Yenagoa —The Ijaw in Washington DC the United States capital are planning to stage a demonstration march to the White House in protest against what they described as the ongoing genocide being unleashed on Ijaw communities by the JTF.
The essence of the demonstration it was learnt is to draw global attention to the intractable and ever-intensifying crisis and genocide in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Several Ijaw communities in the Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have been destroyed by the nation’s security forces in search of militants.
President of the Ijaw Foundation Board of Director, Ebipamone N. Nanakumo who disclosed this to Vanguard in a telephone interview from his base in the United States said the protest march is slated for next Monday June 1, 2009.
His words, “This is to inform all of us that arrangements are being made for an Ijaw Demonstration March in Washington DC next Monday, June 1, 2009 from 12:30 PM to 4:30PM.”
The protest march he said would commence at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, along the sidewalk and terminate at the White House.
According to him, “the Ijaw Foundation’s application for the permit for the demonstration was sent by FEDEX on Friday May 22, 2009, to the National Park Service in Washington DC . We expect the application to be approved.”
JTF offensive on Gbaramatu, intentional—Ijaw communities
THE Olero Ijaw Federated Communities in Delta State says the current carnage on Ijaw communities of Gbaramtu kingdom by the Joint Task Force is designed by the Nigerian state.
In a statement, yesterday, signed by the national secretary, Mr. Adanse Felix, the communities said, “we wish to state categorically that the recent onslaught against the Ijaw communities by the JTF is pre-planned by the Nigerian state”.
On the support for military action in the Niger-Delta by the House of Representatives, they said, “we detest the statement credited to the Speaker of House Representatives supporting military option and backing of the JTF”, it said, adding “it is barbaric and uncalled-for for the entire House to support the current carnage in d Niger Delta”.
According to them: “We want to call on Mr .President to order cessation of the hostilities that have claimed over 1,000 innocent lives in the creeks”.
“We also want to call on the International Community and the United Nations to set up an independent enquiry to probe the remote cause of the recent attacks against civil Ijaw communities.
“The UN and the International Community should not shy away from telling the truth and sanction the Nigerian government for the destruction of innocent civilians in their communities.
“We want to call on well-meaning individuals to help the displaced persons who are still trapped in the creeks without foodstuff and shelters. We sincerely pray for the repose of the souls that died as a result of the carnage”, they asserted.
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