Delta force: Nigerian militant group's aims remain blurred

摘要

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta professes to be an insurgent group fighting to secure a better deal for the people of the oil-rich Niger Delta. Matthew Skinner examines how the group's political agenda continues to be subordinated to its criminal activities.rnThe Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) sent out an email statement on 3 April rejecting an offer of amnesty from Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua. The tone of this and other communiques suggest the group is a credible insurgent organisation fighting to redress legitimate grievances of the inhabitants of the Niger Delta. However, when its rhetoric is compared to the reality of violence in the area, it becomes apparent that the group's stated political agenda remains largely subordinated to tapping the wealth of the oil industry it says it wants to destroy.