1998: Nigeria's Year of Tragedy and Transition

THE AFRICA FUND

' WINTER 1998-1999 NO.7 ISSUE I

HUMAN RIGHTS 1998: NIGERIA'S YEAR OF TRAGEDY AND TRANSITION

T his was a dramatic year in Nigeria, SKEPTICISM ABOUNDS tion cards failed to arrive at registration where the unexpected deaths of Nige sites in the south and west, resulting in rian dictator General Sani Abacha and Many doubted the army's intentions. widespread disenfranchisement of vot the illegally imprisoned President For over 13 years Nigerians have heard ers outside the army's northern politi elect, Moshood Abiola, were swiftly successive generals promise free elec cal base. Members of the Independent followed by a new general consolidat tions and democracy only to deliver National Electoral Commission (INEC), ing his power amid fresh promises of more dictatorship. Abubakar's deci the government agency in charge of the elections to end decades of military sion to impose yet another military vote, were handpicked by Abubakar and rule. These developments have sud controlled "transition to democracy" serve at his sole discretion. Local coun denly and profoundly altered the on the people without their consent cil elections held on December 5-a test course of the Nigerian democracy has been harshly criticized by Nigeri run for 1999 state, federal and Presiden struggle and THE AFRICA FuND an human rights and pro-democracy tial elections-revealed many of these launched a Nigeria Transition Watch leaders who point out that General flaws and underscored the importance project to meet the new challenge and Abubakar was a senior member of the of THE AFRICA FuND project, established protect the integrity of the promised Abacha dictatorship. in partnership with Nigeria's main hu democratic elections. The Transition Disturbing signs of electoral ma man rights group, the Civil Liberties Watch is directed by Human Rights nipulation soon began to emerge. Dur Organization, to educate Americans Coordinator Mike Fleshman. ing the crucial voter registration period about the transition program and work for example, some 16 million registra- (continued on page 6)

REASONS FOR HOPE The death of the dictator Abacha in June 1998 after five years of ruthless and cor rupt misrule was greeted with celebra tion by the Nigerian people. Abacha's replacement, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, released some political pris oners, repealed some repressive laws and decrees, reined in the security forc es and announced a rapid transition to elected civilian government, which is to culminate in Presidential elections in February 1999 and inauguration of a civilian government by May 29, 1999. Nigerian human rights organizations have established an organization to - monitor the transition and ensure its legitimacy. Press restrictions have been Hafsat A biola (second from left) with Michigan Coalition for Human Rights Director Sister joanette Nitz (left) and members of the congregation at the Central United Methodist Church in Detroit. As part of an eased and the country's powerful trade emphasis on community based education and constituency outreach, Human Rights Coordinator Michael unions, under military administration Fleshman and Hafsat Abiola, the daughter of long-imprisoned Nigerian President-elect Moshood A biola, for four years, have been returned to conducted a speaking tour that included visits to seven local churches, an address to the Detroit City worker control. Council and briefings for the city's powerful labor movement. DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT

Africa Fund Trustee Dr. Wyatt T. Walker introduces Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., the President's Illinois Congressman Danny K. Davis with Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush. Special Representative for Democracy in Africa, Jennifer Davis . at the Midwest Regional Consultation. PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOCUS ON AFRICA While the President's historic trip to Africa last Spring underscored Wash "The growth rates achieved by many Illinois State Senator Jesus Garcia with Former ington's renewed interest in Africa as African countries ... [are] founded in State Senator Alice Palmer. an economic and political partner, a qui real economic activity. It is the et revolution in U.S. policy towards Af reflection of Africans working harder rica has been underway outside the and smarter; of our entrepreneurs Beltway in state capitols and city halls becoming wiser and more innovative; across the country. Once the exclusive of our governments becoming preserve of the foreign policy establish responsible and responsive to the ment, corporate executives and the think needs of growing economies." tank elites, states and cities are now forg - South African Consul General ing their own business and cultural ties Sheila Slsulu to Africa, and bringing local priorities, community values and new ideas into the national debate over U.S. interests pie-to-people" connections between in Africa. the U.S. and Africa. These meetings Under the leadership of Project were part of a broader Africa Fund Director Susie Johnson, THE AFRICA program, made possible by a grant FuND has encouraged this new dyna from the Carnegie Corporation of New mism over the year, convening con York, to promote the involvement of Indiana Representative Charlie Brown . ferences in Chicago and Greensboro, state and municipal elected officials North Carolina and a forward-look with U.S. Africa policy. ing strategy meeting at The Riverside Church in New York City. These meet TRADE AND INVESTMENT ings brought together state and local A MAJOR FOCUS elected officials from 18 states with African and American economists and Despite the geographic and political di business leaders, academics and poli versity of the participants, trade and cy makers, Ambassadors, NCO groups investment, human rights, social justice and human rights activists. Through and strengthening local initiatives were focused presentations and freewheel recurring themes of the conferences dur ing discussions, the conferences in ing 1998. Establishing and expanding formed and reinforced local initiatives state and local business ties with Africa, for Africa, and strengthened the ca and the sometimes bitter debate over pacity of state and local officials to President Clinton's proposed trade leg engage American policy issues-help islation, The African Growth and Op ing to make the process more demo portunity Act, provided focal points for cratic, more inclusive and more state and local legislators throughout representative of the growing "pea- the year. Kimberley August of Enron Corporation with Jennifer Davis . 2 DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT (continued from page 2)

