Why 24 Filipinos will stay longer in the creeks� MEND commander

WHY are the hostages still being held?
You see, when we took nine hostages, last year, following the bombardment of some Ijaw communities, released three at first and the others later after discussion with the Federal government, they promised us that they were going to address our demands but they have not addressed them. Our key demand is the development of the Niger-Delta and we told them that we want them to release former Governor of Bayelsa state, Alamieyeseigha and Alhaji Asari-Dokubo.

What are these promises?
They promised they were going to construct roads, provide water, electricity and other things but none is in place, as I speak to you now one year after the promises were made. Instead, the Federal Government has resorted to blackmail, describing our struggle as criminal and looking for a way to clamp down on us and Nigerians were being made to believe that the issues were being addressed. This is pure deception on the part of government, and it is because of this obvious insincerity, failed promises and double-dealing that the hostages would not be released early. The hostages will remain in the creeks till further notice. Frankly, if you are asking about their release, it depends on how soon government meets our demands.

But there is a political dimension in this struggle, it is not all about underdevelopment of the region, and the Federal Government may not release Alamieyeseigha and Asari-Dokubo just like that?

Yes, the second aspect of the struggle is political. It is not even restricted to the release of Alameiyeseigha and Asari-Dokubo. The second aspect is the lopsided political arrangement against the Ijaws of Warri. We don�t have representation in the National Assembly and the Delta State House of Assembly. The few people that the state government claimed to have given appointments cannot survive with what they gave them, let alone empowering others. Our money has been mismanaged by these people in government and it is the same people that want to take over the government of the state in May. Look, we are tired of all these and we will fight it with the last drop of our blood.

Is this a Niger-Delta struggle or what because you are mixing up the call for development of the region with the perceived political deprivations of the Ijaws in Warri and in Delta State?

The issues cut across Niger-Delta and Delta State. What is happening here in Delta State is also happening in Rivers State. As I am speaking to you, the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly who the governor, Dr. Peter Odili anointed to take over from him is a guest of the EFCC. We want Alamieyeseigha released because there is nothing he did that his counterparts in other states did not do but they are walking free because they did not challenge the status quo.

So, if you allow them to walk free,
Alamieyeseigha should not be in detention and if you want to detain, you should detain all of them. In the case of Asari-Dokubo, they said he is being held for treason, we all know that he is a freedom-fighter and there is nothing treasonable in his declaration, he wants freedom for his people and that is what we are fighting for.
Not too long ago, the leader of the Odua Peoples Congress, Gani Adams was released on health grounds, Asari-Dokubo was reported to be gradually losing his sanity as a result of his detention, and he should also be released on health grounds.

You are saying there is no representation of the Ijaws in the National Assembly and the state also but you have Senator James Manager in the Senate, Nicholas Mutu in the House of Representatives and others. There are several Ijaw lawmakers in the House of Assembly; you have commissioners and council chairmen?
We are talking about political positions and appointments for the Ijaws of Warri. This aspect is basically a Warri matter. It is the Warri problem that gave birth to the larger struggle of MEND in the Niger-Delta.

The Ijaws in Warri South-West and Warri North local government areas are treated as political outcasts. You cannot ask what of Burutu, Bomadi and Patani local governments because these are exclusive Ijaw areas but in Warri South-West and Warri North, the situation is different. The position Senator Manager is presently occupying now was zoned to the Ijaws and talking about House of Representatives, the Itsekiris have always been occupying the position Mutu is holding now, and so, there is no big deal in it.

The Federal Government has opened negotiations with the militants, why are the hostages not out, is there a breakdown in the talks?
We are discussing with the Delta State government, which is acting for the Federal Government. What they want is the release of all the Filipinos and still promising us again that our demands would be looked into. But we do not want such promises any more, we have given them one year to fulfill their promises of developing our area but nothing is happening. In fact, we blundered in the past by releasing the hostages we kidnapped. This time around, we don�t want to commit a similar blunder. Well, the government is actually negotiating but there is no conclusion yet.

Talking about development, the Federal Government has initiated some development projects for the Niger-Delta; some generators were to be supplied to different riverside communities in the recent re-entry programme that was fashioned with the Shell Oil Company; and a hospital and health centre are to be built in an Ijaw and Itsekiri communities. This is besides the roads the state government wants to construct in the creeks and other facilities by the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC), why don�t you people give government time to execute these projects?
The contracts of the road project by the Delta state government, that is Ubejan-Madangho Road and Okerenkoko-Pepeama-Kokodiagbene roads have not been awarded. You see, these people like to talk and make promises. The companies rejected the contract for the road project, saying that the government was not sincere. No company is willing to do it because of their insincerity.

