THE South South Liberation Movement (SSLM), yesterday, expressed disappointment with the United States over a statement credited to the Special Assistant to President George Bush on security in the Gulf of Guniea, Mrs. Linda Greenfield that the American government was ready to send marines to the Niger-Delta to assist President Olusegun Obasanjo in tackling the problems in the Niger-Delta, saying that there is no war in the region and America should mind its business.
National coordinator of the movement, Mr. John Adie in e-mail to Vanguard,yesterday, said: “The South South Liberation Movement is appalled with the statement made on behalf of President George Bush of America by Special Assistant to the United States President on security in the Gulf of Guinea, Mrs. Linda Greenfield that the American Government is interested in assisting President Obasanjo to tackle the problems in the Niger Delta”
“We advise these selfish Americans to try harder to win their war in the Middle East, which they could not win before offering to assist Nigeria. The Niger Delta Oil wells are not for sale or lease. Americans should mind their business. There is no war in the Niger Delta, so we don’t need Americans here.
” Even if there is war, the Nigerian government is capable of handling the war. What is happening in the Niger Delta is genuine agitation for better living condition and minor cases of kidnappings and not war. The Niger Delta agitation is going to be handled by dialogue.
“The American interest is not far-fetched. Their interest is the oil wells in the Niger Delta. If the Americans have genuine intention, they should please send their marines to Sudan, what a bush idea. The Americans wants to exterminate the Niger- Delta people because of our God-given Oil (Black Gold)”, he asserted.
According to him: “We thank President Obasanjo for taking the wise decision to turn down Mr. Bush’s selfish, inglorious, malicious and uncivilized idea. We want to remind Mr. Bush that Nigeria is not Kuwait and Iraq where he sacrifice lives of innocent Americans for oil.