n "r!.Q. ::1 g I ~a- South African Minister for Welfare and Bennett College Provost Dr. Charlotte Alston Liberian Ambassador Rachel Gbenyon-Diggs with Population Development Geraldine Fraser with North Carolina Congressman Melvin Watt. Greensboro Mayor Carolyn S. Allen. Moleketi speaking at the Southern Consultation .

Many speakers, including market and U.S. non-governmental communi tion of African Women for Research analyst Jeffrey E. Lewis of DST Catalyst, ties dubbed the bill the "re-colonization and Development and Congressman Inc. and Salih Booker, Senior Fellow at of Africa" because it imposed tough fi Melvin Watt. the Council on Foreign Relations and nancial conditions on African countries The challenge, said Booker, is to an Africa Fund Trustee, underscored and did little to benefit African or Afri get the mix of aid, trade, and invest Africa's growing importance as a U.S. can American small business. Critics also ment right by encouraging sound eco trading partner and a potential new stressed that the bill ignored many of nomic policies, improving the terms market of over 800 million people. Lewis the fundamental economic problems of trade for African exports and help pointed at African stock market invest confronting Africa, such as the debt cri ing Africans overcome the centuries ments as a way for public employee sis or the need to strengthen peasant old legacy of racism, colonialism, and pension funds and other investors to agriculture. underdevelopment. Comparing Afri both earn a fair return and provide Afri ca's place in the world economy and can businesses with the capital to ex in popular perception to impoverished pand into such lucrative areas as the "After the African Growth and minority communities in the U.S. , processing of African raw materials. Opportunity Act is passed, America, Booker told legislators, "You know the Booker noted that U.S. trade with Afri for the very first time, will hove a neighborhood," and encouraged them ca exceeds that with the former Soviet definable U.S.-Africo trade policy. to bring their experience in counter Union, but that unfair terms of trade, a African countries implementing ing poverty and violence, improving crushing debt burden and a rapid de dramatic reforms will receive education and economic opportunity, cline in U.S. development aid were ma substantially greater access to our and challenging stereotypes to their jor obstacles to African economic markets." work with Africa. growth. - Ambassador Johnnie Corson, Principal Deputy Assistant AT HOME IN THE GLOBAL LIVELY DEBATE ON TRADE Secretory of State for African VILLAGE Affairs At the southern regional conference at Establishing or expanding direct links the historically Black Bennett College between states and African countries in Greensboro, North Carolina, in June, was another constant among legisla participants engaged in what Liberian In Greensboro, the debate engaged tors. With foreign trade becoming an Ambassador to the U.S. Rachel advocates like Deputy Assistant Secre increasingly important part of region Gbenyon-Diggs described as "the first tary of State for Africa Ambassador John al economies, state and local legisla real debate on the African Growth and Carson and Liberian Ambassador tors have become much more involved Opportunity Act that I have partici Gbenyon-Diggs, who argued strongly in assisting local businesses to take pated in." The legislation, which for greater appreciation of African views advantage of opportunities overseas, would open U.S. markets to some Af in the formation of U.S. policy. South and Africa is a key priority. Speaking rican countries which lower their tar African Consul General Sheila Sisulu to his colleagues in Greensboro, Geor iffs and adopt other free market praised the legislation as "encouraging," gia, State Representative Bob Holmes policies, was hailed by some as a long and pointed to the emergence of a new noted that five states, including Geor overdue recognition of Africa's eco generation of pragmatic African lead gia, had established trade offices in nomic importance and a boost to ers and efforts to increase inter-African South Africa. The Georgia office greater trade and investment. trade and development as signs of worked hard to educate state business The bill had strong support among progress. leaders about African opportunities most African governments and big busi Those critiquing the bill included and actively promoted state business ness. But many critics in the African Yassine Fall, who heads the Associa- es with African business and political

