I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 16, 23, 38, 48, 63, 64 and 66 together.
Ireland, both bilaterally and along with its partners in the European Union, has consistently expressed its serious concern to the Nigerian authoriies about the case of the late Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa and his co-defendants. The Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Joan Burton, gave a comprehensive account of the Government's repeated efforts and appeals to the Nigerian Head of State for clemency in their case during her statement to the House on the Adjournment on 9 November. As Deputies will, unfortunately, be aware, these appeals, along with those of the European Union, the United States, the Commonwealth and numerous other members of the international community, were subsequently ignored. It was with great sadness and personal disappointment that I found myself expressing the Government's deep sense of shock when the sentences of the Ogoni Civil Disturbances Tribunal were carried out.
The executions of Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa and his co-defendants have provided renewed impetus to Ireland and its partners in the European Union to determine what further measures need to be adopted against Nigeria in view of the human rights abuses of the military regime and its failure to demonstrate convincingly its intention to return to democratic rule within a credible and democratic timeframe. This is reflected in the fact that within the past fortnight two meetings of the General Affairs Council adopted Common Positions on measures against Nigeria.
In its Common Position of 20 November, which Ireland called for and keenly supported, the European Union strongly condemned the execution of Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight co-defendants which took place on 10 November. It deemed this to be a clear failure by Nigeria to honour its commitment to human rights as enshrined in a number of international instruments to which Nigeria is a party.
In general terms, the European Union used that Common Position to condemn the human rights abuses perpetrated by the military regime, including capital punishment and harsh prison sentences, implemented following a flawed judicial process and without the possibility of recourse to a higher court. It expressed particular concern at the detention without trial of political figures and the suspension of habeas corpus. It recalled its deep concern at the annulment of Nigeria's 1993 elections — which were considered free and fair — and the installation of a new military dictatorship at that time.
Among the measures adopted or reaffirmed in the Common Position of 20 November are the following: an embargo on arms, munitions and military equipment; the suspension of development co-operation with Nigeria with the possible exceptions of poverty alleviation and support for human rights and democracy; visa restrictions on members of the Provisional Ruling Council and the Federal Executive Committee or their families; suspension of military co-operation and visits of members of the military; visa restrictions on members of the military or security forces and their families; cancellation of military training courses; suspension of all high level visits that are not indispenable to and from Nigeria.
In adopting these measures Ireland strongly supported the inclusion of a review clause in the Common Position. We did this in order to convey to the Nigerian authorities that further measures would continue to be considered by the European Union and that the situation in Nigeria would be kept under close review. We also wished to underline that current measures could be increased and strengthened if the situation fails to improve.
Along with other EU Foreign Ministers at the General Affairs Council last Monday, I gave Ireland's support to a further Common Position on Nigeria which adopted additional restrictive measures against Nigeria. These provided for: the non-admission to EU countries of persons already in possession of long-term EU visas who are members of the Nigerian Provisional Ruling Council, the Federal Executive Council, the military or security forces and their families; the expulsion of military attachés serving in Nigerian embassies in the EU and the withdrawal of their EU counterparts from Nigeria; the interruption of all contacts in the field of sports through the denial of visas to official delegations and national teams; the adoption of a resolution on Nigeria at the 50th UN General Assembly; the inclusion of Nigeria on the agenda of the UN Commission on Human Rights.
This latest Common Position is framed in stronger terms than its predecessor, clearly stating that further measures, "including sanctions", will be considered if specific steps are not taken by the Nigerian authorities towards an early transition to democracy and full respect for human rights and the rule of law. Renewable at six-monthly intervals, the Common Position will be monitored by the Ministerial Council to which the Presidency and Commission will regularly report.
The measures adopted in the EU Common Positions of 20 November and 4 December clearly express the EU's intention to keep the situation in Nigeria under close scrutiny for the foreseeable future and to take such further action as may be required in response to developments. More restrictive measures, including an oil embargo or assets freeze which I would support, will be considered by the Government and our EU partners accordingly.
At Monday's Council meeting my own view that we should introduce an oil embargo and a freezing of Nigerian assets was shared by a number of colleagues, but the majority was in favour of adopting the measures I have listed. The feeling was that the time was not yet right, and that an embargo would need to be global to be effective. The same consideration would apply to any other envisaged sanctions.
It is extremely important that if these or similar options are adopted, they get the full backing of the international community and are not undermined by a lack of cohesion in their observance at international level. The Government, therefore, strongly supports EU consultation with like-minded states on the question of an oil embargo and other measures to ensure that this will be the case.
We are very concerned by reports that 19 more Ogoni activists have been charged and are due for trial by the Ogoni Civil Disturbances Tribunal in connection with the murders upon which the case against the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues was based. It is partly in the context of this regressive and most deplorable development that Ireland has urged, within the EU, the review and strengthening of existing measures. The Government will closely monitor such events in Nigeria and will give its full support to those measures which will put strong political and economic pressure on the Nigerian regime to bring about an early transition to democracy and respect for human rights.
At Ireland's instigation, the EU sent a fact-finding mission to Ogoniland in November 1994 to assess the damage caused by the very serious civil disturbances in the area. As a result of the findings of the mission in which Ireland, Austria and the EU Commission participated, a substantial grant was approved under the EU Commission's ECHO programme for the reconstruction of villages and community facilities in Ogoniland. The implementing agency for that programme was Trócaire. Bilaterally, Ireland has provided a grant of £14,000 for the restoration of fishing activities in a number of Ogoni villages. This year, we have stepped up our funding in support of human rights activities in Nigeria with a grant of almost £15,000 for the Nigerian Civil Liberties Organisation. We have also provided funding for another Nigerian NGO in the amount of £7,000 for the provision of free legal aid for prisoners being held on long-term remand — this can be for anything up to ten years. In addition to funding for human rights activities, £467,183 has been allocated so far this year under the Government's NGO cofinancing scheme in support of poverty alleviation programmes throughout Nigeria.
Officials at my Department are in consultation with the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria whom I recalled from Lagos immediately after the Ogoni tribunal executions were carried out. This was followed by the recall of almost all EU Ambassadors for consultations over an indefinite period. The Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland was recalled to Lagos a short time later. The Government has not yet decided on the question of the Ambassador's return and is actively discussing the matter with EU partners. The return of our Ambassador will have to be carefully evaluated in view of ongoing developments in Nigeria, the need to continue to express our views to the Nigerian Government through diplomatic channels and the need to protect the interests of the substantial number of Irish citizens residing in Nigeria.