Abraxas  Villager

# 7 Hi, folks! At the slightest opportunity, particularly within international circles, Nigerian leaders readily rant profusely about the "imperatives of globalization", and yet, deliberately set lower standards of expectation and performance for themselves, way, way, way below established global benchmarks. That is simply self-deluding! Muchas gracias. Don Juan-Carlos ABRAXAS (III) Posted by Abraxas| 13.10.2007 23:31

JAGA-JAGA  Villager

# 8 "The pressure will come, if Nigerians abroad and those at home will band together and march in the streets of London, New York, Washington DC, Luxembourg, Sidney, Johannesburg and Switzerland and demand that these countries as “accomplices” are responsible for our problems, nothing will change. If we can't do that, all these hypocritical reports will not solve any problem. The international pressure and international press can have a resounding lasting effect. " The above excerpts will never work. This is a way not to solve our domestic problems. Take for instance Ghana, did they not have very corrupt leaders? Did they resort to outside help via international polarisarion of the issue prior to arresting corruption locally? Look also at the Asians, who have they blamed during their difficult times? Look at Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, India and many others did they not have corrupt leaders prior to fixing their economy with home grown solutions. If Nigerians think that the western countries will help them out of our current predicament, that will be a very tall dream. The west are pluderers and no matter what you say or write or demonstrate, it will never change their foreign policies. Remember they all have a common interest that is to move resources from other parts of the world to the west by all means including use of war like in Iraq. So the earlier we sit down and face our so called leaders and tell them enough is enough. A total civil disobedience for a period of one week should send a strong signal to the powers that be that it is no longer business as usual. This should be the beginning of the steps towards total and final revolt against the government. Posted by JAGA-JAGA| 14.10.2007 00:09

MAGNUUM777  JJC

# 9 JAGA-JAGA You know very well that, Nigerians don't have the balls to do exactly what you're proposing-civil disobedience for one week. It is easier said than done. Can you initiate one? Also look at people like Chief Uwazuruike rotting in Nigerian jail because his outspoken stance against Nigerian ills. What works else may not work for Nigeria as long as our cowardly acts continue at its present rate. So like the writers propose, if the pressure is mounted internationally, at least the people taking one-tunnel vision look at Nigeria's corruption will understand that their home countries are perpetractors. How else will the world get the true picture of what's going on except through the internation media. Eduacation is part of a solution to Nigeria's corruption tendencies. If all the foreign accomplices don't stop, our treasury will continue to leak embarrasingly. Every country is unique. Ghana and the rest countries mentioned did not have oil, did not fight a civil war and therefore their mind sets are totally different. Posted by MAGNUUM777| 14.10.2007 03:17

Celticologist  Villager

# 10 =JAGA-JAGA;209177968> if Nigerians think that the western countries will help them out of our current predicament, that will be a very tall dream. That one fact is true. Also a fact as sure as the back pocket of a Levi Jeans. Nigerians need to abandon the culture and belief that every problem is to be conveniently blamed on some kind of "western conspiracy". I spent about an hour with a Zimbabwean yesterday. He is actually convinced that ALL of Africa's problems are from the west, and only the west can resolve these. When I mentioned the issue of corruption, he was quick to tie that to the west too. Seriously, I think the west only bears about 9.4% of the responsibility. Posted by Celticologist| 14.10.2007 05:47

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