Sunday 25th September 2016
It is exactly 11 months of human rights abuse by the impious Nigerian government against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu; 11 months of Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration, 11 months of injustice, 11 months of abuse of the judiciary, 11 months of dictatorship by the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari and 11 months that has made Nnamdi Kanu an immortalized hero and new face of Human Rights Activist in Africa.
In these 11 months, the Nigerian government, through the office of the Department of State Services, DSS, has been altering their charges and has kept Nnamdi Kanu behind bars against two previous court orders that have ordered for his release.
In their latest charge, the DSS accused Nnamdi Kanu of ‘’managing an unlawful soceity’’ (IPOB). This is about the most ridiculous of all charges, owing to the provisions that has been made by the United Nations for the Indigenous peoples around the world. It has proved that ‘’the charges preferred against Nnamdi Kanu, upon being served with an order made by a Judge of the Federal High Court directing his unconditional release, was to secure Nnamdi Kanu’s continued but unjust incarceration.’’ –Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, 12th August 2016.
Nigeria is undoubtedly a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), adopted by the General Assembly on Thursday, 13 September 2007 which clearly outlined in details, the rights of the indigenous people and their communities. Contrary to some claims by the Nigeria media and her allies, the rights of the indigenous people are so accommodating, enough to avoid any occasion of war or brutality of any sort.
Read Also- BIAFRA: Human Rights Group Takes Justice John Tsoho To The Cleaners, Labels Him Bias, Hostile And Threat To The Rule Of Law
In this declaration, the United Nations RECOGNIZED the urgent need to respect and promote the inherent rights of indigenous peoples which derive from their POLITICAL, economic and social structures and from their cultures, spiritual traditions, histories and philosophies, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources.’’
IPOB, under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu, an indigenous body recognized by the United Nations; has been carrying out her activities in line with the rights provided by the United Nations for Indigenous Peoples and in best practices. IPOB has displayed a very coordinated and efficient approach towards exerting her inalienable rights non-violently.
For the purpose of this subject, few articles of this Declaration have been selected for consideration.
• Article 4: Indigenous peoples, in exercising their right to self-determination, have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and means for financing their autonomous functions.
• Article 5: Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinct political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retaining their right to participate fully, if they so choose, in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the State.
• Article 16: 1: Indigenous people have the right to establish their own media in their own languages and to have access to all forms of non-indigenous media without discrimination.
Read Also- BIAFRA: IPOB WILL NEVER CONCUR TO A SECRET TRIAL OF NNAMDI KANU...JOHN TSOHO SHOULD BE READY TO DROP HIS WIG IF HE INSISTS
2: States shall take effective measures to ensure that State-owned media truly reflect indigenous cultural diversity. States, without prejudice to ensuring full freedom of expression, should encourage privately owned media to adequately reflect indigenous cultural diversity.
• Article 33: Indigenous peoples have the right to decide what their identity or membership is. They also have the right to decide who their members are according to their own customs and traditions.
• Article 36: 1: Indigenous people, in particular those divided by international borders. Have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other peoples across boarders.
In collaboration with UNICEF, the secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (SPFII) and the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, Dr Cindy Blackside in a publication, emphasized that ‘’Governments can do more but not less than what is written in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples.
Nigeria, being fully aware of all these rights enumerated by the United Nations with regards to the Indigenous peoples, has decided to unapologetically trample upon it with the support of the British government in particular.
Read Also- BIAFRA: RELEASING NNAMDI KANU IS THE KEY TO RESOLVING SOCIO-ECONOMIC CRISIS IN NIGERIA
Amnesty International has indicted the Nigerian Military for 3 times from June 2016 till date, of human rights abuses against her Indigenous people; unprovoked killings, tortures and incarceration to name the least. There are undeniable evidences that have been provided by IPOB and Amnesty International to validate these claims, yet United Nations looks disinterested.
As Nnamdi Kanu goes to court on the 23rd of September 2016, Nigeria is yet again, on her move to keep Nnamdi Kanu behind bars on the grounds of self determination. John Tsoho, the federal-government-manipulated Judge presiding over Nnamdi Kanu’s case is yet to acknowledge that an Indigenous society is not unlawful.
IPOB though has cried out to the world through a worldwide protest and a SIT-AT-HOME protest in Biafra, hereby calls upon the international communities, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the United Nations and all other human rights groups to speak up against this impunity committed by the Nigerian government against Nnamdi Kanu. This case should be struck out and Nnamdi Kanu released as has been ordered in previous court orders.
BIAFRA IS OUR IDENTITY, BIAFRA IS OUR PRIDE, OUR SOCIETY IS NOT UNLAWFUL.
#FreeNnamdiKanu
#FreeBiafra
Written By Chinedu Ewulu
Published by Chijindu Benjamin Ukah
For Biafra Writers.
