BRITISH Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has been told to issue a clarifying statement before July 15 on recent utterance bordering on the Niger Delta that was credited to him.
Making this call yesterday, a coalition of Niger Delta ethnic nationalities, UNDEDSS (United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy), also appealed to militants in the region to cease hostilities while they await the clarifying statement.
Executive secretary of the body, Mr Tony Uranta, said it was grossly condemnable the reported offer by the British government to assist the Nigeria government provide military solution to the problems of the region.
Uranta went on �UNDEDSS is particularly worried that Britain, which cannot disentangle itself of avoidable historical culpability in how dysfunctional Nigeria (and the Niger Delta) is today, could exhibit such a high level of insensitivity as to support a violent solution to this sad reality screaming out for national and international diplomacy with a human face; and could thus trigger a reaction from MEND, and other concerned stakeholders in the beleaguered Niger Delta, that cannot augur positive outcomes for the region, for Nigeria, for Britain, or for the rest of the energy-deficient world.
�UNDEDSS calls on Prime Minister Brown to urgently reappraise the reality that is the Niger Delta, vis-�-vis his comprehensive foreign and domestic policies, with a view to positively impacting the search for justice and peace in that region, even as we all work together towards securing the world�s energy resources. After this very necessary and urgent review, Britain should announce her intentions, concerning the Niger Delta, unequivocally and definitely.
�UNDEDSS appeals to MEND, and all other rightly incensed peoples of the Niger Delta, to stay any action consequent on Prime Minister Brown�s reported gaffe until the British PM or his Foreign Office issues a clarifying statement in the next few days.
�UNDEDSS� appeal will lapse should the British PM and/or Foreign Office fail to urgently and positively seize this possibility of getting on the right side of history, and publicly correct, before Tuesday July 15, 2008, the impression that the UK chooses to stand with oppressive forces of feudalism who are obviously only interested in exterminating the innocent peoples of the Niger Delta, with a view to continue raping their environment, whilst looting their God-given resources.