3 Arkansas State Representative Irma Hunter-Brown, Chair of the International Affairs Committee of National Black Caucus of State Legislators from nine states attended the Southern Regional Consultation on U.S. Policy Legislators with Susie Johnson and New York State Assemblyman Toward Africa. Participants include (jront row, from 1. tor.) Susie Johnson , Director of Albert Vann. Projects, The Africa Fund; Sheila Sisulu, Consul General of South Africa; Florida State Representative Beryl Roberts-Burke; Gloria Scott, President, Bennett College; Jennifer Davis, Executive Director, The Africa Fund; Greensboro Mayor Carolyn S. Allen and Senegal's Yassine Fall, Executive Director of the Association of African Women for Research and Development. leaders through the state Center for emphasize human and civil liberties Trade and Technology and regular during his Africa trip. Addressing con trade missions. fe rees in Greensboro, Takirambudde Speaking to a similar point in Chi noted that the rush to embrace "new cago, Wisconsin State Representative leaders" while ignoring African non Spencer Coggs described the evolution governmental h uman rights and de of sister community relationships be mocracy activists blinded Washington tween African and American states and to ongoing human and civil rights cities into trade and investment initia abuses in countries embracing Ameri tives and, like many other speakers, can economic prescriptions. emphasized the importance of involv The ongoing crisis in military ing African American business and ruled Nigeria was a central concern Los Angeles City Treasurer f. Paul Brownridge community leaders. for the legislators, who heard accounts addressed the Strategy Meeting. of economic injustice and state terror- ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS "Trade between the U.S. and Africa The impact of U.S. policy on African now supports about II million struggles for human rights and eco American workers, these jobs pay nomic and social justice also emerged above the national average, and 47 as a key focus for legislators. At the states have increased trade with Africa Midwest regional conference in Chi over the last four years." cago in March, for example, civil rights -Representative Irma Hunter leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Presi Brown, Arkansas dent's Special Representative for De mocracy in Africa, set the tone early with an impassioned appeal for the ism from two members of the Move inclusion of social justice concerns in ment for the Survival of the Ogoni U.S. economic policy. Reminding leg People (MOSOP) which is leading the islators that for centuries the basis for Ogoni peoples' struggle for environ U.S. -Africa economic relations was the mental justice and human rights in sale of human beings, Jackson declared the Nigerian oil fields (see article on that "trade without humane values is page 1). In Greensboro, Dr. Owens slavery." Wiwa, the brother of the executed Ni Other speakers throughout the gerian author and environmentalist series of meetings, including Human Ken Saro-Wiwa, recounted the envi Rights Watch/ Africa Executive ronmental and human rights abuses Director Peter Takirambudde, were of the Shell Oil Company in Ogoni harshly critical of the Clinton Admin land and cautioned against the futility istration's record on human rights in of promoting economic development Boston City Councilman Charles C. Ynncet;, the Africa and the President's failure to (continued on page 5) incoming President of National Black Caucus of Locally Elected Officials.

4 DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT (continued from page 4) under conditions of extreme political Indiana Governor Frank the Africa strategy committee at the repression. O'Bannon praised the two lawmakers National Order of Women Legislators Georgetown University Law Cen and noted that Hoosier state sales to meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, ter Professor Robert Stumberg warned South Africa alone totaled $41 million and was asked to be an advisor to the legislators about efforts to use interna last year. committee, which is planning a trade tional trade agreements to restrict the delegation to Africa. In December, she right of states and cities to adopt the addressed the National Black Caucus of kinds of local economic sanctions that "Trade between U.S. and African State Legislators (NBCSL) annual meet had proved so successful against apart countries needs to benefit both ing in Cleveland, Ohio, where the theme heid South Africa. He said the Clinton Africans on the continent and those was children in the new millennium, Administration, the private sector and of African descent In the U.S." and distributed an Africa Fund report, foreign governments operating through - Representative Spencer Coggs, Africa's Children: The Struggle for a the World Trade Organization had Wisconsin Decent Life. launched a political offensive to strip states and cities of the right to include justice concerns in investment and pro In July, Susie Johnson attended the curement decisions. The attack on local National Conference of State Legisla sanctions, Stumberg argued, raises im tures (NCSL) and in December she ad portant constitutional and sovereignty dressed the NCSL's Women's Network. issues. In November, Ms. Johnson addressed

