Former United States Pres-ident, Mr Jimmy Carter, has said that contrary to the impression created by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), he is not eager to “jump into the fray” with regard to the Niger Delta crisis.
Carter’s reaction is coming just as United States (US) Presidential hopeful, Senator Barack Obama denied pleading with the Movement of the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) to cease attacks on oil installations in the troubled Delta region.
MEND earlier had claimed its decision to call a ceasefire was due to a plea from the junior senator from Illinois.
But a statement released by his campaign said: �Senator Obama has not made any recent comment on the situation in the Niger Delta.
�The Senator does advocate an end to the violence in the Delta region and urges all parties to establish a process for addressing the relevant issues and grievances in order to create the conditions for peace and economic development”.
When THISDAY spoke to Obama’s Press Secretary, Michael Ortiz in Washington, D.C., Wednesday to confirm MEND’s claims, he promised to �check with our staff� on the issue.
The campaign later released a statement to allafrica global media.
Carter�s spokesman, John Stremlau, told THISDAY on phone that the militant group’s spokesperson, Gbomo Jomo chose to interpret his response to an email sent by Jomo to mean the former President who is on a book tour and has a busy schedule is anxious to intervene.
�It’s a wrong picture and we try to correct it. I’ve had no contact with any of the militants except Gbomo Jomo who is nobody as you know and he chose to interpret it as though he (Carter) is ready to jump into the fray.”
Stremlau, also the Vice-President of the Carter Center for Peace programs in Atlanta, Georgia, explained that he used to work in Nigeria and that MEND probably got his email address from someone.
The spokesman confirmed that MEND sent him an email expressing their wish that President Carter play a role in solving the Niger Delta conflict.
He responded by saying Carter was indeed concerned about the crisis but would not consider the request if he is not invited by the Federal Government of Nigeria. He argued that Carter is conscious of the fact that all stakeholders in the region have to be at the negotiating table.
“You need all parties on the table. If the Federal Government asks us, we will give it a consideration but President Carter will not consider it unless stakeholders want him to help,” he stated.
Stremlau recalled that the former President’s mediation back in 1999″didn’t produce much”. It is believed MEND wants to leverage President Carter’s intervention in the conflict to drum up support for the release of their detained leader, Henry Okah.
One of the conditions given to the Federal Government is that Okah, facing treason charges, should be released to meet with Carter if he is invited to the planned Niger Delta Summit.
The militant group had earlier in the week sent email to reporters giving the impression they had an extensive discussion with Carter on playing a role at the summit.
Meanwhile, the Joint Revolutionary Council, a clearing house for militants in the Niger Delta has warned that any participant in the Niger Delta Summit billed for Abuja by the federal government who fails to put the interest of the region first would be attacked.
According to a statement posted to THISDAY from the official site of the council and signed by Cynthia Whyte, the spokesperson said they would hunt and discipline anyone who compromises the interest of the region or who fails to demand that the resolutions be implemented for the development of their region.
May92008