The group, Ijaw Foundation, a socio-cultural organisation of the Ijaw nation worldwide has described the immediate withdrawal of soldiers in the Niger Delta and intervention of the United Nations as a panacea for peace in the troubled region.
It also called for the immediate convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to restructure the country so as to give political autonomy to every ethnic nationality in line with the practice of true federalism where each of the political units will control and manage their respective natural resources.
In an online statement signed by Dr. Ebipamone Nanakumo, President of the foundation’s board of trustees, made available to Vanguard in Yenagoa, the group noted that in such an arrangement the conference must provide for a referendum on political autonomy by each ethnic nationality to make its sovereign decision.
Entitled, �The Ogboinbiri Massacres: the premeditated systematic extra-judicial killing of Ijaws must stop,� the statement reads, �the Ijaw want peace, progress and prosperity for Ijaw land, the Niger Delta, Nigeria and the entire world. �However, justice is an absolute precondition to peace, because injustice in society renders the attainment of peace impossible. Therefore let us enthrone and uphold justice in society.�
The group condemn the killing of 21 Ijaw youths of Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw local government area by soldiers of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) who invaded the area on two occasions (June 13 and 21 respectively), saying the Ogboinbiri massacres are very painful reminders of the most terrible genocides committed by the Nigerian state against the Ijaw in Odi and Odioma communities both in Bayelsa State.
Dr. Nanakumo lamented a situation where soldiers kill unarmed innocent Ijaw youths travelling in speed boats in the creeks and waterways of the region under the pretext that they are militants, adding that whenever such crimes are committed against the Ijaw people, the Nigerian government and the military usually defend and justify such havoc by branding those killed as militants.
��It is extremely disheartening, deplorable and unacceptable that Ijaws in positions of authority in the Nigerian state, particularly vice president Goodluck Jonathan, chief of defence staff, General Owoye Azazi and Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State could not employ their good offices to prevent the needless Ogboinbiri massacres,�� the group stated calling on them to redeem their reputations by ensuring that such incident does not recur.
The foundation therefore called on President Yar��Adua-led government to withdraw the huge military forces in the Niger Delta, saying, ��the Niger Delta conflict is a political conflict and therefore demands a political solution rather than a military solution. ��The Ijaws want and demand a peaceful solution to the Niger Delta conflict.��
Dr. Nanakumo said the Nigerian state has made dialogue and the peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta conflicts impossible by militarizing Ijaw land, so that Ijaws who protest their oppression are killed or imprisoned to deter others adding, ��No Ijaw person will carry gun to fight the Nigerian state if Nigeria withdraws its military forces of occupation in Ijawland and allow Ijaws to express their grievances without harassment and intimidation.�
Aug12007