staatsrepressie tegen anti-oorlogsrally in Nigeria

A mass anti-war and anti-terrorism rally organised by the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) was today forcefully stopped by a combined team of armed policemen and soldiers.

The rally, slated for Amoo Playground, Agege, Lagos was an enlightenment programme meant to fashion out an independent democratic working class alternative to both the global terrorist attacks as well as the ongoing US war in Afghanistan.

The rally is also meant to mobilize against the rising wave of ethnic and religious crisis in the country and to emphasise the need for unity and solidarity among the working masses irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliation.

Aside from stopping the rally, the security operatives arrested the Secretary General, Segun Sango, Demola Yaya, Babatunde Oluajo, Victor Osakwe,and a former PRO of the UI Students' Union Government (a.k.a Struggle) of the organisation and carted away in a police van with registration No PF 5401 LA.

The DSM condemns the disruption of the rally and the arrest and detention of our members by security operatives.

These actions by state security operatives is a flagrant and callous violation of the democratic rights of assembly and expression which is accepted norms in any civilized society.

Furthermore, these actions expose once again the hollowness of the democratic character of the current civil rule in the country. A country where citizens and groups cannot assemble or associate to peacefully express their views to topical national and inter national issues cannot be said to be democratic.

We recall that some months ago, a conference called by some Yoruba nationalist groups in Ilorin, the Kwara State, was stopped by the police and the organizers arrested. Several activists of the Igbo nationalist groups have on several occasions been arrested and brutalized by state security operatives. In the same categories lie the military reprisals in Odi and Benue State.

We want to warn that this undemocratic, repressive and high handedness approach by the government will guarantee neither peace nor security in the country. At best, it will merely drive opposition underground. On the long run, it will undermine support for civil rule and encourage the return of outright military dictatorship.

Therefore, the DSM calls on trade unions, NLC, students' unions, NANS, human rights groups and community groups to pressurise the government to put an end to this repressive method.

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all our detained members and compensation for the unwarranted disruption of our mass rally.

arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)