Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 9

Written Answers. - Nigerian Martial Law Regime.

Frances Fitzgerald

Ceist:

48 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Nigerian military Government is operating an oppressive martial law regime in the Ogoni region of that country which is obstructing rehabilitation and relief work involving the expenditure of an EU grant of 340,000 ECU and a substantial grant from a leading Irish non-Government organisation; and if he will protest directly to the Nigerian Government about this matter or raise the matter at EU level. [1451/94]

Michael Finucane

Ceist:

83 Mr. Finucane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Nigerian military Government is operating an oppressive martial law regime in the Ogoni region of that country which is obstructing rehabilitation and relief work involving the expenditure of an EU grant of 340,000 ECU and a substantial grant from a leading Irish non-Government organisation; and if he will protest directly to the Nigerian Government about this matter or raise the matter at EU level. [1453/94]

John Browne

Ceist:

91 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Nigerian military Government is operating an oppressive martial law regime in the Ogoni region of that country which is obstructing rehabilitation and relief work involving the expenditure of an EU grant of 340,000 ECU and a substantial grant from a leading Irish non-Government organisation; and if he will protest directly to the Nigerian Government about this matter or raise the matter at EU level. [1452/94]

John Connor

Ceist:

101 Mr. Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Nigerian military Government is operating an oppressive martial law regime in the Ogoni region of that country which is obstructing rehabilitation and relief work involving the expenditure of an EU grant of 340,000 ECU and a substantial grant from a leading Irish non-Government organisation; and if he will protest directly to the Nigerian Government about this matter or raise the matter at EU level. [1450/94]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 83, 91 and 101 together.

I am aware that emergency relief and rehabilitation work in the Ogoni region of Nigeria funded by the EU, by NGOs and by bilateral donors, including Ireland, has been severely hampered by the activity of the security forces in the region. This is especially regrettable given the urgent requirement for emergency relief and rehabilitation work in the Ogoni region at present.

Accordingly, the Presidency, on behalf of the EU embassies in Lagos, has called on the Nigerian Government to allow proper medical and relief supplies to be brought to the afflicted populations and to facilitate liaison with local and international aid and relief organisations to this end. The Presidency has also conveyed to the Nigerian authorities its serious concern about reports of attacks on civilians and their property by members of the armed forces.

The response of the Nigerian authorities is that they deny the allegations. In that context, I support a proposal which has been made among EU representatives in Lagos that a fact-finding mission consisting of a representative of the EU and representatives of human rights and aid organizations should be sent to the area to examine the situation on the ground.

Recent contacts by our Embassy in Lagos with the Irish aid co-ordinator in the area suggested that the situation has improved somewhat in the past week, and that it may now be possible to proceed from an emergency food and medicine programme to rehabilitation work in the local villages. The Embassy in Lagos will continue to monitor the situation closely in co-ordination with our EU Partners, aid agencies and aid workers in the Ogoni region, with a view to deciding what further action we can take to ensure implementation of the relief programme.