Union to drop range of sanctions on Nigeria

Date: 22/10/1998

By Simon Taylor

EU GOVERNMENTS are set to lift non-military sanctions against Nigeria next week, despite warnings from pro-democracy groups that recent improvements in human rights could be reversed.

Union ambassadors decided this week to support a call for the sanctions against General Abdulsalam Abubakar's regime to be suspended as a reward for his pledge to hold elections for a civilian government next May and a number of other moves towards the restoration of democracy.

The sanctions, which were imposed in 1995 in response to the execution of author Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni campaigners, would have expired on 1 November unless ministers voted unanimously to extend them.

Restrictions on high-level visits, visas and sporting ties are among the measures which will be lifted. But military sanctions such as bans on exchanges of military personnel and sales of arms and other equipment will be maintained for a further six months and a 350-million-ecu development grant will also remain frozen.

Since Abubakar's military government took power in June, following the sudden death of the previous ruler General Abacha, it has not only promised to hold elections but has also released political prisoners, including 20 Ogoni rights campaigners, eased restrictions on press freedom and trade union rights, and dropped charges against exiled political figures such as Nobel prizewinner Wole Soyinka.

But pro-democracy activists argue that it is too early to ease sanctions on the regime.

Philip Ilenbarenemen, head of the UK office of the African Democratic League (ADL), pointed out that Abubakar had not yet repealed key pieces of repressive legislation, including the infamous Decree 2 which allows the government to imprison people without trial.

He also warned that the military could annul the result of the 1999 election if the winning parties insisted on the sort of changes to Nigeria's constitution and armed forces called for by ADL president Soyinka, who recently visited Nigeria after four years of self-imposed political exile.

But Peter Dama, senior counsellor at the Nigerian embassy in Brussels, said that any easing of sanctions would be "very welcome", although he added that the EU should also drop the military restrictions.

The regime argues that military cooperation between the EU and Nigeria could help the transition from a military to a civilian government.