EU to consider new sanctions on Nigeria

Date: 07/05/1998

By Mark Turner

EU GOVERNMENTS are considering whether to impose new sanctions on Nigeria in the wake of its widely boycotted one-candidate presidential elections and the death sentences imposed on six alleged coup plotters.

Foreign ministers attending the Group of Eight (G8) summit next week and EU development ministers meeting on 18 May are expected to debate imposing a freeze on Nigerian leaders' financial assets, and may even discuss a moratorium on air flights or an oil embargo on the country.

The Union has maintained an arms and sports embargo and visa restrictions against General Sani Abacha's regime since November 1995, following the execution of nine human rights activists including writer Ken Saro-Wiwa.

It has since threatened to toughen its stance unless Nigeria undertakes significant democratic reforms. But legal loopholes and inadequate implementation mean that weapons remain readily available, Abacha's supporters continue to shop in Harrods and Nigeria will take part in this year's soccer World Cup.

This has led to growing protests from human rights organisations, who claim that the country's 'transition programme' - supposed to restore democracy by October this year - is fraudulent and that basic civil rights are routinely violated.

The US-based Human Rights Watch says the military regime has allowed only five (supportive) political parties to register, and screens candidates in local and state-level elections. Possible presidential opponents are intimidated, opposition meetings are disrupted, journalists are detained and any criticism of the reforms is deemed criminal.

It claims that, in blatant defiance of United Nations demands, "incidents of arbitrary arrest and detention by security officials have continued unabated", judges are controlled, courts are starved of funds and extra-judicial killings by security forces are regular occurrences.

Eight people were killed last week after Nigerian police opened fire on anti-Abacha protesters in Ibadan.

The EU said this week that it still considered Nigeria to be a military dictatorship, and the UK presidency has called on Abacha not to execute the coup plotters.

But EU sources suggest the strength of commercial interests in Nigeria means any move towards tougher sanctions is likely to face strong opposition.

Western states continue to develop trade ties with the country. French ambassador to Nigeria Philippe Peltier said last month that Paris was looking for expanded cooperation in oil, food-processing and agriculture, and described relations with Abuja as "cordial".

Human rights groups are also unconvinced about the wisdom of an oil embargo which they fear could hurt civilians. "We do not want to isolate the Nigerian people," said Human Rights Watch Brussels director Lotte Leicht.

The group is instead calling for an in-depth study into the possible effects of an embargo, and is demanding that France enforces visa restrictions on Abacha's regime during the World Cup.

Meanwhile, the Union, which has frozen over 300 million ecu of aid to Nigeria, is trying to support local civil activists with a 3-million-ecu programme for good governance and democracy.

But these moves are strongly resisted by the military dictatorship. Abacha continues to criticise the EU for interfering in his country's internal affairs, and for being "unjustifiably hostile towards Nigeria".