Is it because of government�s insincerity or fear of attack and kidnap of their workers by militants?
It is not fear of attack. We provided the enabling environment in the past one year after we released the nine hostages that were captured but they did not do anything. We went to one of the companies and they told us that government is not sincere; you will recall that Ijaw communities in the state met, last year, and said there would be no more violence in the riverside communities to enable the companies work but government did not award the contracts for the road projects.

But the generators by Shell have been purchased and awaiting distribution?
Yes, they have bought generators, it is an ongoing project but it is not true that the Nigeria Gas Company has not done anything; they have not given out three generators as reported.

Even the secondary school the Federal Government said it was going to build at Okerenkoko, they have not started. There is no project going on the creeks, they are all lying and deceiving us. That is why we resumed hostilities afresh.

But since the projects are in the pipeline, why not still give the government more time?
This administration is coming to an end in May. We have given them almost one year after the last skirmishes and they did nothing, is it in these last three or four months that they will do something. Now, all their efforts are geared towards campaign and installing their puppets as their successors and they do not bother about what they have done to us.

What are the conditions of the hostages?
You have seen them yourself. That is why we allowed you to come here, see them and talk to them on how they are fairing in our den.
But the SSS in Delta State has given the militants warning signals to release the hostages in the next five days or face the repercussions?
They are just barking and acting on wrong information. Last week, they aborted the wedding ceremony of the spokesman of the Federated Niger-Delta Ijaw Communities (FNDIC), alleging that he played a role in the kidnap of the Filipinos. This is a MEND affair and not FNDIC. They should get their information right. We are right here in the creek, they should come here if they want to meet us and not stay in Warri and Asaba making noise. They should be careful, particularly the SSS so as not to worsen the matter. We don�t have any problem with the Navy, they pass our den here and they greet us. We saw some gun boats from the JTF when they were escorting Chevron supplies to Escravos, we did not disturb them because we don�t have any problem. We also do not have any problem with the SSS and they should leave us to face our struggle without bloodshed. We are not callous people, you have seen the hostages and you can now tell the world whether we are maltreating them or not. Our problem is with the Federal Government, which has refused to develop our area.

But the photographs of the hostages that were published few days ago in the newspapers showed some militants pointing guns at them menacingly, that is intimidation?
You are here in the camp, you saw the hostages when we brought them out, was anybody threatening them with gun. You should report what you have seen; write the truth because we know you are an objective and investigative journalist.

Hostages speak on their condition in camp

BUT for the fact that news of the kidnap of 24 Filipinos by the MEND on January 20, is everywhere, one could have mistaken the hostages, Thursday, at the location where they were being held by the militants as expatriates performing their normal duties in the country given the way they were dressed in their over-all uniforms and other work attires. Their appearance did not exactly depict the trauma they had gone through in the past two weeks. Today makes it exactly 14 days that they were kidnapped. The 24 Filipinos are not being treated like animals by the militants in their den but they are not enjoying either, having being denied of their freedom for no cause of theirs by their fellow human beings. Four of the hostages: the captain of the ship, Ruben B. Roble; chief officer, Elmer N. Nacionales; chief engineer, Roberto D. Arcangel and ordinary seaman, Jose E. Talde, regarded as the in-house pastor of the hostages spoke to Sunday Vanguard on behalf of the entire crew. Excerpts:

MORALE of the hostages is low�Ship captain, Ruben Roble
I am Emma Amaize, a Nigerian Journalist with the Vanguard Newspapers, we are here over the kidnap of 24 of you by the MEND, how do the crew feel at the moment?
The morale of the crew is low. Mine is confusing. We, the members of the crew are pleading for our release as fast as possible.

Have you been told why you were kidnapped?
Well, they are freedom fighters, they want freedom for the Niger-Delta and they don�t want the government to impose rulers on them.
Where was the crew going to when you were kidnapped?
We were going to Warri from Lagos when we were stopped.

How are you and your countrymen coping with ailments in this den?
It has not been too bad but there is malaria here due to incessant mosquito bites, diarrhea and some itching, probably because of the bad water.
How are the militants treating you and others?
They are treating us okay; they do not harm us in anyway.
All of you were shepherded out together from one place to meet with me; do you all sleep together in one place?
Yes, we all sleep in one place.