It is exactly 11 months of human rights abuse by the impious Nigerian government against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu; 11 months of Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration, 11 months of injustice, 11 months of abuse of the judiciary, 11 months of dictatorship by the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari and 11 months that has made Nnamdi Kanu an immortalized hero and new face of Human Rights Activist in Africa.
In these 11 months, the Nigerian government, through the office of the Department of State Services, DSS, has been altering their charges and has kept Nnamdi Kanu behind bars against two previous court orders that have ordered for his release.
In their latest charge, the DSS accused Nnamdi Kanu of ‘’managing an unlawful soceity’’ (IPOB). This is about the most ridiculous of all charges, owing to the provisions that has been made by the United Nations for the Indigenous peoples around the world. It has proved that ‘’the charges preferred against Nnamdi Kanu, upon being served with an order made by a Judge of the Federal High Court directing his unconditional release, was to secure Nnamdi Kanu’s continued but unjust incarceration.’’ –Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, 12th August 2016.
Nigeria is undoubtedly a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), adopted by the General Assembly on Thursday, 13 September 2007 which clearly outlined in details, the rights of the indigenous people and their communities. Contrary to some claims by the Nigeria media and her allies, the rights of the indigenous people are so accommodating, enough to avoid any occasion of war or brutality of any sort.
Read Also- BIAFRA: Human Rights Group Takes Justice John Tsoho To The Cleaners, Labels Him Bias, Hostile And Threat To The Rule Of Law
In this declaration, the United Nations RECOGNIZED the urgent need to respect and promote the inherent rights of indigenous peoples which derive from their POLITICAL, economic and social structures and from their cultures, spiritual traditions, histories and philosophies, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources.’’
IPOB, under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu, an indigenous body recognized by the United Nations; has been carrying out her activities in line with the rights provided by the United Nations for Indigenous Peoples and in best practices. IPOB has displayed a very coordinated and efficient approach towards exerting her inalienable rights non-violently.
For the purpose of this subject, few articles of this Declaration have been selected for consideration.
• Article 4: Indigenous peoples, in exercising their right to self-determination, have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and means for financing their autonomous functions.
• Article 5: Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinct political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retaining their right to participate fully, if they so choose, in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the State.
• Article 16: 1: Indigenous people have the right to establish their own media in their own languages and to have access to all forms of non-indigenous media without discrimination.
Read Also- BIAFRA: IPOB WILL NEVER CONCUR TO A SECRET TRIAL OF NNAMDI KANU...JOHN TSOHO SHOULD BE READY TO DROP HIS WIG IF HE INSISTS
2: States shall take effective measures to ensure that State-owned media truly reflect indigenous cultural diversity. States, without prejudice to ensuring full freedom of expression, should encourage privately owned media to adequately reflect indigenous cultural diversity.
• Article 33: Indigenous peoples have the right to decide what their identity or membership is. They also have the right to decide who their members are according to their own customs and traditions.
• Article 36: 1: Indigenous people, in particular those divided by international borders. Have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other peoples across boarders.
In collaboration with UNICEF, the secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (SPFII) and the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, Dr Cindy Blackside in a publication, emphasized that ‘’Governments can do more but not less than what is written in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples.
Nigeria, being fully aware of all these rights enumerated by the United Nations with regards to the Indigenous peoples, has decided to unapologetically trample upon it with the support of the British government in particular.
Read Also- BIAFRA: RELEASING NNAMDI KANU IS THE KEY TO RESOLVING SOCIO-ECONOMIC CRISIS IN NIGERIA
Amnesty International has indicted the Nigerian Military for 3 times from June 2016 till date, of human rights abuses against her Indigenous people; unprovoked killings, tortures and incarceration to name the least. There are undeniable evidences that have been provided by IPOB and Amnesty International to validate these claims, yet United Nations looks disinterested.
As Nnamdi Kanu goes to court on the 23rd of September 2016, Nigeria is yet again, on her move to keep Nnamdi Kanu behind bars on the grounds of self determination. John Tsoho, the federal-government-manipulated Judge presiding over Nnamdi Kanu’s case is yet to acknowledge that an Indigenous society is not unlawful.
IPOB though has cried out to the world through a worldwide protest and a SIT-AT-HOME protest in Biafra, hereby calls upon the international communities, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the United Nations and all other human rights groups to speak up against this impunity committed by the Nigerian government against Nnamdi Kanu. This case should be struck out and Nnamdi Kanu released as has been ordered in previous court orders.
BIAFRA IS OUR IDENTITY, BIAFRA IS OUR PRIDE, OUR SOCIETY IS NOT UNLAWFUL.
#FreeNnamdiKanu
#FreeBiafra
Written By Chinedu Ewulu
Published by Chijindu Benjamin Ukah
For Biafra Writers.
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