EDUCATION A FOCUS In recognition of Bennett College's role as a leading academic bridge to Afri ca, the Greensboro agenda included a U.S. MAYORS CALL FOR special workshop on education ad dressed by Bennett College President Dr. Gloria R. Scott who outlined Ben AFRICAN DEBT RELIEF nett's longstanding partnership with Zimbabwe.

REACHING OUT Moving beyond the wide reach of its own meetings THE AFRICA FuND also expanded work with associations of elected officials throughout the year. Susie Johnson was the keynote speak er in Indianapolis in August when the Indiana State Black Legislative Cau cus (IBLC) marked its first ever legis lative weekend putting Africa-and THE AFRICA FuNo--at the heart of state efforts to increase international trade and prepare young Hoosiers for the challenges of the global economy. The initiative, spearheaded by two mem bers of THE AFRICA FuND legislative net work, state Representatives Bill Crawford and Charlie Brown, com plements the announced establish ment of an Indiana trade office in South Africa with an ambitious plan to expand awareness of and support for Africa statewide. The IBLC adopted a plan to: • Ensure that state economic devel Throughout the year The Africa Fund has continued to build its relationship opment and pension fund decisions ben with the U.S. Conference of Mayors. In January, Executive Director Jennifer efit Africa Davis addressed the Mayor's Summit on Africa on U.S. policy and human rights. • Support transfer of skills between With her on the dais are Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmka, the Conference Africa and Indiana President, and Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb, chair of the organization's • Ensure that Black students are Task Force on Sub-Saharan Africa. In June, Susie Johnson addressed the Confer prepared for careers in international ence's annual meeting in Reno on African debt. The Conference subsequently public policy. adopted a resolution supporting debt relief for Africa.

5 HUMAN RIGHTS (continued from page I) ------to protect the integrity of the process. McKinney and Carolyn Kilpatrick, The Nigeria Transition Watch project former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria will allow Americans to understand and Walter Carrington. follow the progress of this critical tran Throughout the first half of 1998 THE sition and have access to Nigerian views AFRICA FUND and a coalition of concerned about the transition as it unfolds. investors also dialogued with the Mobil Oil Company, the second largest prod uc URGING DEMOCRACY er of Nigerian oil, about corporate practic es in the country and a Nigeria shareholder The Transition Watch followed on our resolution. After moving speeches by two continuing focus on Washington and young women, Cordelia Kokori the U.S. policy toward Nigeria. In January daughter of then imprisoned oil workers' DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE Executive Director Jennifer Davis pre union head, Frank Kokori, and Hafsat sented a paper at the Council on For A biola, daughter of imprisoned president The following four-page back eign Relations that detailed U.S. elect Moshood Abiola, to the annual share ground papers on issues of current economic links to the Nigerian military holder meeting the resolution attracted interest are available for $1.00 each. and outlined the potential effectiveness over 7 percent of total votes. THE AFRICA • Africa's Debt Crisis: An of economic sanctions. FUND arranged for the two to attend the Obstacle to Growth In April, responding to dictator meeting. • Africa's Children: The Abacha's fraudulent scheme to run un Struggle for a Decent life opposed for the Nigerian presidency, • The Massachusetts-South TH E AFRICA FuND initiated an African Africa Sister State/Province American leadership statement chal Relationship lenging the U.S. policy of "constructive • Women and Governance - engagement" and urging the Clinton Finding Voice and Claiming administration to back the democratic Rights in the New Africa movement. Signatories to the widely • Mobil in Nigeria-Partner in reported statement included NAACP Oppression (Updated 9/98) leaders Kweisi Mfume and Julian Bond, Visit www.prairienet.org/ acas/ Congressional Black Caucus leaders afund.htrnl Maxine Waters, Donald Payne, Cynthia

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