What is the prayer life of the entire hostages like now?
We read the Bible and some prayer books. We pray everyday and we pray to God for government to listen to them (militants) so that we can leave here. We are also begging the United Nations to help President Olusegun Obasanjo and the President of Philippines so that they will find the right solution and bring us out.
Do you think that military intervention can facilitate your freedom?
I don�t think using force will help us; they should negotiate with them so that they can release us quietly without bloodshed.

Life is boring in the camp but God is in control� In-house pastor of the hostages, Jose Talde

Ordinary Seaman (OS), Jose E. Talde is the in-house Pastor of the hostages. He leads them in prayers, which is one of the things they do with strong-minded dedication in the camp. All the hostages are in love with him with the way they all acclaimed him as their Priest. He spoke to Sunday Vanguard on the prayer life in the camp and other things.

WE hear you are the one that leads them in prayers here in the den of the militants?
Not only here but even in the ship while we were on our journey, and other places. You see, prayer is life, we are not just praying because we found ourselves in this crisis. We are enjoined to pray by God in times of joy and sorrow, so it is not because we want freedom alone that we praying.
It is an obligation to pray to God and thank Him for all things because He told us to thank Him in all things. Even when we have been kidnapped, we have to thank

Him, we have to praise and worship Him because
Are you an ordained pastor or just a Christian whose spiritual battery has been charged by the circumstances he found himself?
I was born a Christian, educated in the doctrine and I practice it.

So, do you think God�s presence is with you people in this camp as you people pray?
We feel the presence of God all the time here and we have firm hope that freedom will come soon because our God is deliverer. He delivered Paul and Silas and he will surely deliver us.

How are you eating?
We are running out of food and water and so, we are beginning to economize food now.

Life in the camp
It is boring but what can we do. I am just adjusting to situation I find myself. Before now, I was completely tired and frustrated because I did not know such a thing would happen to me but I leave everything in the hands of God. He is not just able but abundantly able to deliver those who trust in Him and the Bible says that the expectations of the righteous shall not be cut away. I believe in Jesus Christ through whom I am righteous and with my hope in Him, my expectations and the expectations of all the hostages for freedom shall not be cut away.

We feel very lonely and abandoned here, says chief officer, Elemer Nacionales

HOW do you and the other hostages feel?
Of course, we feel very lonely and it is like we have been abandoned here. We are away from our loved ones and our situation is uncertain when we will be freed. We are just waiting here, almost endlessly and it is about two weeks now that we were taken hostage.

Are you people allowed to take your bath at all?
Yes, they allow us to take our bath but not everyday really.
What of food, are you people being fed well?
We eat regularly but it is the food in our ship.

Some of your colleagues complained of malaria and diarrhea, any problem with your health?
I don�t have any sickness for now but my problem is with the mosquitoes.
Do you know why they took you people hostage and brought you to this den?
Not really but what I know is that they made some demands on the government and they want them to meet the demands.

Are you married?
I am married with two children.
Am sure you have been hearing of kidnap in the Niger-Delta since you came Nigeria, did you ever think you would be abducted one day?
I never thought I would be kidnapped and it is devastating to me.

What would you like to tell your family at this point?
My family is in the Philippines, I want to tell them that they should be calm because as far as health is concerned, we are doing well. They should keep on praying to God to touch the heart of the Federal Government of Nigeria to listen to these militants and meet their demands so that they we will be out in the next few days.

Would you want to tell the Nigerian government anything?
They should help us regarding our quick release. They should negotiate with the freedom fighters on what they are asking for, evaluate the demands and implement them if it is possible to stem the frequent hostage taking.

I am terribly sick at the moment�chief engineer, Roberto D. Arcangel

SO, what is the situation with you in the camp?
(Laughs cynically) I am terribly sick at the moment. I did not expect this to happen to me. All of us here, this is the first time it is happening to us. I hope that this crisis will be resolved as soon as possible and that the Nigerian government will rescue us because our life is being endangered by our continued incarceration in this place. I also hope that our government in Philippines is trying as much as possible to get us out. Before my kidnap, my own mother was ill; I don�t know what is happening to my wife and children now.

You know why they took you hostage?
They want the government to meet their demands and develop the Niger-Delta because if the region is developed, there will not be hostage taking in the first instance. The people feel they have been abandoned and I have seen the neglect in virtually all the villages we have passed through. The people of the Niger-Delta have really been abandoned in terms of development and I think their government is to be blamed for their plight. There is no water here even though we are in the creek.

What kind of sickness do you have?
My stomach is rumbling right now, may be because of the water we are drinking. Inside me, I know I am not okay; I need a doctor to examine me and find out.
Will you continue your work in Nigeria if released?
Not anymore after this experience. No, I don�t think so.