The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) wishes to use the occasion of June 12th to welcome the appointment of a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Nigeria. At the same time we acknowledge and welcome the roles played by the South African ambassador to the UN, Mr Jacob Selebi, and the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr George Nene, in ensuring that the concerns of human rights remain an integral part of South Africa’s foreign relations with Nigeria.

The reign of General Sani Abacha, who seized power in a palace coup in November 1993, has been characterised by a brutal attack on the freedom of expression rights of Nigerian people. This is no less illustrated by the occasion of June 12th - the anniversary of the annulled presidential elections. The winner of that election, Chief MK Abiola, remains in prison three years after being placed there by Abacha. Along with him thousands of Nigerian men and women are languishing in prison for political reasons, some without charge and incommunicado and some on convictions handed down through unfair trials.

The clock is ticking in Nigeria as the 1998 deadline for transition to civilian rule - as set by Abacha - draws closer. At the same time the stage is being set for a grand fraud, which, if it goes down, will be the damnation of Africa.

So-called democratic elections will be held in Nigeria next year to elect a civilian president and usher in civilian rule ahead of the 20th century. Yet, in the absence of free expression,  the people of Nigeria are being robbed of the opportunity to make any decent democratic choice.

Journalists continue to run the gauntlet of military intimidation and legal harassment. Critics and opposition groups are routinely silenced through forced exile and underground, imprisonment and detention, or execution and assassination. Those who remain and are able to raise their voices against Abacha we salute, because they do it despite the odds and only for as long as the military does not get to them.

High Commissioner Nene said recently in a meeting with the South African Nigerian Democratic Support Group [Thursday 29 May 1997] that, "We cannot afford to leave Nigeria out of the African renaissance." We support this sentiment, but we would like to remind Mr Nene that Abacha does not represent Nigeria, he represents only himself and his military. This continent can no longer afford to have Abacha and those of his ilk to rule and control people’s lives in the way they do. It is the people of Nigeria who should be part of any African renaissance, and they are being denied this by the despot that rules them. The FXI fully supports the call by the SANDSG for Abacha to be made an outcast now!

As the Abacha reign persists, the FXI remains concerned at the lack of condemnation from African leaders at an international level. It is only a few African countries, including South Africa, who have been willing to speak and vote in defence of the people of Nigeria. The rest are either silent or in support of Abacha. Clearly Abacha’s clique extends beyond his military and well beyond his borders. It is in the interests of All Africa to see that this clique does not grow any further and that the silence of African leaders in the midst of the Abacha tyranny does not endure.

The FXI therefore calls on the South African government to be more vocal in condemning the Abacha regime.

We call on our representatives at the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity, the Commonwealth, and in Nigeria to make it clear to the Nigerian rulers and their respective representatives that unless they immediately embark on a comprehensive programme of human rights reform, including safe-guarding the rights to freedom of expression,  freedom of the media and respect for the rule of law, Abacha’s "transition to civilian rule" can have no credibility.

We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Nigeria.

We call for an end to the harassment of opposition groups and critics, and specifically we call for the immediate withdrawal of treason charges against exiled Nobel literature laureate Wole Soyinka and 14 other Nigerians.

We call on our government to ensure that the demands of Nigerian opposition groups with regard to transition to democracy are acceded to, failing which we call on our government and respective representatives to work towards ensuring  that:

* Nigeria is expelled from the commonwealth;
* A full oil embargo is imposed on Nigeria;
* The bank accounts of Nigerian military leaders, their families and supporters are frozen;
* Visas are denied to all Nigerian military officials and their families.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT RAASHIED GALANT AT (011) 403-8403 OR FAX (011) 403-8309