its war

I was listening to NPR on my 5 minute ride home from work this morning and heard a tidbit of an interview with Henry Okah, the arms supplier for a rebel group in Nigeria, the MENDS (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta). (While some call him their "leader" he insists that he is only their supplier.) Basically, they are a militant group that is carrying on an insurgent campaign against the Nigerian government.

The reason? Since declaring independence from Britian, Nigeria has seen endless dictatorships. Under these ruling powers, the control of Nigeria's oil supply -- which is found in the Niger Delta -- has been given to corporations such as Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell. Look them up. They are despicable companies. Well, the MENDS have taken matters into their own hands. They believe that the companies and their government are exploiting the Nigerian people.

Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, has said of the situation, "The oil companies can't pretend they don't know what's happening all around them. The Nigerian government obviously has the primary responsibility to stop humans rights abuse. But the oil companies are directly benefiting from these crude attempts to suppress dissent, and that means they have a duty to try and stop it." Eghare W.O. Ojhogar, chief of the Ugborodo community, said: "It is like paradise and hell. They have everything. We have nothing... If we protest, they send soldiers."

Human beings are most certainly always capable of distorting motives and purposes behind their actions. People are desperate. If we were living in those conditions, we would be ordinary people doing extreme things as well. Unfortunately, this particular group of people has been responsible for the murders of innocent people.

Whoops. Hasn't EVERY group who has used violence to fight for their cause?

I'm not quite sure what my point is, to be honest. But, first, this would not have been brought to the public's attention if MENDS had not attacked an oil tanker. A cease fire may not have been demanded. But that is what happened. And they asked for their arms supplier to be released. Now, they agreed to lay down their guns for 60 days.

In the interview, Okah was asked how he could account for the slaughter of innocent men, women, and children. He responded immediately, "Its war."

He gave no excuses, made no apologies.

There MUST be another way. Friends, it is you and I who make it possible for corporations like Shell to exist. They must be challenged. They cannot be allowed to rape and pillage both land and people. There has been enough of this.

We are the barbarians in this situation. Dare I say terrorists?

Lord, have mercy on us.