Vol. 462 No. 7
13 Mr. Hilliard asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action, if any, he will take to address the specific issue of the 19 Ogoni activists who are due to appear before a military tribunal in Nigeria, a tribunal similar to the one that ordered the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his fellow activists. [5287/96]
The Government continue to be seriously concerned about respect for human rights in Nigeria. In particular, we are concerned about the uncertainty which surrounds the future of the 19 Ogoni activists who have been charged and are due for trial by a tribunal on similar grounds to those applied to the late Mr. Saro-Wiwa and his co-defendants. The fact that they may now be subjected to an internationally discredited and flawed process and that their case is subject to review by the Nigerian High Court have been a further source of delay and anxiety for the 19 detainees. These developments have heightened international concern about the functioning of the Nigerian justice system and the lack of respect shown by the military Government for the rule of law and basic human rights.
Ireland has strongly supported the raising of the cases of the Ogoni 19 by the EU. In a demarche to the Nigerian Foreign Minister, Mr. Ikimi, in Abuja on 23 January, the Presidency expressed the EU's serious concern that the impugned process which had led to the previous and internationally condemned Ogoni executions was about to be repeated. It was also recalled that it was the outcome of this procedure which had resulted in the imposition of measures by the EU in its respective common positions of 20 November and 4 December 1995.
As the House will be aware from my reply to questions on 7 December 1995, the existing EU measures against Nigeria contain specific provisions for review. These include the adoption of further measures, including further sanctions, in the light of developments in Nigeria. Together with EU partners, we are monitoring the situation closely with a view to maintaining strong pressure on the Nigerian authorities to take specific steps towards an early transition to democracy and to ensure full respect for human rights and the rule of law.
